Fields Of Heather: Papercutting With Cricut

Tips, Tricks, & Tutorials For Cutting Paper With Cricut

The first thing I try to tell everyone when they first get a cricut is "don't try to learn it all at once."

What you need to know to make a t-shirt is so different than what you need to know to make a card. What you need to know to cut a felt flower is completely different than what you need to know to make a print then cut sticker.

In this post, I'm going to go over the basics of Paper Cutting, then direct you to some of my favorite paper crafters to follow.

Reminder - I'm an affiliate for a number of sites, including Amazon. If you click on one of the links below and then make a purchase, I may possibly earn a small commission. It will not change the price you are charged.

Choosing Your Glue

Bearly Art and Art Glitter Glue [there's no glitter in it] are two of the most popular brands of precision glue. Many crafters LOVE them. I prefer plan old Elmers Glue sticks [like the kindergarteners use...], and for precision tip, the Elmers Craftbond Precision Tip Glue. Not nearly as fancy, but much les expensive, and much less likely to clog up.

Choosing Your Paper

Cricut can cut everything from vellum to posterboard. But it cannot cut construction paper. At least not well. You want a "non fibrous" paper. Craft cardstock is what is used for most paper projects. Here's a look at some of my favorite brands, and where to find them.

Hot Glue

For 3d paper projects, shadow boxes, paper flowers, 3D Models, etc, you may want to use Hot Glue. I use hot glue a LOT. Way more than I would have expected. When looking at a Hot Glue gun, look at the cordless models. I SO

strongly recommend a cordless model. :-) Consider a "precision tip" too, you will find that comes in handy. And lastly, look at options for stands - they are just convenient. This surebonder model is the one I use - and it only costs around $20.

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ABOUT THE MATS

Mats are color coded by stickiness, with Blue being the least sticky, and made for paper.

HOWEVER, if you use your green mat a couple of times, it will no longer be super sticky, and will work great for paper. You'll see that I use green mats almost exclusively in my craft room. When they are super sticky I use them for vinyl, when they are less sticky, I use them for paper. When they are no longer sticky, I wash them.

For more on how to wash the mats and make them sticky again -

https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2020/02/how-to-clean-restick-cricut-mats.html

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MAKE SURE THE PAPER IS STUCK GOOD

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This is when you will often hear the word "brayer" used. A brayer is a roller tool that you can run over your paper to make sure your paper is "good and stuck", with no air bubbles, to the mat.

I just use the scraper tool that came in my original Cricut Tool set. The same tool I use to scrape all the pieces off the mat to clean it when I am done.

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CUT SETTINGS

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[Photo from Cricuts Website]

I have two Cricut machines, and my [very] old Air 2 is hands down my favorite. It nearly always cuts better than my Maker. And it has a dial - so for card stock I either choose Cardstock, or, Cardstock Plus [for heavier cardstock]. Quick and easy!

On my maker, there are dozens of paper settings - but for a decent cut, the best choice for me is nearly always "Cardstock For Intricate Cuts". Even if the cut is not all that intricate, that's the setting that I often get the best results with. Exceptions would be when I am cutting vellum, or something special like crepe paper [for which you want the rotary blade]. But for most basic cardstock projects, try "Cardstock For Intricate Cuts".

Once you find Cardstock For Intricate Cuts, I recommend clicking on the star beside it - that adds it to your favorites, so you won't have to go searching for it next time.

To cut 100lb cardstock on Cricut, I use the Posterboard Plus setting on my Air 2, and Posterboard with "more pressure" on my Maker.

If your cuts are still not clean, TRY:

Cleaning the blade. Sometimes a little piece of something gets stuck to the blade, and your cuts will not be clean. You can poke the blade into balled up tinfoil - this does not sharpen the blade, but it does help remove tiny debris and adhesive.

Sometimes it's just the paper. Not all paper cuts well, and even something like moisture in the air can effect the cut. In really humid climates, some crafters iron their paper [NO TEAM] before cutting it. It's maybe worth a shot.

Make sure the paper is FIRMLY stuck to the mat. If your mat is not sticky enough, or there's any sort of debris on the mat, it can lift the paper and cause the cut to not be as crisp

Is your blade old and dull? I cut a LOT of paper, and my blades typically last me months. But if all else fails, try changing to a new blade. I do not use Cricut brand blades - they are pricey! Other replacement brands work just as well.

See my comparison here:

https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2021/06/comparing-off-brand-blades-to-cricut.html

Here's a video from Cricut on how to change your blade

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REMOVING PAPER FROM THE MAT

After cutting, flip your mat upside down, and peel the mat away from the paper, rather than the paper away from the mat. This will minimize curling.

This video, from CraftECorner, shows the process of rolling the matt back off the paper, at about the 1:37 mark.

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MORE TIPS

This was a tip I learned from The Bearded Housewife - those toddler lunch trays from the Dollar Tree are excellent for sorting out the small pieces in a paper project!

I often use painters tape to hold onto those little detailed pieces. The paper will remove from the tape without tearing.

Attach those score lines.
When Uploading a project to Cricut, the score lines will NOT be attached by default, in most cases.

Find a list of free Stencil Fonts HERE

When cutting text out of cardstock, there are typically two good options:

1. Use a cursive font, and weld it so it cuts all as one piece. [see the word "Roadtrip" above. ]

2. Use a stencil font and attach it, so it cuts out of the paper without you needing to glue a bunch of tiny little pieces in place - when using a stencil font you layer a solid piece of paper behind the text, to show through, as shown above.

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ORGANIZATION & STORAGE

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I found an old office armoire at our local thrift store - the type that probably came out of a hotel room. That may sound like a rare find, but watch Facebook Marketplace, I've seen quite a few of them for FREE since I bought mine! It's not a Dreambox - but then, it was also only $50, not $2,500. And it better fits both the look, and size, of my space.

For a more detailed look at my craft space - which is a corner of my laundry room - go here:

https://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2023/01/where-my-cricut-lives-see-my-laundry.html

[We have a spare room I could make into a craft room - but I would never make time to use that. With my craft room right in the laundry area, I can craft while working in the kitchen, or send something to cut before going out back to work in the garden... I rarely have the time to "just" lock myself away and craft. Multi tasking is my life. ]