So staying at home and having also much time on your hands has finally caught up to you, so you figured it would be a great idea to offset a hobby, and crafting was the first affair to pop into your mind.

Well, unleashing your imagination is a expert affair, and if yous have the correct tools to help you plough your ideas into reality, then things will be a whole lot easier (and potentially profitable).

Speaking of tools, at that place is 1 manufacturer that creates a wide assortment of tools that can help home crafters, and it's chosen Cricut.

How to use cricut maker 3 featured

Cricut's flagship machine is the Cricut Maker, along with the Cricut Maker 3, with the latter bringing several improvements compared to the first generation of machines.

Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to use the machine to its total potential, and even if about of you probably know their way around it, at that place's a loftier chance that you lot're not using it to its full potential, and you might be missing out on some amazing features.

Creating Things at Dwelling house: A Grade of Therapy

How to use cricut maker 3 crafting

Nosotros all recollect how when nosotros were kids, our imagination would get wild, and we'd recall about all manner of things, getting ideas that ranged from silly to downright genius just past staring at blank walls.

Truth be told, we don't lose our imagination and our desire to create things out of fun but because we grow older, we just lose involvement in doing it because we accept other things on our listen and very trivial time to spare.

However, the world has changed, and working from home is something a lot more common now, and since more and more people relieve precious fourth dimension (sometimes even several hours) by not having to commute anymore, you of a sudden realized that your eight-hour work schedule really takes just 8 hours.

With so much time on your easily, it'southward time to render to your roots and start creating things that are fun and whimsical.

That's precisely why we went alee and created a complete guide to showcase only how you can use the Cricut Maker and how you tin utilize it to create some amazing dwelling house-crafted items and maybe brand a few dollars forth the way too.

How Does a Cricut Maker Work?

Cricut maker 3

Without going into details, the Cricut Maker 3 is a computer-controlled cutting machine specifically designed for habitation crafters, and it is used for cutting paper, felt, vinyl, all manner of fabrics, and fifty-fifty harder materials similar leather, matboard, and woods.

The Cricut Maker is office of a long line of machines created by Cricut, being part of 1 of the 4 major device families:

  • Cricut Maker machines
  • Cricut Explore machines
  • Cricut Joy
  • Cricut Oestrus presses

While somewhat like in terms of functionality to the Cricut Explore, the Cricut Maker 3 is the heavy-duty flagship model that features the best cut speeds, the most cutting force, and the highest potential for large-calibration manufacturing.

With the assist of this astonishing automobile, you can create custom designs and cut various materials, allowing you to decorate your home, also as create custom gifts for your friends and family unit, and even make a small business of handmade objects.

For those of you that are interested in learning more about this amazing cutting tool, know that we have already written a consummate review almost the Cricut Maker 3 if you lot're interested in more than details virtually the product.

How to Use the Cricut Maker: Cricut Maker Tutorial

Now that you've learned about what the Cricut Maker 3 is, it's time to larn how you can use it properly.

Continue in heed that Cricut designed all of their machines to be as easy to use as possible, but the Cricut Maker iii is still admittedly the most complex of them all, then knowing how to use it fully isn't something you'll be able to practice from the get-go.

Preparing the Cricut Maker

How to use cricut maker 3 preparations

Ane affair you need to understand is that cutting machines are generally loud, and even if the Cricut motorcar was created to be as silent as possible, there'due south but so much the designers can practice since y'all are notwithstanding talking about a machine that is basically cutting and pounding away at all kind of materials.

That beingness said, the outset matter you lot should practice before you lot start off with your first piece of work project is to find a room where your Cricut Maker iii will be housed, and if you lot're 1 of the lucky few that can spare an entire room and plow it into a defended crafting room, it's even better.

Once you take your room, the exact spot where you'll be placing the machine is as important. This is by and large because the Cricut Maker 3 is the largest Cricut automobile (22.6 ten 7.09 ten 6.22 in or 57.4 x 18 x xv.8 cm), then yous'll demand to find a place for information technology that will non hinder your movements.

Secondly, the machine is too quite bulky (22.7 pounds or 10.3 kg), so brand sure that the article of furniture you're placing it on is sturdy. More so, since y'all'll exist dealing with a automobile that will probably be working for a few good hours at a time, cutting and embossing all kinds of materials, you should likewise brand sure that your article of furniture can handle vibrations.

One time you've plant a place for your Cricut Maker 3, you tin can finally go ahead and unbox it and so plug it in.

Note: It's ok if you take your time and admire the auto purely for its pattern since Cricut arguably makes some of the best-looking cutting machines on the market.

Connect to the Net and Update Firmware

Ok, so y'all've unboxed the Cricut Maker 3 and plugged it in, but that doesn't hateful that you can go alee and start with your projects, or at least not only even so.

Yous see, the Cricut Maker iii is non just a elementary machine, it is a circuitous device that is powered past dedicated software, and with Cricut updating their software on a regular footing, it goes without saying that if your Cricut Maker 3 is make-new, it may need a few firmware updates.

This can be done through the Net, and the not bad matter most the Cricut maker 3 is that it tin can connect to the Internet both via a wired (USB connection to the PC) and a wireless (Bluetooth) connection.

However, while we do advocate for less cable direction, firmware updates may take a while to consummate, and since Bluetooth connectivity isn't all that great for data transfer, we recommend that, at to the lowest degree for at present, y'all'll employ a wired connectedness to the Internet.

Here's how to set up and update the firmware of your Cricut Maker 3:

  1. Get to the Cricut Blueprint Space webpage. Easypress 2 review design space
  2. Download and install Design Space for PC.
    • Information technology works on both Windows and Mac.
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions.
  4. Sign in or create your Cricut ID.
  5. Gear up your new Cricut Maker 3 machine. How to use cricut maker 3 product setup
  6. The Pattern Infinite app will automatically scan your Cricut Maker 3 and detect whether it needs any firmware updates.
    • Design Infinite will then listing the available firmware version.
  7. Click on Update. Easypress 2 review update frimware 2
  8. Wait for the progress bar that appeared on the screen to complete.
  9. Your Cricut Maker 3 will restart past itself once the update is consummate.
  10. Select Continue.

Easypress 2 review update frimware 2

Note: The Blueprint Space setup will permit you know when it is consummate by prompting you to do a test cut.

Larn About Cricut's Design Infinite

We talked earlier about using Blueprint Infinite to set up your Cricut Maker three and how you tin can also use it to update the firmware too, but that's only scratching the surface of what this software tin can do.

Y'all see, Pattern Space is a gratis software used with Cricut smart cutting machines, and it is available for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, although only the Windows and Mac versions tin exist used to gear up or update the firmware of Cricut devices.

Its main purpose is to be a proprietary graphics design tool that likewise lets your plan and wirelessly cut with Cricut Maker machines.

You can use this software to create a project from scratch, or you can go ahead and use some of the thousands of images, predesigned Make it Now projects, or even fonts that are bachelor in the Cricut Image Library.

Cricut design space

All versions of the app, both for PC and mobile, are deject-based, and thanks to your Cricut ID, all information and projects that you are working on are synced across your devices, allowing you access to your designs 24/7, no matter where you are, whenever inspiration hits you lot.

For those of yous that also use the smartphone app, you can utilise your congenital-in camera to visualize your projection on a real-life background (via AR).

Note: Design space is installed locally on your PC, meaning y'all can design whatsoever time, anywhere, even without an Internet connection. However, you won't be able to browse whatsoever of the resources from the Cricut Prototype Library.

Learn How to Use Blueprint Space

The Cricut Maker iii lacks any onboard dials and buttons that permit you lot create your designs, and everything that the motorcar does from a creative standpoint is controlled via the Design Space app.

That existence said, yous can't await to make even a simple cut in a paper without first learning the basics of how to use Design Infinite.

Fortunately enough, you lot don't have to worry near how much information technology will take to learn the nuts since the software was designed to be as intuitive and convenient equally possible.

Here's how to use Pattern Space on your Cricut Maker three:

  1. Launch the Design Space app and log in using your Cricut ID.
  2. In the top-right corner of the menu, select Optimize feel for:
  3. Click on Cricut Maker 3.
  4. Click on New Project. How to use cricut maker 3 design space 1

Y'all will at present be presented with Design Space's graphics blueprint UI, and this where you lot can create pretty much whatever you desire, from posters to greeting cards and T-shirt models.

The side by side steps that y'all will need to take are purely up to you since it basically involves you working around with Blueprint's Space's toolset and fiddle away while you create something fun to cut with your Cricut Maker iii.

Bottom line is that once you retrieve that you are done with your pattern, all you lot demand to do is press the Make It button in the top-correct corner, and you can starting time cutting into your desired materials.

How to use cricut maker 3 preparations 2 (2)

Learn Nearly the Cricut Maker's Accessories

We've already mentioned that the Cricut Maker iii is a cutting motorcar at heart and that it can work with a wide variety (300+ materials), but that doesn't mean that information technology uses the same blades for all materials.

Y'all see, the Cricut Maker 3 has an adaptive system that supports 13 unlike tools to accommodate your demand. These tools not only make the Cricut Maker 3 good at cutting, but they also go far well-suited for other operations like scrapbooking, quilting, leatherworking, engraving, debossing, and more.

Here'southward a brief rundown of the 13 tools:

  • Knife Bract
    • Best used for deep cuts on hard materials with a thickness of up to 3/32 in (2.4 mm)
    • Works best on balsa wood, chipboard, matboard, and tooled leather.
  • Rotary Blade
    • Best used for sewing projects
    • Recommended for soft fabrics similar cotton, fleece, or denim
  • Fine-Point Bract
    • All-time used for finer projects where your working finer designs on softer materials, and it comes in 3 variations:
      • Premium Fine-Point (Gold) – Works best on paper, cardstock, poster lath, vinyl, and iron-on.
      • Deep Betoken (Blackness) – Works best with magnet, chipboard, stamp material, thick cardstock, stiffened felt, cream sheets, and cardboard
      • Bonded-Fabric (Pinkish) – Works best with bonded fabrics or fabrics with an iron-on backer
  • Pens and Markers
    • Used for designing and drawing shapes on your work materials
  • Foil Transfer Tool
    • Used to add a foil finish with Foil Transfer Sheets
  • Wavy Bract – Used to make wavy edges in paper and thin cardboard
  • Debossing Tip
    • Used to create detailed debossed designs
    • Works best on paper, craft foam, leather, poster lath, and more
  • Engraving Tip
    • Used to engrave texts and designs onto materials
    • Works best with paper, sparse cardboard, and leather
  • Scoring Wheels
    • Used to create creases that brand folding materials a lot easier, and it comes in two variants:
      • Single Scoring Wheel – Works best on softer materials like crepe newspaper or light cardstock
      • Double Scoring Wheel – Works all-time on softer materials like poster board or cardboard
  • Perforation Tools
    • Used to make perforating lines that can be ripped easier later
    • Works best on paper, acetate, cardstock, and more than
  • Deep-Signal Blade
    • Considering of the deeper angle and more than durable steel, it is used to make cuts in harder materials
    • Works best on chipboard, thick cardstock, and more.
  • Bonded-Fabric Blade
    • Best used for cut bonded fabric or fabric with an fe-on backer
  • Washable Material Pen
    • Best used for writing and designing instructions on fabric, and it can easily be washed later on

Cricut tools

Note: Each of these tools can be bought together in a single package along with a make-new Cricut Maker iii, but they are also be sold separately, so you don't take to worry near buying an unabridged set of 13 tools just considering y'all need the 1 blade.

Using the Cricut Maker 3 the First Fourth dimension

So at present that yous've presumably found a identify for your Cricut Maker iii, take prepare it up, updated its firmware, and learned all about its tools and what it can do, you can go ahead and actually showtime using the car.

Utilise the Right Tools

Cricut maker 3 2

Now that you know about the Cricut Maker 3's tools, you need to remember that they were specifically built with certain purposes in mind.

That being said, while it goes without proverb that yous cannot employ a cutting blade fabricated for soft materials on something hard, you lot tin't exercise the verbal opposite either.

The same applies to the pens equally well, since sure pens are made to be used on certain materials, and don't forget that some of them are permanent, while others are washable too.

The bottom line is that you need to choose the right tool for the job, and so if yous're drawing, use a pen, and if you lot're cut, use a (proper) blade.

The Cricut Maker iii makes things easier and allows you to multitask to some degree thanks to its dual carriage feature, which allows you to perform two actions simultaneously.

The same matter applies to the cut mats too, since there are 3 different kinds fabricated for three different categories of materials, and since they are consumables, it's wise that you know which to use in different situations and so that they can be used for as much as possible.

Setting Up Your First Cut

Speaking of cut mats, the first matter that you need to do in one case you're prepared to make your first cut is to place the cutting mat in the Cricut car. Just remove the mat cover and place it on your Cricut Maker 3.

You lot will so have to place the cloth over the cutting mat while also making certain that it perfectly adhere to the surface, and in one case you are done, just load the mat and the material into the auto.

Annotation that you can cut down on training times past using Smart Materials, which work without a cutting mat, pregnant that yous can just load the material directly into your Cricut Maker 3 auto to go it started.

This is due to the fact that Smart Materials come already attached to a special capitalist that tin can feed through your Cricut Maker 3, which basically acts as a sometime use congenital-in cutting mat.

These Smart Materials come in a multifariousness of material types, such as:

  • Smart Vinyl
  • Smart Iron-On
  • Smart Paper Sticker Cardstock

More then, the Cricut Maker 3 works best with Smart Materials, allowing up to 2x times the cutting speeds compared to their regular non-smart counterparts.

As soon as the materials are loaded, the first matter that your Cricut Maker 3 volition do is check whether you lot inserted the right tool into the slot.

It knows this because this is ane of the settings that you ready before when you lot created the design via Pattern Space, so if you loaded the Foil Transfer Tool instead of the Fine-Point Blade, the auto would not offset the operation until yous replaced it.

Weed Out Excess Material

One affair that you need to recall nigh the Cricut maker iii is that information technology cuts your materials, but it doesn't also get rid of the excess and leftovers, which means that you'll need to have focus, a adept pair of eyes (or glasses), and a very steady mitt.

Unfortunately, this is something that yous will take to do manually, although Cricut did think of a few ways it can assist to make things a scrap easier, and it comes in the grade of a device called the Cricut BrightPad.

How to use cricut maker 3 brightpad

The Cricut BrightPad acts as a pad on which you can place your materials and, thanks to the light that it emits, you can see the cuts and holes more than hands, making it easier to option out the excess material.

Then again, if you don't have the upkeep to buy it, yous can also go alee and identify your cut fabric against a bright window, although sitting in that position for extended periods of time tends to become uncomfortable at some point.

Finishing Your Project

Cricut maker 3 3

Once the materials accept been cut and properly weeded out, you can go ahead and use them further in your other projects, some of which can even involve using other complementary Cricut machines.

For example, don't forget that vinyl is amid the many materials that the Cricut Maker 3 tin cut, and this includes HTVs (heat transferable vinyls), significant yous tin use the Cricut Maker iii to cutting the HTV into shapes and designs, so use a heat press like the Cricut EasyPress two to use it to clothing and fabrics.

Combining these 2 tools tin can assistance you create amazing projects, such as creating custom T-shirts that you would ordinarily design and buy off of the Internet (at an exaggeratedly high cost given their quality).

Go Used to Your Cutting Materials

Since the Cricut Maker 3 can support then many materials, information technology can get a bit overwhelming, specially if you make the mistake of watching only crafting tutorials where they apply 7 different materials to make simply one Christmas card.

Non simply volition you have to change the motorcar's settings 7 times, but you might also need to modify the blades a few times every bit well, and for a beginner, and then many tasks for just 1 projection can seem daunting and can lead to a loss of interest very fast.

Because of that, our recommendation is that you lot stick to simpler projects, preferably ones that involve as few materials as possible. In fact, nosotros recommend that the first few times you lot actually use the Cricut Maker three, y'all simply do examination runs over and over on but ane type of material, but so that you can get used to it.

For example, y'all can go ahead and make greeting cards just by using one blazon of cardboard, and while the end upshot may not be equally impressive as a greeting card covered in a felt design, you'll still be creating something while as well mastering cardboard.

FAQ: More Information About the Cricut Maker

What can the Cricut Maker three do?

The Cricut Maker three is a PC-controlled cutting machine that can be used on +300 different materials that range from delicate fabrics to plywood.

Information technology is powered by a software tool called Design Space you lot can create and design your own projects, and it features a smart tool organization that allows you to switch between 13 different tools that can cutting, draw, score, deboss, engrave, and foil.

Is there a new Cricut machine coming out?

Cricut has yet to announce any new Cricut Maker model, and, equally of the writing of this article, the newest Cricut Maker machine that you lot can get is the Cricut Maker three.

Does the Cricut Maker iii need a mat?

Under normal circumstances, all materials that you program to cutting using the Cricut Maker 3 will need to be placed on a cut mat.

However, if you opt to utilise Smart Materials instead, they will already come adhered to the surface of a cutting mat, and the Cricut Maker iii volition go through these materials faster as well.

Which is better, Cricut Maker or Cricut Maker 3?

For all intents and purposes, the Cricut Maker three is superior to the Cricut Maker. Not just does it support Smart Materials, but it besides has a much longer cutting length (Up to 12 ft compared to the first generation'due south 2 ft).

More than so, the Cricut Maker 3 works in Fast Way past default, cutting at 2x the speed of the get-go generation Cricut maker.

Another noticeable step forward is that the Cricut Maker 3 supports the Roll Holder tool, while the first generation Cricut Maker doesn't.

What is in the box of a Cricut Maker?

Even if you buy the most affordable Cricut Maker iii package, you will still receive several other useful materials and tools too the machine itself:

  • 1 x Premium Fine-Indicate Blade
  • 1 x Blade Housing
    • Pre-installed in the B clamp
  • ane x Accompaniment Adapter
    • Pre-installed in the A clamp
  • 1 ten Quick Start Guide
  • ane 10 Safety document
  • i 10 Warranty document
  • ane ten USB Cable
  • 1 x Power adapter and power cord
  • Enough materials for a test cut
  • Bonus materials to commencement off some projects

What is the maximum size I can cut?

The maximum cut size on both the Cricut Maker and the Cricut Maker 3 when using non-smart materials depends on the cutting mat that yous are using:

  • On a 12 in ten 12 in mat (30.5 cm x 30.v cm) yous tin can cut materials up to oneane.five in x 11.5 in (29.2 cm x 29.two cm)
  • On a 12 in x 24 in mat (thirty.5 cm x 61 cm) y'all can cutting materials upwards to eleven.5 in x 23.5 in (29.ii cm x 59.6 cm)

What is the Adaptive Tool System?

The Adaptive Tool System that is present in every Cricut Maker machine allows it to automatically adjust the blade's position by lifting and rotating information technology into the proper position whenever a new cut needs to be made.

This system was created with precision in heed, which is something that is needed when dealing with smaller and more than detailed projects or when working with thicker materials.

Cut Smart technology in Cricut Explore machines accept a like system called Cut Smart technology, and it allows the machine to cut any cloth past passively dragging the blade across information technology, changing the blade'southward direction based on the curves and angles of your design.

Does Cricut Maker have Fast Manner?

If you're talking well-nigh the Cricut Maker, and then the answer would be yes. The Fast Fashion option allows the machine to cut and write twice as fast, although it is most feasible to use when working with sure material settings.

However, if you're talking virtually the Cricut Maker 3, and so you lot should know that the Fast Mode characteristic is something that exists as a default setting. Considering the Cricut Maker iii was optimized to ensure top speed and precision (with Smart Materials), a dedicated Fast Mode was accounted unnecessary.

Practice Cricut Maker machines take to exist connected to the Cyberspace?

This used to be the case in the past, especially if you used the Besign space web customer that was accessible via web browser, but that'due south no longer the case.

Y'all see, with the Design Space app installed on your estimator or iOS mobile device, you can at present pattern and send projects to your machine via USB or Bluetooth without an Internet connection.

Withal, you lot won't be able to use Design space to its total extent since you can't sync your content, upload images to the app, or access content from the Cricut Image Library.

Can I utilize other brands of vinyl or iron-on without a mat?

Unfortunately, no. If you program on using whatever other of the supported materials instead of Smart Materials, and so using a cutting mat is mandatory.

How To Use the Cricut Maker: Closing Thoughts

This concludes our in-depth article on how yous can apply the Cricut Maker 3. We hope that you'll feel similar you have a better grasp on what your Cricut Maker 3 can do now that you've finished reading and that using it for the kickoff time will non seem as intimidating.

Don't forget that we've written a consummate in-depth review on the Cricut Maker 3, and we've too looked at the Cricut Explore Air 2, a machine similar to the Maker, although it has a smaller frame, a more limited toolset, and information technology is geared more towards the common household user with smaller projects in heed.

Here are DIYS we love Cricut machines for what they are capable of, and we'd like you to let us know what other related topics you'd want to read near, and we'll go ahead and create a comprehensive guide just like the one above.

Simply leave your submissions in the comments department below, and our writers will become over them equally soon as possible!