What is a Cricut and what does it do?

You’ve probably heard about the Cricut, but if you’re wondering “What is a Cricut and What Does it Do?” I’m here to tell you the ins and outs!

This post is sponsored by Cricut. All opinions are 100% my own.

I’ve talked about what machine you should get, and all the different crafts you can make with your Cricut, but if you’re a beginner – I’m telling you exactly what the Cricut is and what it does.

Let’s jump right in!

What is the Cricut?

The Cricut is a cutting machine for DIY Crafters. You connect it to your computer or tablet with a USB Cable or Wifi, create designs in Cricut Design Space, load the material of your choice into the Cricut, then it cuts your design.

There are 3 machines you can choose from:

• Cricut Maker
• Cricut Explore Air 2
• Cricut Joy

Visit this page for a model comparison, or scroll down to get the printable version.

Each machine has different capabilities so this chart makes it easy to see which machine is right for you.

That’s a super simplified version, but to really explain what the Cricut does, I’ll go into more detail.

So what does the Cricut do?

The very first Cricut machine was a die cut machine. It’s evolved so much over the years, but ultimately, it is meant to cut materials for craft and DIY projects.

The Joy can cut over 50 materials, the Explore Air 2 over 100, and the Cricut Maker can cut over 300 different materials, including fabric.

Here’s a list of the most common materials crafters cut with their Cricut:

• Printables
• Iron on
• Vinyl
• Infusible Ink
• Paper
• Felt
• Foil Transfer Sheets
• Leather (Maker)
• Fabric (Maker)

And if you want a more comprehensive list, visit this post.

What else does the Cricut Do?

The Cricut’s main function is to cut, but it also:

• Cuts Printables – I want to be clear on this because it can be confusing…the Cricut does not print, but it cuts printables that you print out on your printer. This is by far my favorite feature because…printables.
• Draws – You can use Cricut Pens to draw on paper and cardstock, plus they also have Cricut Infusible Ink pens you can transfer onto t-shirts, coasters, tote bags, and more!
• Scores – The scoring tool is handy when you need to fold paper – it’s great for boxes, or 3D decorations. The Maker’s scoring wheel is more advanced than the scoring stylus for the Explore Air 2, but both work great.
• Transfers Foil – This is one thing I haven’t tried yet, but I’ve been loving all the projects my friends make. The Foil Transfer kit works on the Maker and Explore Machines.
• Engraves/Debosses (Maker) – When you buy the Quick Swap Housing for the Maker, you can replace the tip with and Engraving tool or Debossing Tool.

The best thing about all these features? You can use multiple features at once. Check out these tutorials to see what I mean:

• Draw and Cut Banners
• Score and Cut Printables
• Draw and Cut Fabric
• Draw and Cut Labels

How does the Cricut do what it does?

I’m not going to go into the engineering behind the Cricut – but I do want you to know how you can make the Cricut work for your hobby or business.

1. First, you need to download Cricut Design Space. It’s FREE!
2. You can either use SVG Files or Cricut Design Space Project.
3. If you want to use over 100,000 files from Cricut Design Space, I recommend signing up for Cricut Access. You also get a lot of other perks, which you can learn about here.
4. You create your design, upload your design, or make your Cricut Make it Now project in Design Space.
5. Design Space will prompt you when to load your mat, when to change out your blades and/or pens.
6. It will cut/draw/emboss, etc. and then prompt you to either recut your material (useful if you have an old blade or very thick material) or unload your mat.

If you use a Cricut Make it Now Project, it should include instructions for completing your craft, or you can follow along with one of my Cricut Tutorials.

Need Design Space Tutorials? Check these posts out:

• Get Started in the New Cricut Design Space
• My Favorite Cricut Design Space Updates
• How to Edit Text in Cricut Design Space
• How to Create Custom Designs in Cricut Design Space
• 11 Reasons You Need a Cricut Access Subscription
• How to Customize a Cricut Access Project
• How to Upload Patterns to Cricut Design Space
• How to Upload Print and Cut Files to Cricut Design Space
• How to Upload SVG Files to Cricut Design Space
• How to Create a Cricut Print and Cut Project from SVG Files
• How to Use the Slice Tool to Make Large Vinyl Decals
• How to Use the Weld Tool in Cricut Design Space
• How to Use the Cricut Contour Tool with SVG Files
• How to Design Custom Invitations in Cricut Design Space
• Make Your Own Invitations from SVG Files in Cricut Design Space

Do I Need a Cricut?

Short answer – Yes 🙂

But really, it depends on what kind of crafting you do. Do you:

• Cut out printables by hand?
• Create cards by hand?
• Have a desire to create vinyl crafts?
• Want to make iron-on or infusible ink shirts and tote bags?
• Want to start a creative business (think sign making, blogging, card making)?
• Want to perfectly cut fabric patterns?

If you answered yes to any of these, then definitely consider getting a Cricut machine! If you answered yes to most of these…you NEED a Cricut!!!

Remember to check out all my Cricut tutorials, and download the free printable comparison chart below!

Download the Printable Cricut Comparison Chart