Whether you craft as a hobby, a side business, or your main source of income, the Cricut machine will be the most useful tool in your craft room! I have had mine for a couple years to use as a hobby or to make gifts and decorations. I am by no means a Cricut expert, but I can help answer some of the questions or concerns that most beginners ask. If you have a question that you do not see listed here, please leave a comment and I will do my best to help. If you have a great tip or suggestion, please share in a comment. This is a forum for fellow crafters to help each other out!

The questions that I have seen people as most often are:

• Which machine should I get?
• I just bought my machine, now what?
• What accessories and supplies should I buy?
• Best place to buy vinyl?
• Where do I buy crafting blanks in bulk?

Which Machine Should I Get?

This is one of the more common questions I have seen. With so many possibilities it is difficult for most to know where to start and which machine they will need. Below are suggestions I have based on my experience and comments from others:

• My first suggestion is to do your research. Each machine has different capabilities and knowing what each machine is capable of can narrow down the search to one that fits your needs.
•  My next suggestion is to ask these questions after you know what the capabilities are of each machine: “what materials are you wanting to work with,” and “what crafts do I want to make?” this will help you determine which machine you should purchase.
• With that being said, the Cricut Maker is the top-of-the-line machine and can work with pretty much any material.

I just bought my machine, Now what?

This is another common question I have seen floating around. Most people become intimidated by their machine and don’t know what to do or where to start once they get it. These are my suggestions:

• My first suggestion is to open the box and set up the machine. Though this sounds simple enough, many people feel too overwhelmed and do not touch the machine for a couple years. It is important to remember you do not need to be a crafting master the moment you open the box. Open it up, set it up, and do some of the tutorials to get you better acquainted with the machine and software.
• My next suggestion is to join Facebook Groups. This is a good place for you to ask questions and get ideas. There are many groups to join and the following are the ones I have started following since opening my machine:
  • Cricut Tips & Tricks
  • Cricut for Beginners
  • Cricut Crafters SVG Sharing & More
  • Cricut Wedding Projects
  • Cricut – The Official Page
• My third suggestion is to watch videos on YouTube. There are so many videos and tutorials available and this is where most people learn the techniques and tricks.
• Another useful source is Pinterest. There are many tutorials, SVG’s and craft related posts on Pinterest to get you started. There are also a lot of Pinterest posts about Cricut Design Space and how to make some of the more popular designs.

What accessories should I buy for my Cricut?

After deciding which Cricut machine will meet your crafting needs, the next step is to buy the different accessories you will need for your projects. This can seem difficult due to the vast amount of supplies that are out there. Just know, there is no need to break the bank when purchasing supplies. There are a lot of websites that sell bundles that include basic supplies along with a Cricut. When shopping for supplies, look online and at multiple locations. Look for sales at your local craft store and even Walmart will have sales on vinyl and crafting accessories.

Below is a list of things I have found useful since the purchase of my Cricut:

• Extra Mats
  • There are different mats to use depending on which material you are working with. There are off brand options that work just as well as the Cricut brand.
  • Mats can be purchased on Amazon, craft stores, or Walmart.
• Basic weeding tools
  • I have seen many people post weeding tools they bought at the dollar store.
  • These tools are necessary to weed out your design.
  • This is a link to Amazon with a basic weeding tool set I think is perfect to start with:
    • https://www.amazon.com/Cricut-Basic-Tool-Core-Colors/dp/B07STGLY6J/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwppSEBhCGARIsANIs4p5j-Xj-1uqcm2_4pqAVKSCViNyuWYuu_zPYgzlAmQa2VH10yo_7bnAaAhlqEALw_wcB&hvadid=177606439143&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9012115&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6434474836271746179&hvtargid=kwd-111991598893&hydadcr=4859_9597250&keywords=cricut+weeding+tool&qid=1619379705&sr=8-7

• Vinyl
  • There is a difference between permanent and removable.
  • There is also a lot of debate regarding which brand to use. I have used Cricut and Oracle and like both. Oracle can be cheaper and purchased in a larger quantity.
  • There are Amazon vinyl deals that are worth it. Below is the permanent pack I purchased and have had no issues with.
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Rotary blade
  • I bought mine on Amazon and it is my most used tool in my craft room.
  • It allows a straight and accurate cutting of vinyl or other material
  • The one I use is attached to a ruler making for a nice straight cut.

Best place to buy vinyl?

Initially I would only use the Cricut vinyl purchased at Michaels craft store. I started to look elsewhere to see if there were cheaper options or better-quality vinyl. Now I do not mind Cricut Brand vinyl. But some of the other brands have colors or styles that may not be available with Cricut. I also wanted a roll that was more than 12×24. This led me to look online through Facebook groups for suggestions on where and what type of vinyl to use. Below are some common sources I purchase vinyl from. A good thing is to keep a look out at your local craft store for sales. Often, they sell vinyl for 25-50% off.

• My Craft Source
  • this is an online retail store that sells a few brands and different types of vinyl
  • The price is competitive for name brand vinyl.
  • Shipping is quick and reasonable.
• Amazon
• Hobby Lobby
• JoAnne Fabrics
• Michael’s
• WalMart

Where do you get bulk blanks for crafting?

Crafting Blanks can be found anywhere. The limit is your imagination. Finding blanks in bulk at a reasonable price can be more difficult. Due to the increase in crafting popularity, many sites are now selling bulk blanks at a decent price. I do not need to buy in bulk often, but I see this question asked all the time on Facebook. One place I have bought crafting blanks from is Amazon. I have bought koozies, coffee mugs, and pint glasses in bulk from Amazon. I am biased because they offer decent prices and fast shipping. I also know that if there is an issue with my product, they have a good customer service base to help.

My greatest tip is to shop around. When I am looking, I go on Google and Pinterest and search bulk crafting blanks—or some variant—and look at site reviews and prices until I am comfortable with the site. Again, I am a hobby crafter and do not do so for monetary gain which is why I go for the best bargain when buying bulk.

Other locations include but are not limited to:

• Michaels
  • They recently started selling tumblers and other blanks in bulk
• My Craft Source

Thank you for reading. I know a lot is covered so if you have any questions please drop a comment!