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March 17, 2018 By Brooke 24 Comments

Cricut Tricks And Tips – Hacks You Need To Know

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This post may contain Amazon and other affiliate links. Using these links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Cricut tips, tricks, and hacks - what you need to know for beginner cricut users. via @brookeberry

Cricut Tricks And Tips

Are you looking for little short cuts to make your Cricut experience a bit more smooth? Here are some of my favorite tricks and tips that NOBODY told me about. These small changes will save you time and money – which we can all use more of, right?

Some of these tricks might be common knowledge for any long time Cricut (or silhouette) users, but for anyone else who has had to navigate these crafting waters alone, I wanted to share some helpful tricks and tips that have made my life a bit easier. 

Cricut Hacks

When I first got my Cricut Explore machine I was so excited for all of the craft projects I could make, but was scared to even open the box and get started.  It just seemed so overwhelming to start. Thankfully the box had a starter project and lots of help to get me going on my first project.

Cricut Hack #1 – No Curling Paper

When cutting paper or cardstock remove the mat from the material (rather that the material from the mat).  This keeps your paper from curling up, especially when you have a brand new mat. 

I have also tried using the spatula looking tool from the tool set (check out this post to see my favorites) to carefully pry up a corner of my cut project.  I find it can lift the material without curling it as well.

Cricut Hack #2 – which side faces down?

What side of your material sticks to the cutting mat? When in doubt put the pretty side down.  For iron on vinyl, place the shiny side on the mat (and make sure to mirror your image before cutting).

Cricut Hack #3 – get blades to last longer

Use separate cutting blades for each material to keep the blades sharp and the cuts precise.  This will make your blades last longer. 

You can use a drop of nail polish if you wish to color code them, but I just write on the blade housing with a sharpie. Vinyl and paper. Easy peasy.

Shop Cricut Today!

Cricut Hack #4 – get your mats to last longer

Get more use from your cutting mat.  If your mat is not sticking anymore there are a few things you can do to extend its life a bit more. First, you can tape down the edges of your material with painters tape or washi tape.

You can clean the mat by running it under lukewarm water.  Gently tub the mat to remove any fibers and let it air dry.  Do not use any spray adhesive because it will make the machine rollers sticky and wont cut properly (I did this once and it wasn’t pretty). 

Cutting a piece of transfer tape the size of your mat and putting it sticky side down will re-stick your mat as well. 

Just remember, a new cutting mat is less expensive than a new machine. So don’t use any glues or spray adhesives. Trust me on this one.

Need inspiration? Get tons of great vinyl project ideas here.

Cricut Hack #5 – re-cut when needed.

Re-cut with the Go button.  If you are cutting through a thick material or any material and it doesn’t cut all the way through – WITHOUT unloading the cutting mat, hit the “Go” or “C” button and it will make another pass – cutting again in the exact same place. 

Caution – if you unload the mat this trick will not work because it will cut again but not in the exact same place.  So if you are hesitating at all, just hit go again and make sure it is cut all the way through. 

So, have you used any of these tricks before? Are any of them new to you? If you have another trick to share I would LOVE to hear about it in the comments.

Looking For A Crafty Friend?

Design Space Tutorials

  • Best Cricut Fonts
  • How to upload your own images
  • How To Upload A SVG
  • Slice Tool Tutorial
  • My Favorite Tools

Vinyl Tutorials

  • Ultimate Vinyl Guide – basics on vinyl types and when to use what
  • Where to get the best price craft vinyl in Canada

Iron On Vinyl Tutorials

  • Can I Put Iron-on Vinyl On That?
  • All About The EasyPress 2

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Filed Under: Crafts, Cricut Tutorials Tagged With: cricut explore, cricut project, cricut projects, Cricut Tutorial

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Julie Villeneuve says

    March 28, 2018 at 4:55 am

    New to me about using different blades and how to identify them. Also using transfer tape to re-stick mat….THANKS!

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      April 2, 2018 at 9:05 am

      I am glad I am not alone is not knowing that! Happy it helped.

      Reply
  2. E says

    April 15, 2018 at 4:59 pm

    Thanks I was intimidated till I read your tips.

    Reply
  3. Terri says

    April 25, 2018 at 3:35 pm

    I don’t know how many times I have changed paper or changed setting because it didn’t cut all the way through the paper. I am so glad you mentioned the trick with the go button can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      April 26, 2018 at 12:46 pm

      Me too! Although I have tried re-cutting after unloading the mat and it cut just off a tiny bit, which messed up my project. You never know when you will need it!

      Reply
  4. Kathi G says

    May 4, 2018 at 2:44 pm

    Some excellent tips here! To use spray adhesive to re-stick your mat, first cut a stencil out of cardboard and place it over the edges of the mat. That way your machine won’t get sticky.

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      May 6, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      I hadn’t thought of that! Smart move.

      Reply
  5. Rosy says

    August 1, 2018 at 8:28 pm

    I always spray my mats to re-stick them… you just have to be careful that you only spray the inside and not the edges- i wash them first in warm water and scrape off the bits of paper, let them dry, then put them under the template I made out of old file folders to cover up the edges of the mat and leave the inside exposed. I spray with a quilting adhesive (I use Quilt basting spray by Sullivan’s)- give it two light sprays and let them dry and you are good to go. If by chance they get too sticky, just pat the surface with your hands- the oil from your hands make the mat less stickY.

    Reply
    • Yvonne says

      April 11, 2021 at 12:31 pm

      Thank you so much.

      Reply
  6. Doreen says

    August 12, 2018 at 5:27 pm

    I am new to using the cricut If my project has say 4 different color vinyls instead of using 4 different mats can I put the needed colors on one mat?

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      August 12, 2018 at 6:40 pm

      The easiest way is to cut on 4 different mats, one for each color. However, if you have an ipad or iphone you can use the snap mat feature to place 4 pieces of vinyl on the mat. The snap mat feature just makes sure that your cuts fit onto the vinyl perfectly. Let me know if you would like a tutorial on this!

      Reply
  7. Dani says

    September 8, 2018 at 11:50 am

    You can use adhesive spray and it works awesome! Just use painters tape along the edges before you spray and take off after. That way the rollers on the machine won’t be affected because the sides of the mat were covered when spraying.

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      September 11, 2018 at 12:32 pm

      That is a really smart idea with the painters tape! I will have to try it, I am experimenting a bit more with the newer style of cutting mats. They don’t have the flowers and don’t smell, but also don’t seem to last as long.

      Reply
  8. Barbara says

    September 30, 2018 at 8:26 pm

    I have the Cricut Expression second hand, and it was given to me as a gift. I was very excited when I got, but was disappointed when some of the cardboard did not cut all the way through. I am sure these hints will help. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      September 30, 2018 at 11:02 pm

      Yes, try a new blade and you can always do a second cut!

      Reply
  9. Pat says

    December 26, 2018 at 9:01 pm

    How do you clean the wheels on the cricut machine after cutting with leather it leaves it sticky with bits of leather on it?

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      December 26, 2018 at 10:05 pm

      I would use tweezers or my fingers to pull any pieces off the rollers. I haven’t really had anything sticky on the wheels after cutting leather before. I would maybe call Cricut customer care and ask what they recommend.

      Reply
  10. Sue says

    February 1, 2019 at 11:13 am

    The number one thing that you’ve never been told is that you can use an iPad or cell phones BUT you will really need a worktop or a laptop!

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      February 3, 2019 at 3:45 pm

      That is a good point! I personally like designing on the computer better, but I love the snap mat feature on the phone. I will also use the phone to send designs to the machine, especially if I am assembling something while cutting another sheet.

      Reply
  11. Jude says

    August 7, 2020 at 12:23 pm

    I cant get the friday night lights to download for me.
    Thank you

    Reply
  12. grant clay says

    August 15, 2020 at 7:11 am

    can you please send me cricut downloads

    Reply
  13. Keith A Milson says

    January 22, 2021 at 9:29 am

    Brooke, why does it take so long to cut my custom designs (for applique)? Each piece on fabric takes sooooo long! I can cut them faster by hand.

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      January 22, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      HMM it is hard to say without seeing the design. I know for cutting squares and straight lines, I prefer my rotary blade and acrylic ruler as it is much faster. But smaller pieces I like the precision of cutting on the maker.
      If you want, send me and email with the image and I can look at it?

      Reply
  14. Shirley says

    May 13, 2021 at 6:34 pm

    Painters tape along the edges is a great tip. I hang my mats from command hooks on the wall. I put painters tape (on both sides) over the hole and cut the hole out…makes it so much easier to see to hang on the hook.

    Reply

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Brooke - Brooklyn Berry Designs

Hey, I’m Brooke!

I am a mom to 4 boys in Calgary, Alberta.  I love learning how things are made, singing to the radio loudly, and can’t stop talking. Fueled by diet coke and chaos, I can often be found working on a project.  You can hang out here for craft ideas and tips, games and activities to do with kids, plus FREE svg files and printables.

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