The Beginner’s Ultimate Guide to Using a Cricut Machine

Emma
Oct 24
3 min read

If you’ve just unboxed a Cricut machine (or you’re thinking about getting one), welcome to the most exciting chapter of your crafting life! 🎉

Whether you want to personalise gifts, start a small business, or just make seriously cute things for your home, your Cricut makes it all possible - even if you’re a total beginner.

This guide will walk you step-by-step through the essentials so you can make your first successful cut today. No overwhelm. No guesswork. Just crafting joy!

What is a Cricut Machine and What Can It Do?

A Cricut is a smart cutting machine that uses a tiny blade to cut shapes and designs from materials such as:

Adhesive vinyl (for labels, mugs, and decals)
Iron-on vinyl / HTV (for clothing and textiles)
Cardstock and paper crafts
Smart Materials (cut without a mat)
Fabric (with a specialised blade)
Chipboard, balsa wood, and more (Maker Machines)

If you can imagine it… Your Cricut machine can probably help you make it. ✨

What You Need To Get Started

You only need a handful of basics for your first project:

Your Cricut machine (Maker, Explore or Joy - they all work!)
A cutting mat ( I reccomend getting a multipack to get started)
A weeding tool
Vinyl or cardstock (keep it simple to start)
A computer/tablet with Cricut Design Space installed

Optional but really helpful to have:

Transfer tape (for applying vinyl to surfaces)
Scraper tool

✨ Tip: Beginners often over-buy materials. Start small — you’ll discover what you love most as you go!

Step-by-Step: Your First Cricut Project

Let’s make a quick vinyl label - perfect for organising your home or gifting.

✅ Step 1: Open Cricut Design Space

Create a new project → add text → type your word (Example: Tea, Crafts, Snacks)

Choose a clear, simple font to make cutting easier.

✅ Step 2: Size Your Design

Measure your surface and resize the text to fit (e.g., 5cm wide).

✅ Step 3: Select Material & Load Your Mat

Choose Vinyl in the material options
Place vinyl on the mat and load it into your Cricut machine (If using Smart Materials there's no need to use a mat, just pop your material straight into your machine!)

✅ Step 4: Cut the Design

Press ‘Go’ → watch the magic happen! ✨

✅ Step 5: Weed the Design

Remove the vinyl pieces you don’t want to transfer.

✅ Step 6: Apply the Design

Use transfer tape to move your label onto your jar/cup/container.

Done! You just made your first Cricut project - and it looks brilliant.

Common Beginner Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

❌ Forgetting to mirror iron-on vinyl ✔️ Always “Mirror” before cutting HTV

❌ Choosing very detailed fonts ✔️ Bold + simple = beginner-friendly

❌ Incorrect material settings ✔️ Double-check every time before cutting

❌ Mat losing stickiness ✔️ Clean it or use a fresh mat for best results

Where to Go Next (Pro Tips)

Start building a library of Design Space projects that you would like to make
Save vinyl scraps for practice designs
Personalise gifts first - they’re sure to impress!
Join inspiring craft communities online 💖 (Like The Cricut Club!)