Tips, Tricks, Projects & Resources
For Felt Projects With Cricut
I am always telling new cricut users to NOT try to learn everything at once. Choose one project you want to make. Learn how to make that. Then move on to the next thing you want to make. What you need to know to make 3d Paper projects is so different than what you need to know for cutting faux leather, and what you need to know for making a t-shirt is different than what you need to know for putting a name on a tumbler...
There are a LOT of great designers with free tutorials and free svgs to get you started, with every type of project, in addition to the projects and resources I have here on this blog. This series of blog posts is my attempt to direct you to the resources for each type of project.
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As an affiliate for a variety of sites, I may earn a small commission if you click on the links in this post and make a purchase. This in no way effects the price you pay.
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As an affiliate for a variety of sites, I may earn a small commission if you click on the links in this post and make a purchase. This in no way effects the price you pay.
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My Top Tips For Cutting Felt:
1. Use the Heavy Fabric [like denim] setting INSTEAD of the felt setting. The felt setting on cricut appears to be for cricut brand felt, which is stiffer, and much thinner, than other felts.
2. Line your mat with clear contact paper, or iron freezer paper onto your felt, for easier clean up.
Some of my test cuts/experiments
I found that fussy cut flower centers don't work well for me. Cut a rectangle of felt about 3/4 of an inch wide, and about 4-6 inches long. Fold it in half lengthwise, glue it together, then snip with scissors, to get the center on those top two. For the bottom left, I didn't snip, just rolled the folded felt.
The flower petals are the free svg from:
Supplies For Felt Projects:
- Cricut Maker & Rotary Blade
- OR - Fabric stabilizer/Freezer paper, and the fine tip blade [I've heard from several who cut felt just fine using an Air2!]
- Felt [so many options in types and kinds! Varies by project. Many recommend the Benzi Brand] . I checked, the Benzi site is about $12.50 per a "palette" [Selection of colors] and the same Pallette is about $19 on Amazon. Shipping is free on Amazon, and for me [based on location] it was more than $6 in shipping from Benzi - free shipping if you spend $100. That makes it very slightly cheaper, even with shipping, on the Benzi site. When comparing to other brands: Benzi is about 1mm thick, 20-35% wool
- Clear Contact Paper/Freezer Paper/Fabric Stabilizer. All optional, all options vary by type of felt and project.. I've found that I really like freezer paper - you have to iron it on to the felt, but then put the freezer paper side down on the mat for easy clean up. I've used contact paper for easy clean up too - but the freezer paper seems to be slightly less mess.
- I use hot glue. But you have to be careful - it can be messy and visible. Use sparingly.
- The Pink Mat is made for holding fabric, and is what most will recommend for cutting felt. I never put my felt on the actual mat - I put it on clear contact paper, so that it doesn't leave so much mess after it cuts. So I typically just use a green mat - it's contact paper sticking to the mat, not the actual felt. Always remember that mat color means NOTHING once the mats have been used a few times. You'll see me using green mats for just about everything. When they are fresh and sticky, I use them for material, or vinyl. Once they have been well used and are no longer SUPER sticky, I use them for paper projects. How sticky the mat is matters much more than what color the mat is. [I almost never use Cricut mats either - "off brands" are not only a fraction of the cost, but they have held up better for me too. ]
My results when cutting felt have been inconsistent.
These are all one cut - from acrylic felt, with the rotary blade, in my maker.
Some flowers cut cleanly, some cut but not all the way through, and the one on the top right barely cut at all, just indenting the felt for the most part. Sometimes it cuts great, other times it does not. SOLUTION - I've found that my results are SO much better when I use the setting "Heavy Fabric - Like Denim" instead of felt.
Tips For Felt Projects:
- Line your mat with clear contact paper, sticky side up. It makes clean up so much easier! I buy clear contact paper at the Dollar Tree in the shelf liner section. It's what I use as "transfer tape" for my vinyl designs too. You can also iron freezer paper to felt, and place the freezer paper side down on the mat. OR -iron freezer paper to the felt, and put freezer paper side down, for easy clean up.
- Try using a setting for Heavy Fabric - like denim - instead of the felt setting. It will default to the rotary blade, and heavier pressure, sometimes making a much cleaner cut. Settings are going to vary by felt though, felt varies greatly.
- You can iron htv designs onto felt. You can also use markers in the pen slot to draw on some felt.
- Since so many are recommending Benzi brand felt, I checked the specs for comparing other brands. Benzi is about 1mm thick, 20-35% wool with the remainder being Rayon [or viscose]
I store my felt in a fabric crate. The 12x12 plastic holder in the back of the crate holds my faux leather. This is all cheap acrylic felt from the craft store. I do have some wool felt in the closet with my fabrics..
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Resources For Felt Projects:
Be sure to follow
These are NOT free files, although she does offer a freebie each month.
There's a selection of tutorials on her site, and she often posts tips and tutorials on her facebook page.
Hey Lets Make Stuff has a nice overview of cutting felt, including tips for which felt to use.
She's one of the few bloggers I found to be honest about Cricut Felt - while it may cut well, even with a fine tip blade - it's thin, stiff, and doesn't look nearly as nice in the finished projects. It's also expensive, and limited in colors.
https://www.benziedesign.com/blogs/tutorials/kinds-of-felt
Oh Yay Studio does not use a cricut in her tutorials -
Jennifer Maker has a tutorial for all things cricut - including felt.
Find a free tutorial, and free svg, for making these felt succulents here:
Oh Yay Studio does not use a cricut in her tutorials -
but there is still a lot of great info here, and inspiration for sewing your felt flowers to assemble them! Her free files are pdf files. You can use an online converter to convert some pdf files to svg...
More:
- For thick fonts that cut well for quiet books, look under the Cartoon Category
- Many FREE svgs for paper flowers also work great when cut from felt instead of paper
- Variety of FREE felt Quiet Book Pages from Kiys Craft Room
- Fleece Fun has a few felt projects, some with free svgs
- Free svg for a felt greenery Wreath 10 sheets of olive felt to make this wreath. 140 leaves, on a 12 inch wreath form.
- Felt Easter Bunny Headband with flowers, tutorial and free svg from JoAnns and a layered leaf garland from the same site
- Felt projects from The Gilded Stork
- Mermaid Quiet Book Page from Sweet Red Poppy
- Free Felt poinsettia svg from JoAnns
- Free Fall Felt Banner svg
- Google "Penny Rugs" for a rabbit trail of project ideas...
- Felt projects, some with free svgs, from Ruffles & Rainboots
- How to easily cut felt with a silhouette cameo
- Lots of free felt patterns here. Convert pdf to svgs here.
Find an index of free paper flower svgs here -
Most of these will work with felt too!
Felt Projects Here On My Blog:
Felt Roll-A-Doodle Game With Cricut
I like Felt for Roll-A-Doodle, because the pieces stay put better. We've also made these with paper, but when someone inevitably bumps the table, the pieces slide around... this stays put better.
Felt Roses - Free SVG
[Made with cheap acrylic felt from the craft store]
Felt candle wraps are a craft I made years ago - long before I had ever heard of cricut.
Another Before Cricut Craft - my felt sewing kit
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