How to Cut Vinyl With Cricut
- 1). Purchase adhesive-backed vinyl. The Cricut website sells 12" x 24" sheets of 30-mm vinyl. Vinyl is available through other craft suppliers as well. For example, ExpressionsVinyl.com and VinylForCricut.com offer vinyl that is Cricut compatible. Some types of vinyl are better for indoor use, while others are are appropriate for using outdoors. The packaging will tell you which use the vinyl is suited for.
- 2). Nancy Jongenotter Hoevelaken, a crafter from the Netherlands, produced a video entitled "Cutting Vinyl With Your Cricut" on which she suggests setting the speed, pressure and knife to level 3. Consult your Cricut owner's manual for an explanation of these settings. If level 3 doesn't work well--the adhesive isn't cut completely or it tears--experiment with higher and lower numbers and cut scraps until you find the combination that works for your vinyl.
- 3). Without removing the paper backing from the adhesive side of the vinyl, position the vinyl--paper backing side toward the mat--on the cutting mat and smooth it out with your fingers, especially at the edges. Load the mat and vinyl into the Cricut, following the directions in the Cricut owner's manual.
- 4). Program your Cricut (see your owner's manual or the cartridge instructions) with the pattern or letters you want and press "Cut." Once the blade has finished cutting, unload the paper and peel the vinyl and backing from the cutting mat. If your settings are correct, the blade will have cut through the vinyl but not the paper backing.
- 5). Peel the scraps of vinyl (the pieces that are not the letters or design) away from the paper backing, leaving only the vinyl letters or pattern on the piece of paper backing.
- 6). If you have cut letters that you wish to place in a straight line on your craft project, use this trick suggested by Jongenotter Hoevelaken on her video "Cutting Vinyl With Your Cricut." Place the vinyl letters (still on their adhesive backing) face up on the table. Tear off a piece of vinyl transfer tape that is slightly larger than the vinyl pattern or letters and stick it down over the vinyl. Repeat until all vinyl is entirely covered by tape. Peel off the adhesive backing, and stick the vinyl letters to the surface of your choice. Slowly peel off the transfer tape, press your fingers over the letters to smooth them down, and you're finished.