To round out my blog series in collaboration with Hobbycraft, today I’m rounding up some quick, easy beginner projects for those of you new to the Cricut world.
You see, I have one big pet peeve with the Cricut. Are you ready for it?…
There’s just SO much choice. Dare I say it… maybe even too much choice? I know it seems silly, but the greatest thing about these machines is that the possibilities are endless. But it’s also the worst thing for me, because the possibilities are endless. I’m not lying when I say I can spend hours scrolling through images, fonts and projects! And when I first started using my machine, I found it utterly overwhelming.
So, to help you out and stop you getting overwhelmed before you even start, I’m running you through my go-to projects with some little tips too. All of them are simple enough for beginners but also the perfect way to introduce you to the main materials/types of projects you might want to make with. Plus, I’ll sign post you to some of my favourites over at the Hobbycraft Ideas Hub too!
Shall we dive in?
This blog post is part of a sponsored collection of blog posts created in partnership with Hobbycraft* There are no affiliate links in this post.
Papercraft Projects
Papercraft is a great way to get started with your Cricut machine. It’s easy to do without lots of extra tools, but also really high impact.
My top papercraft projects for beginners are cake toppers and decorations!
Cake toppers
Cake toppers are such a lovely way to personalise special events- especially for someone like me who is…let’s say, a little less gifted in the baking department. I’m all about distracting from my cake-y mess with a big sparkly cake topper! They’re also so quick and easy to do with lots of designs available.
When making mine I use the white lollipop sticks from Hobbycraft. I’ve found these to be really sturdy and of course, food safe. Plus, there’s so many in the pack! In fact, my first pack is still going strong. I use my hot glue gun to secure it to the back of my cake topper. I should add, none of these cakes were made by me. They look far too good to be my handy work!
(From L:R – Cake topper I made for a Ruby anniversary party, wedding cake and for Eid)
Other ideas I love from the Hobbycraft Ideas Hub:
Decorations
I love a bit of decorating. It’s one of the simplest ways to create a festive feeling at home and my DIY decorations are some of my favourite things I’ve made with my Cricut. Super easy to do and even better for the fact that I can re-use them again and again and again. My daughter asks for ‘the triangles’ when we decorate and knows that when the rainbow bunting is out, it’s party time!
From hanging stars from string to paper fans and 3D flowers- now I have these in my stash I can mix it up and create a new look every time we celebrate. I used the Hobbycraft A4 Paper Pad for the fans and flowers (in ‘Bright’ and ‘Pastel’ colours) and the Gold Glitter effect for the stars.
Other ideas I love from the Hobbycraft Ideas Hub:
Star Garland
This has jumped to the top of my list! A different construction to the ones I’ve made before- but GIANT sized.
Gift wrapping
Perfect for any left over decorations, or if you want to start off with smaller sized projects
Vinyl Projects
I feel like vinyl is one of the materials people get most excited about using when they first get a Cricut. And they’re not wrong- it is so much fun and so versatile. But before you dive in, here’s some advice…
Keep it simple! Start with something like a monogram. Remember, the more complex the design, the more you will have to ‘weed’!
Use the right vinyl for the job. Depending on your project you may want permanent or removable vinyl. And with that, make sure you’re using the right strength transfer tape. (While we’re at it, make sure you use transfer tape!)
Make sure your surface is clean before applying. If you’re a brand new beginner, stick to smooth surfaces without lots of bends/curves.
My go-to gift right now is a personalised monogrammed candle. I made 10 of these for my daughter’s nursery team as a thank you when she moved rooms and they loved them! You can buy nice glass candles from most supermarkets these days but adding that extra touch makes it a super special gift.
Once you feel like you’re up to it, you can apply vinyl to create decorated trays or even upcycle your furniture like my dressing table stool.
Other ideas I love from the Hobbycraft Ideas Hub:
Pots with Personality
The perfect way to use up those little scraps of vinyl and add some whimsy to your plants!
Jazz Up Notebooks
Another great gift- I have a stash of pretty plain notebooks to personalise. I really love adding a monogram to the blank kraft scrapbooks for ‘new baby’ gifts.
Iron-on Vinyl
What’s more exciting than vinyl? Iron-on vinyl of course! As a child I never got to have personalised things- clothing, pencil cases etc. But with a Cricut, not only can you personalise things with names, but I also love how I can create culturally relevant and specific personalisation to gifts. My go-to gift for newborns is a set of personalised baby grows (“Who are you calling Laddu?” is a fave). I keep a multi pack at home of newborn, 0-3 and 3-6 months at home just for the occasion!
One of the first projects I did with iron-on vinyl was a set of fun tops for my daughter. I don’t know about you, but I got sick of rainbows, princesses and unicorns for my girl- so I went off to the boy’s section for non-pink/purple tees and added my own vinyl to them.
Not just for clothes though, iron-on vinyl can be used on pencil cases, wash bags, tote bags, cardstock and much much more!
Some tips for you:
Mirror your image. Design space will try to remind you, but don’t forget! You’ll be cutting the mirror image before applying the vinyl to your surface.
Follow the instructions for your material as set out in the Cricut Heat Guide. That means pre-washing, pre-heating and pressing from the back of your material to get the best stick.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a Heat Press– although this is definitely the easiest way to apply iron-on vinyl you can use a household iron- but make sure you protect your iron and your project with a pressing cloth or some greaseproof paper.
If you layer your vinyl- make sure you layer them the right way e.g .you can’t layer something on top of glitter iron-on vinyl.
Other ideas I love from the Hobbycraft Ideas Hub:
Personalised make-up bag
Whether a gift or for yourself, a great project to get you started. Using block fonts will make it that much easier too!
Not just for clothes
Get creative! Not just for your normal clothes, you can also add something to your trainers. Perfect for kids and adults!
Infusible ink
One of the newest materials from Cricut is Infusible Ink. Not only does it come in plain colours, it also comes in a huge range of prints. But what makes this different from iron-on or adhesive vinyl? Instead of sticking on top of your base material, it permanently infuses with it (sublimation)! Seriously magic stuff. This means it won’t peel, wrinkle or fade! And not only can it be used on fabric*, but it can also be used on other Cricut blanks like ceramic coasters, mugs and I’ve even used it on the metal blanks.
*Because of the way it works (infusing with the material), you can only use it on certain fabrics- it won’t work the same way with a regular cotton t-shirt and generally needs a high polyester count. Cricut have a wide range of fabric blanks including gift bags, tote bags and cushion covers.
I love the way it actually infuses into the material- with the colour going into the fibres. My favourite thing to use it on is the coaster- it gives such a professional finish and is completely smooth to touch. I always have a pack of coasters to hand in case I need a last-minute gift!
As well as the sheets you can get the Infusible Ink pens. These are fab and let you free-hand draw designs (or get your machine to do it). I’ve hand drawn some flowers on a coaster as a gift for my Mum and got my daughter to draw a picture of my father-in-law as a birthday present! And now with the Cricut Mug Press you could do the same on an *actual* mug!
Things to note though- you do need a Heat Press for Infusible Ink because of the high heat that’s needed to infuse the material. And be especially careful with the metal/ceramics and let them cool before you touch them! And make sure you follow the instructions and timings- you can scorch your coaster (don’t ask how I know…)
Other ideas I love from the Hobbycraft Ideas Hub:
Ceramic Mugs
Infusible Ink gives the most professional of finishes. I love the handmade effect of this design from using the Infusible Ink pens.
Can You Ever Have Too Many Totes?
My tote bags take a battering from day-to-day use, so Infusible ink is perfect for something more hard wearing.
The Perfect Pairing With a Cup of Tea
My favourite Infusible Ink project of all and a brilliant one for gifts.
Final bit of advice…
I know it’s easy to forget when you see picture perfect makes on social media, but trust me, not everything goes right the first time. In fact- expect the opposite! Learning how to use a Cricut takes time, and I can promise you- my journey has been full of bumps. From mis-cuts, to melted vinyl- I’ve done it all! Embrace that as part of the journey and just give it a go. Even if you figure out a new tool without causing a mess, it will probably take a few tries before you make the most of it (I found that with the foiling and debossing tool- I hadn’t really unlocked the potential of these until recently!)
And if you’re doing a special project then you might want to practice the cut/application or test with scraps before you move onto the real thing. Before you know it, you’ll be an expert whipping up party favours and t-shirt in no time!
Well, that finishes my series of blog posts in collaboration with Hobbycraft. I hope you’ve found them helpful for navigating the Cricut world. Don’t forget you can go in-store and “Try before you buy” if you want to get a feel of machines. Plus, the Ideas Hub has plenty of projects to get you inspired.
Let me know if you have a go-to project that I’ve missed out!
Love,
*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Hobbycraft. All views and opinions are my own.
**Full transparency I was gifted my machines as a Cricut UK Influencer but before that I had planned to buy the Cricut Maker myself- you can read more about how I got my first machine here.