Cricuts are some of the best companions you can have for your DIY projects. You can Sublimate t-shirts and mugs with different heat press options, but their most well-known machines are those used for cutting.
You can make your own stickers and vinyl decals to stick all around your house to decorate your stuff.
This process might take a little long, especially if you are not using default designs you got on the internet but your own.
But you can make some of the steps faster. Let’s see how to print and cut on Cricut to make the final steps in just one move.
How is the regular process to print and cut Cricut designs?
Usually, when working on cutting projects, you will first make your design on your preferred graphic software and then import it to Cricut Design Space.
You can also design it directly on this program, using the many options Cricut’s official content has to offer. You can find fonts for phrases and letterings and tons of vectors with pictures and doodles.
After making or choosing the perfect design for your project, use any software of your preference to arrange them on a sheet of paper.
Keep in mind that you’ll need to save it as a PNG where all the different stickers you want to make (if you are making more than one) are separate and that the space between them is erased.
Make sure to save all the changes you have made to the file, especially if you are making several stickers on a single sheet of paper. Print your image, ideally with an inkjet printer.
Once you have printed everything nicely, go to Design Space and import the same image file you used for printing. Make sure you are not using different files or you might get a poor result.
After importing the file, you will see the software automatically creates the outline around every sticker.
The outline is the outer shape of the piece that your machine will take as a guide to perform the cutting. Let’s say it’s something like a silhouette.
This process can be beneficial in case you don’t have your own printer.
Let’s say you need to print your image at a friend’s house and then cut it at home, or if your printer is a LaserJet and doesn’t work with the type of paper you want to use for a specific project, so you need to go to a printing center to have it done with the correct machine.
Otherwise, in case you are not under these or any other circumstances that require you to print and cut in different places, we highly recommend printing and cutting at once, following the next instructions.
How to print and cut on Cricut
One of the most practical things about Cricut software is that the developers have tried really hard to make the process fast and easy for you.
This means Cricut Design Space has several functions that allow you to perform several actions at once, without needing to go from one program to another. For example, you can:
- Design
- Cut
- Cut several colors at once
- Make several stickers at once
What equipment do I need?
In this case, let’s see how to print then cut on Cricut. The first thing you need to know is what machines fit this function.
We need to clarify that Cricuts do not print. The Cricut then Cut is a function that allows linking a Cricut and a printer in order to make the process faster, but you still need both appliances.
In this case, let’s consider not only the Cricut cutter but also the printer. The printer should ideally be an InkJet, as you will mostly be using vinyl sticker paper, and this one doesn’t work with LaserJet printers.
In case you already have a LaserJet, you can try and find out which types of paper can be used with it, but if you are going to buy a new printer, we highly recommend getting an InkJet version.
Regarding the Cricut, this function can only be found on the Cricut Explore and Maker models. Cricut Joy is not made for this purpose, but there are some ways to can make it work the same.
Again, if you still haven’t bought your Cricut, keep this in mind in case you need to print and cut your own stickers.
What specifications do I need to follow?
As usual, all these functions need you to pay attention to some details. Once you have all the necessary equipment, connect everything to your PC.
Install all the drivers and confirm your computer has detected all of them. Just in case, also check that they are detected by the Cricut Design Space too.
When starting the process, one of the important things is the Cricut print and cut size. Not all sizes are acceptable for this function, so make sure the sheet you are creating is below 9.25″ x 6.75″.
This is the Cricut print then cut max size. If you use bigger paper, first, it might not fit the cutting mat in your Cricut, and secondly, it can cause a paper jam that will make your project take far longer, the opposite of what we are looking for with the print and cut Cricut function.
Let’s get printing!
In case you are printing several stickers in just one sheet, we recommend importing a single file and then replicating it inside Design Space itself. This will give you a clear view of the size your stickers will have, how many you will get on one sheet and more.
When you have decided what are the perfect specifications, click on “Make it!” to get started. Choose the printer you are going to use, load the paper for your stickers, and print.
After that, the software will indicate to you when to insert the paper into the Cricut. Remove the sheet from the printer and perfectly align it on the cutting mat, paying attention to the picture on Design Space.
Feed the Cricut with the paper and Cut! There you have it. Perfectly aligned printing and cutting in just a few moves.
We hope this quick tutorial about how to print and cut Cricut projects has come in handy and that now your stickers will look best than ever!
We also have made an article where we tell you ‘which are the pens that work with Cricut maker without adapter‘.