Part 1 – Tool Kit Essentials
I had a great time last week teaching a class at our local Craft – Pie, Art, Bar. The class was small, but the inspiration was unbelievable. Earlier in the day, I was trying to decide on my next topic for a blog post. The ladies in this class really inspired me to design some beginner level classes for using my favorite tool, the Cricut. They were all familiar with the Cricut but a little overwhelmed with where you start. So, this blog series was born! “So, you have Cricut, what now?”
I can say that I am the proud owner of Cricut’s Air Explorer and Cricut’s Maker. My Maker is my favorite tool in my craft room. The things you can create with your Cricut are endless. So, I can understand being a little overwhelmed. I always tell everyone that I have learned most everything I know about my Cricut from YOUTUBE and from trying lots of new things!
Once you understand your machine and the materials/tools that you need, then it is time to conquer Cricut’s Design Space. This is the software that you use to design your projects. The software itself is not complicated, but some things are not as intuitive as many of us would like them to be.
I have a few tricks and lessons that I have learned that I would like to share with you. To start off this new series, I think we should start at the beginning. I’m breaking down the essential tools that you will “need”. So, let’s get right to it.
My husband always gives me a hard time about my craft collection. A little material here, and a little cardstock there, add in all of my embellishments and tools, and it turns into a collection. It is nothing like the toys in his garage, but my craft room is my happy place. So, let’s talk about what you need to get started with your Cricut. There are tons of nifty tools that can help you do all sorts of amazing and fun things with your machine. But I’ve also found that some are costly and unnecessary. I have a few tools that came in combo kits that I have never used. So, I want to share with you the tools I find are necessary and that I use over and over for all of my projects. These are the tools that I recommend most!
What You Need in your Cricut Toolkit!
Cutting Mats
I have a wide range of the Cricut cutting mats. Cricut has two main sizes available, 12×12 and 12×24. The grip of the mat is all color-coded and designed to work with different weights of materials. The types are; Blue -Light Grip, Green – Standard Grip, Purple -Strong Grip and Pink – Material Grip. If you have to choose what mats to purchase, I definitely recommend starting with the standard grip. I have both the 12×12 and 12×24 size.
Knife Blade
The knife blade is used for precise cuts through thicker or denser materials such as balsa wood, leather, craft foam, and more. So depending on your projects this is a great tool.
Scoring Tool
I use this tool for cards, gift tags, and boxes. The scoring tool is used to create fold lines in your projects…perfect for gift boxes, organizers, file folders, and more!
Pens
I love to use the Cricut pens with my machine. In fact, I seem to keep adding to my collection. They are great to add a professional touch to your cards.
Pin Pen
The Pin Pen™ Weeding Tool is a game changer when it comes to weeding vinyl, heat transfer vinyl (HTV), and other materials. This pen is my favorite tool, and it helps tremendously. It is simply a pen with a pin in the tip. Cricut sells a certain weeding tool, but this pen is by far my favorite weeding tool I’ve come to use.
Scraper
The extra-large scraper is perfect for burnishing materials and cleaning all of your mats. This is also helpful for applying material to larger surfaces with ease. Specifically ideal for vinyl, paper, and iron-on projects.
Cricut Access Library Subscription
This subscription is worth every penny. I don’t think that there is a project that I have done where I haven’t used some element from Design Space. There is no more need for cartridges. There are unlimited choices with over 90,000+ images and hundreds of fonts. The subscription also gives you exclusive discounts on everything Cricut. If you anticipate using your Cricut a lot, I can’t recommend the subscription enough!
Assorted Cardstock
Thinking back to my comment about my craft collection, cardstock is one of those things that I do collect. Having different paper pads and cardstock variety’s on hand has been incredibly nice for multiple projects like creating a scrapbook, card, or journal. In an earlier blog post I have a step by step tutorial and video on creating journals out of composition books. In this tutorial I used different types of cardstock paper I had in my craft room. I like to stock up on paper pads whenever I see them on sale at different craft stores!
Assorted Vinyl
I think that vinyl is the one thing I cut the most on my Cricut Maker. There are many different types of vinyl, and I will go over that in an upcoming blog, but for now, I use it for cards, labels, signs, cups, wall treatments, car decals, and much more.
Transfer Tape
This is my must have if you are going to be doing any vinyl projects. There are lots of different types of transfer tape, but I have found this one to be my favorite. I always keep it on hand because of how much I use it. Although, if I run out of this kind or as a second option I use clear contact paper from the dollar store.
So there you have it! My top 10 tools or accessories that you should have in your toolkit for multiple Cricut projects. These will fill your toolbox and enable you to create so many incredible gifts, cards, and unique projects.
Let me know what your favorite tools are that you use every day when making your favorite creations.
I am working on future content to this series so please let me know what topics would be helpful for you. Thanks so much for joining me today for this first post in my new series, “So, you have Cricut, what now?”
