Cricut Practice
Cricut
A Cricut is an electronic cutting machine that can cut all sorts of designs from materials like paper, vinyl, card stock, and iron-on transfers.
We use the Cricut to cut out iron-on vinyl, which can then be heat-pressed onto fabric.
The Cricut uses vector files to tell the cutter where to cut.
Copy Illustrator Template
Go to: Cricut Practice template file
If you aren't already signed in to Adobe, click "Sign in" in the top right corner and "Continue with Google"
Click "Copy to Files"
Open the Creative Cloud desktop app from your dock.
Right-click on the template and click "Open"
Add First & Last Name
With your "Selection Tool"
Triple-click on the "[First & Last Name]" text to highlight
Type your first and last name
Prep Design for Cricut
Change Text to Outlines
With your "Selection Tool"
Select your name.
In the top menu, click "Type" > "Create Outlines"
This changes your editable text to shapes.
Increase Stroke Weight
Thin lines make production challenging.
Notice the two star-ish shapes in the background both have an outline stroke that is very thin. It needs to be at least 7 pt. to make production easier.
Hold "shift" on your keyboard and click both star-ish shapes with strokes.
In the "Properties" tab, next to "Stroke", increase to 7 pt.
Change Lines to Shapes
All lines/paths must be changed to shapes.Â
In the top menu, click "Select" > "All"
In the top menu, click "Object" > "Path" > "Outline Stroke"
Now your lines/paths should be shapes.
Ungroup Shapes
In the top menu, click "Select" > "All"
In the top menu, click "Object" > "Ungroup"
Repeat until "Ungroup" is grayed out.
Organize Each Vinyl Color to a Layer
Select a black shape.
Click "Select" > "Same" > "Fill Color"Â
This will select everything that is the same color and the selected shapes will show in the layers panel as a small square on the right.
Click the [+] button in the "Layers" panel to create a new layer
Click and drag the little color square in "Layer 1" up to your new layer.
This will move what is selected to that layer.
Rename "Layer 2" to black.
Repeat for each color.
Rearrange Layers
Arrange the layers (click+hold, drag and drop) in order:
Blue
Black
Orange
Unite Shapes of the Same Color
In the "Layers" panel, click the circle to the right of the "Blue" layer
This selects everything in that layer
In the "Properties" panel, under "Pathfinder" click the first icon.
This will unite multiple shapes into one shape (see below).
Repeat for each color layer.Â
Multiple Shapes:
United Shape (After Pathfinder: Unite):
Save .AIC file
If you see an asterisk (*), that means there are unsaved changes.
In the top menu, click "File" > "Save"
If "Save" is grayed out, it means your file has already been automatically saved.
Save as an SVG File
Go to "File" > "Save As..."
Choose "On your computer"
Change "Format" to "SVG (svg)"
Choose the location to be "Creative Cloud Files" on the left
Check "Use Artboards"
Click "Save"
Click "OK"
Import Project to Cricut Design Space
Open or Install Cricut Design Space
Open "Launchpad" from your dock
Search for "Cricut"
If it is there, click to open.Â
If it is not there, go to Downloading and Installing Design Space (Mac) and follow the instructions to install
You will need an admin login/password to finish installing the app - please raise your hand and Mrs. Hodges will input the admin credentials.
Sign in to the Class Account
Once the app is installed:
Click "Sign In" and input:
Username: ehodges@bethelsd.org
Password: GraphicDesign$$
Click "SIGN IN >"
Click "+ New Project"
Upload Design
Click "Upload" in the bottom left.
Then click "Upload Image"
Click "Browse"
Find your .svg file and click "Open"
Click "Upload"
Under "Recent Uploads" select your uploaded image and click "Add to Canvas"
Ungroup
The whole design will start by being grouped all together.
Right-click on the very top "Cricut Practice" and click "Ungroup"
On the right side, you should see each of the colors still grouped together
Click off to de-select.
Click the little down arrows to close each layer.
Attach Colors
Now you need to attach the colors together so your design does not get jumbled when printing.
Select a color group.
Click the "Attach" button in the bottom.
Repeat for blue and black. You won't have to do this for orange because there is only 1 orange shape.
Save
Click "Save"
Title your file "First Name"
Click "Save"
Click "Apply"
Screenshot your Design in Cricut
Click on your keyboard "cmd" + "shift" + "5"
Adjust the rectangle to screenshot the whole Cricut program screen.
Your screenshot will save either on your Desktop or a folder you have created in Creative CLoud Files for screenshots.
Upload SVG & Screenshot to Canvas
Submit your SVG file and screenshot file to Canvas.