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Extraordinary Chaos

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Home » Craft And Cricut Projects And Tutorials » Using The Cricut Design Space UK

Using The Cricut Design Space UK

26th February 2019 by SarahJChristie 15 Comments

If you are new to this Cricut malarky then unpacking a new Cricut Maker is both exciting and overwhelming. However once the initial overwhelm has settled down it really is the best thing ever. I wanted to share my top tips for using the Cricut Design Space. Including how to navigate around and get the best from Cricut design space. In part one 1 I have started right at the very beginning. All those little things that really flummoxed me. Especially as so many people message me and ask, how do I use my Cricut Maker? Check out part 2 here. And also my Cricut Tutorials Page for more tips and hints.

What You Will Find Here

  • How to use the Cricut Maker Design Space and your Cricut Maker for beginners.
    • What can the Cricut Maker do?
    • What is the difference between the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air?
  • What Software does the Cricut Maker Use?
    • Do I need internet to access Cricut Design Space?
    • How Much Is Cricut Design Space Access Uk
    • Can I Use The Cricut Design Space On My iPad and iPhone?
    • How To Use Your Cricut Maker, How to find projects and tutorials in Cricut Design Space.
    • Can You Create Your Own Designs In Cricut Design Space?
    • How To Change Images In Cricut Design Space To Suit Your Craft Project.
  • First Select Your Chosen Image For Design Space
    • Now You Have Your Unicorn Horn. You Must Decide Whether You Are Creating A Paper Cut Or A Reversed Paper Cut?
    • Adding a series of designs by welding images together to create a final paper cut.
    • How Do You Weld Images Together In Cricut Design Space
    • A Reverse Paper Cut Is The Opposite
  • Tips For Using Your Cricut Maker, Cricut Design Space Terms And What They Mean
      • Welding With The Cricut Maker
      • Grouping In Design Space
      • Slicing Projects
      • Scoring In Cricut Design Space
      • Creating A Contour
      • What Does Flattening Do In Cricut Design Space

How to use the Cricut Maker Design Space and your Cricut Maker for beginners.

What can the Cricut Maker do?

No matter whether its interiors, crafting, scrapbooking or cooking, you can make almost anything with the Cricut Maker. The maker has the ability to cut hundreds of materials from paper and leather to balsa wood. Making it perfect for interiors projects such a cushions, or making labels to organise your spice jars. Yet it’s also perfect for traditional craft projects such a scrapbooking and paper crafting.

What is the difference between the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air?

The maker comes with a heftier price tag! However after using both I would say it depends on what you want to cut. The Cricut Maker can be used with 2 extra blades. The knife blade and rotary blade, this allows it to cut a wider range of products. As the Maker cuts fabric you can also access sewing patterns in design space.

You can also charge mobile devices on your maker as it works. As it comes with a use port and storage shelf to rest you phone or iPad.

And the Maker is totally digital, you can choose from 100s or cutting materials and 3 separate cutting pressure settings in design space before you cut. Where the Cricut Explore Air has a dial on the machine thus giving you less choice of fabrics. However for paper crafting and scrapbooking this is more than sufficient, it really depends on what you want to cut as to what machine is best for you?

In terms of weight the Maker is a heavier machine weighing in at 30 lbs, while the Explore is 21 lbs.

What Software does the Cricut Maker Use?

Cricut use a unique bespoke software called Cricut Design Space. This is a one stop hub were you can use a pre set design or design your own images to use on projects. Design space is universal for all of the Cricut Machines, when I transitioned from my Cricut Explore Air 2 over to my Cricut Maker, all my projects stayed the same. You simply set up a new machine in design space.

Do I need internet to access Cricut Design Space?

Yes you currently do need internet access, however Cricut have just announced that Cricut aims to take design space offline by the end of 2019.

How Much Is Cricut Design Space Access Uk

If you pay monthly Cricut Design Space Access is £7.99 a month (which you can cancel anytime), however a yearly subscription will save you £24 pounds over a year. This works out at £5.99 as month (a one of payment of (£71.88). Thus giving you unlimited access to over 30,000 images, over 1,000 Make It Now™ projects, and 370+ fonts.

However Cricut design space is free if you just want to upload and edit your own images and not use the design space images.

Can I Use The Cricut Design Space On My iPad and iPhone?

Yes, it can be used on a desktop version, or downloaded as the Cricut app. I have it on my iPhone and iPad. This is great for designing on the go, and also printing projects if your desk top is not near your Cricut Machine. I save my project on my Mac and then open the Cricut App on my iPad to connect to my Cricut Maker and cut.

How To Use Your Cricut Maker, How to find projects and tutorials in Cricut Design Space.

Once you have set up your machine and are ready to go, scroll through your home screen the Cricut design space is full of video tutorials and ready-made projects. This is a great way to build your confidence in creating projects. It is all there for you, should you prefer to follow instructions and have the design all made and ready.

How To Use Your Cricut Maker For Beginners

Can You Create Your Own Designs In Cricut Design Space?

Absolutely, and it is so easy once you know how. This is where the Cricut Maker comes into its very own. Allowing you to custom design projects for home-wear, the kitchen, clothing, party supplies and more. Today I am going to start with the basics, and look at how to create a custom image using un-grouping,  and welding. I will also look at different types of paper cuts and slicing in design space.

How To Change Images In Cricut Design Space To Suit Your Craft Project.

Sometimes all you need are a few handy tips for using your Cricut Maker and Design Space to get the best out of it! It’s all about having a plan of what you want to create,  I am going start with a unicorn horn. This is how I created my Unicorn Paper Cut, I wanted to create it myself from scratch and not use a pre made file as it was a gift.

This also makes use of the images I have available within my Cricut Design Space Subscription. I started by finding a suitable image in design space that I could transform, a Cricut access image. The image that caught my eye was a set of sea shells, which had a long shell that I knew I could transform into a unicorn horn.

First Select Your Chosen Image For Design Space

Click images on the side bar, and put your chosen search into the search bar. Be creative images can be changed, layers moved and deleted. You can ever slice parts of images away to make them work and fit into your design. Once you have chosen your image click select to transfer it onto your design space project area.

How to choose images in Design Space

Once imported, right-click and highlight the image and click un-group (up in your top right hand corner). Un-grouping allows you to remove all the parts of the image you do not need or want. In this case I have left the two layers of my long green shell to choose from.

Tips for using you Cricut Maker

To remove the small holes at the base of the shell and make it appear more like a unicorn horn choose 2 circles from the shapes on the left hand side, size them to cover the holes, right-click and click weld in the bottom right hand corner. Welding will consolidate all the layers together to create on solid image.

How to weld in Cricut Design Space

Now You Have Your Unicorn Horn. You Must Decide Whether You Are Creating A Paper Cut Or A Reversed Paper Cut?

These are not technical terms. But how I differentiate two different paper cut methods in my own mind. As when you have your plan you have two ways of doing this:

Adding a series of designs by welding images together to create a final paper cut.

This would look like the image below. Can you see that I have welded lots of flowers and images together to create a paper cut, cut out? Check out the tutorial for the full vlog, but this is done by continually welding to build an image.

When it’s complete the Cricut Maker will cut this image out of the card. And you will discard the rest of the card leaving you with your design.

The important thing with this paper cut method is that before cutting you MUST weld the design together to send it to the machine to be cut. If you only group it, it will separate every single image on the cutting matt.

Easy  Paper Cut Tutorial

How Do You Weld Images Together In Cricut Design Space

To create a paper cut I keep adding imaging and grouping them together, this is easy to undo if you need to! Once I am happy with my design I right-click, highlight and weld  (Bottom right corner). The image will now be permanently stuck as one image.

A Reverse Paper Cut Is The Opposite

Rather that welding images together, you slice them out of a large square in design space. This builds up a cut out image like the unicorn image below ( Can you see it is the opposite of the letter h above)

It is vital when using this method you leave some parts of each image attached. Can you see how the flowers pop out because they are still slightly attached to the card. But my unicorn horn was not so I had to stick this separately.

For an easy first paper cut try out this Elephant Family  Beginner Paper Cut Tutorial.

Unicorn Paper Cut

Tips For Using Your Cricut Maker, Cricut Design Space Terms And What They Mean

Welding With The Cricut Maker

Welding is where you can weld images or layers together, this is permanent and will send your image to cut as it looks on the screen, if you weld by accident press undo to cancel the action.

Grouping In Design Space

Grouping is perfect for building up projects as it will group it together but it is not permanent. You can un-group at any time. However you must weld before cutting.

Slicing Projects

Slicing enables you to slice away parts of an image perfect for designing your own images. Check out the vlog below. You can only slice one image at a time, however of you want to slice multiple images into a background it’s a great idea to arrange them, weld them into one image and then slice, this saves so much time.

Scoring In Cricut Design Space

Scoring is for creating indentations on projects, perfect for flower indentations or fold score lines on cards. You will need a scoring blade or scoring stylus, if you use a stylus you will need to change the settings in the menu before cutting.

Creating A Contour

A contour is a cut within a cut, so for example of you design a heart with lots of little dots cut out in it. You can choose to cut your heart without the holes. If you right-click and select contour you can choose contours to exclude from a cut.

What Does Flattening Do In Cricut Design Space

Flattening allows you to use any image for print and cut. Print and cut projects print and image first and then cut it out. However if you choose a layered image in design space you can flatten it to make it printable.

There is so much to learn to get to know the Cricut Design Space. But once you know all the tips and tricks its actually very easy to use.

This post contains affiliate links.

Check out Donna’s post on what you can cut with the Circuit Maker

Monogram S Paper Cut Made With the Cricut Maker www.extraordinarychaos.com

Where To Next?
Check Out My Cricut Page With Tutorials Tips And Tricks.

Here

Pin Tips For Using Your Cricut Maker UK For Beginners For Later

Tips for unsing the Cricut Design Space For beginners
Cricut Design Space Tips And Advice For Beginners my tops tips on how to start to design your own images and templates with cutting and slicing
Cricut Maker For Beginners, How To Use

Filed Under: Craft And Cricut Projects And Tutorials, Cricut For Beginners, Latest Posts Tagged With: Cricut Design Space, Cricut For Beginners, Tips For Using Your Cricut Maker

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Angela Carson says

    28th February 2019 at 6:55 am

    Thanks for sharing some Cricut design tips. Cricut machine is designed for people, who love crafting. You can make different designs with different shapes.

    Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      6th March 2019 at 9:34 pm

      It is and I just adore it, I love being able to make anything that takes my fancy x

      Reply
  2. Lorraine says

    6th March 2019 at 10:38 pm

    I’ve read all your posts & seen the videos on this so I’m hoping by the time I get one I’ll be a virtual expert. Haha. Please keep doing tutorials, hints & tips. x

    Reply
  3. Sharon smith says

    26th July 2019 at 7:01 pm

    Hi there
    I have a very silly question that I can’t seem to get answered!
    I have a iPad and a laptop (windows 10)….I would like to buy the cricut maker….is that compatible with my windows 10 lap top?

    Thank you in adavance

    Reply
  4. Caroline says

    19th January 2020 at 12:56 pm

    Can you help I have tried subscribing to cricut design space all day and it keeps throwing me back to American site very frustrated ?? Thank you

    Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      19th January 2020 at 1:07 pm

      Hi Caroline I will if I can find the answer for you x

      Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      19th January 2020 at 1:11 pm

      Caroline if you go through Cricut Design Space then it should re direct you through to the UK, as long as you ago through design space wherever it directs you should be ok x

      Reply
  5. Clair says

    24th February 2021 at 8:15 pm

    Can I just ask how much is the design space
    For the cricut online it say that it is £7.99 and on
    Design space it say it is £7.49 and how much is the year
    Membership it is so confusing
    Many thanks
    Clair

    Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      24th February 2021 at 8:36 pm

      Hi Claire I just looked via Cricut Design Space and it says £7.49 a month, hope that helps? Sarah x

      Reply
  6. Birgitt Noblit says

    9th November 2021 at 4:12 pm

    Your sites are so confusing. I think I’m downloading a particular site and it sends me on a wild chase. I was even confused with the esty site trying to buy an alphabet! Wish you could make it a little less confusing for someone who isn’t computer savy.

    Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      10th November 2021 at 12:45 pm

      Sorry to hear that, Birgitt, unfortunately without buying an expensive system which means I would have to charge for my products I am not sure how to make it easier, but just remember the top link in the members area is to the post and instructions and under the picture there is a button that says download that is so the file, however if you do struggle just email me and I can help. And ETSY is totally out of my control. Thanks Sarah

      Reply
  7. Andrew John Elsey says

    25th November 2021 at 5:36 pm

    I’m trying to cut basswood 1/16on cricut but it nt picking basswood up as it got a C against it .DOS that mean I have to spend 7.99 a month.so it allow me to cut basswood

    Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      28th November 2021 at 11:05 am

      Hi Andrew, ooh I am not sure, maybe contact customer services for help on that?

      Reply
  8. Jane Glover says

    1st December 2021 at 1:54 pm

    I would like to buy a years subscription for my daughter for Christmas. How can I do this ? it sounds v complicated.

    Reply
    • SarahJChristie says

      4th December 2021 at 11:42 am

      Hi Jane its easy when you get used to it, if you set up design space there are plenty of props to buy x

      Reply

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