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MakerSpace: Cricut Maker

CUTTING WITH THE CRICUT MAKER


What is a Cricut Machine?
A Cricut is an electronic cutting machine that can cut all sorts of designs from materials like paper, vinyl, card stock, and iron-on transfers. Some Cricut machines can even cut leather and wood!

  • Free designs are available from the Cricut website in our space.
  • We provide a small amount of material for prototype or experimentation (average 20 x 10 cm) otherwise you will need to provide your own vinyl.
  • Cricut brand vinyls are available at Office Works, Spotlight and Harvey Norman.
  • The SPSA's can assist with set up of the vinyl cutter but are not able to provide design assistance for projects.
  • Please have your project prepared prior to the booking.

Note - The type of surface the vinyl is attached to will determine the type of vinyl chosen.

 

You can use the Cricut to cut just about anything you would typically cut with scissors or an X-acto knife. That said, a Cricut can cut with much more precision and speed than would ever by hand.

In simple terms, here is how to use a Cricut.

  • First, choose your cutting material and place it on the sticky cutting mat. (The cutting mat holds the material in place while the Cricut makes the cuts.) Load the mat into the machine.
  • Next, choose a design in Cricut Design Space. Select your material settings, and send the design to your Cricut cutting machine.
  • Press the button on your Cricut machine to start cutting. 
  • After the machine is done cutting, remove the mat from the machine, and the material from the mat.

 

 

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

Cricut Design Space is the Cricut companion app where you can browse thousands of images, ready-to-make projects, and fonts in the Cricut Library or even design your own project from scratch.

Design Space is a free* cloud based design layout software that interfaces with the Cricut Maker. It provides necessary tools to design and create projects, organizes projects on mats by color and suggests the right tools based on the selected materials and functions. Create custom projects or select from ready made projects. Design Space requires an internet connection and compatible operating system. 

  1. Access design space (https://design.cricut.com/#/sign-in).
  2. Create a Cricut id if a first time user, or sign in with an existing account if a returning user.

*Cricut Access is a paid membership that gives users unlimited access to a wide array of images, fonts and projects in design space. This membership is not necessary to use design space and is not provided by the Loyola Notre Dame Library. Membership is an individual decision and is between the user and Cricut.  

Also look through the Cricut Webpage which has a great range of problem solving or informative 'how to' such as

How to find free images that come with Cricut Design Space

Uploading images into Design Space- Automatic Background remover 

Canvas Overview

The workspace in Design Space where projects are designed. 

Functions

  • Attach - holds cuts in position so that images on the cutting mat will appear exactly as they show up on the design canvas and fastens a draw or score layer to a cut layer
  • Contour - hides or unhides lines or cut paths on a layer
  • Delete - permanently removes an object from the canvas
  • Detach - separates attached layers so they are no longer connected and will cut or draw independently from all other layers
  • Duplicate - creates a copy of a layer
  • Flatten - merges all selected layers into a single layer for printing
  • Group -  allows layers to be moved and sized together while working with them on the canvas
  • Slice - splits two overlapping layers into separate parts
  • Unflatten - separates layers from a printable image into individual printable layers.
  • Ungroup - allows layers to be moved and sized independently of another on the canvas
  • Weld - joins multiple layers together to create one shape, removing overlapping cut lines

Linetypes

  • Cut - set a layer to cut and set a color for the layer
  • Write - set the layer to write, and choose from a list of Cricut Pens
  • Score - set a layer to score, for easy folding
  • Print - turn a layer into a printed layer to be printed on a printer and cut with the Cricut Maker

While the Cricut cuts a variety of materials, there is no guarantee that it will cut all materials.  It is able to cut material as delicate as crepe paper and as thick as leather. If the material is not listed in the materials list, attempt to cut with the closest matching materials setting. Your material must be less than 2.4 mm in thickness.

Thicker materials such as chipboard and balsa wood must be secured to the cutting mat with masking or painters tape and the star wheels on the roller bar should be moved to the far right. 

BOOKINGS

Reserve some project time at the MakerSpace:

BOOK PROJECT TIME

CONTACT US

LINDA COX | MAKERSPACE COORDINATOR OURIMBAH

Ourimbah Library MakerSpace, OIRC 209, Second Floor Ourimbah Library, Red Door @ top of the stairs.

10 Chittaway Road, Ourimbah NSW 2258

makerspace@newcastle.edu.au 

02 4348 4009

 

JULIAN GILLARD | MAKERSPACE OFFICER AUCHMUTY

Auchmuty Library MakerSpace is located in room L-321 on Level 3 of the Auchmuty Library.

University Dr, Callaghan NSW 2308

makerspace@newcastle.edu.au