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What is a Cricut and What Does It Do?

What is a Cricut and What Does It Do?

There’s this weird thing out there you may have heard mentioned that your craft friends love…a Cricket? It’s really spelled Cricut, a common mistake, not to worry. So what is a Cricut?

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The short answer to the “what is a Cricut?” question is that Cricut is a company that produces a ton of crafty machines. But when people are referring to a “Cricut” they’re almost for sure talking about the company’s line of cutting machines. 

The cutting machines Cricut produces are professional grade cutting machines that have been sized down for the home user. It’s a lot of power at the fingertips that used to only be found in large machines in professional shops. But thanks to Cricut the company, this technology is available to those of us crafting and creating at home. 

Cricut the company does make a few more things than their various cutting machines, they also sell all the other things that compliment the cutting machine and help you achieve your crafting dreams. 

They have three different sizes of heat presses for pressing iron-on vinyl and their sublimation-like Infusible ink, and a bonus mug press for making custom coffee cups. Their Bright Pad light board is a real blessing when it comes to weeding vinyl so you can see where all the cut lines are.

Cricut the company also offers all the materials you would ever need to make all the things. Paper, vellum, chipboard, cardstock, pens, tools, t-shirts, etc. etc. etc. They’re all available through the company. They make all the stuff that helps you crafty life be amazing.

What does a Cricut do? 

Now that you know the short answer to “what is a Cricut?” you’re probably wondering what the heck you DO with a Cricut cutting machine??? A cutting machine is exactly what it sounds like! It cuts stuff out. With Cricut machines, you can cut images 12 inches wide up to 12 feet long on the most recent generation of machines like the Cricut Maker 3 and Cricut Explore Air 3. And you can cut literally thousands of materials with it as long as those materials are under 2mm thick.

The most impressive way to show you what a Cricut does is to show you the projects that you can actually make for yourself.

Cricut-made Parties

I started my blogging life out as a party guru. And I spent manymany hours cutting out tiny little things by hand. I admit, I was pretty resistant to using the Cricut until I was sent a machine to try out. I created a squeaky clean bachelor party with it. And really, if you can make a bachelor party with a Cricut machine, I feel you can really do ANYTHING with a Cricut. 

Winter party tablescape with pink Cricut cut garland and cake topper

When it comes to parties, the Cricut is a total timesaver! You can print your party items and the Cricut can cut them out for you. It makes quick work of banners, shapes, paper sculpture, birthday cake centerpieces, and the list goes on. Just about every decoration made from paper at a party can be crafted with the help of a Cricut machine.

Throw a Baby Yoda themed Valentines Day Party!
Baby Yoda inspired Valentines party with Cricut Yoda, signs, pennants, and paper hearts

I am happy to say I have far fewer hand cramps these days now that one of these machines sits on my desk!

Iron-on chair design

Cricut and Home Decor

Decorate your house with a Cricut? Yes! Your imagination is the limiting factor when it comes to decorating your house with your Cricut machine. I’ve got a whole post about things you can do for home decor with Cricut. With the right machine, you can score and cut metal, chipboard, fabric, and thousands of other fun materials. Check out the 10 things you didn’t know Cricut could do for Home Decor post for more inspiration. You’ll be inspired to redo your house after you see it!

If there is one thing that EVERYONE, including myself, really loves to do with their Cricut machine when it comes to home decor, it’s making signs. Cricut Design Space –the program that works with the machines to cut (read more about Cricut Design Space here)– has tons of options for quotes and images so you can make exactly the project that makes you smile. 

Paper flower tutorial

All the Flowers You Can Make!

Paper flowers are great for all sorts of occasions. From simple to super realistic and fancy, there is a file on Cricut Design Space to make them. My personal favorite paper flower artist is Lia Griffith–definitely check her out!

Preschool Christmas Shirt Snowman shirt
Christmas outfit with Iron-on vinyl

T-shirts on the Fly

Any of the Cricut machines available will allow you to make T-shirts on the fly! And until you’ve had to make a T-shirt on the fly, you probably won’t appreciate how cool a thing that is. For holidays, birthdays, or just when you’re feeling snarky, you can make a T-shirt for the occasion. Cricut is good like that.

Cricut and Cards

In my house, we suffer the severe lack of ability to remember to purchase birthday cards ahead of time. The pint sized portable Cricut Joy in particular is awesome for whipping up last minute birthday cards, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, congratulatory, baby shower, wedding, you name the occasion kind of card to send. 

The Cricut Design Space system that works with the machines is loaded with tons of premade card projects so you don’t even have to spend the time to design one yourself.

Coffee Mugs in Three Minutes

This year, Cricut the company launched its Cricut Mug Press. Using  their Infusible Ink, which works just like sublimation printing, and a Cricut machine, you can cut whatever design you dream up to cut images to make custom coffee mugs. 

This is a pretty awesome option if you are a frequent gift giver. Make a cute mug for your friend, fill it with the treats, and get to giving. Everyone LOVES these!

And by the way, need a tag for that gift? Cricket is perfect for whipping up one of those, too.

Skeleton Costume by Cricut – click for pattern

Cricut and Costumes

Having a Cricut is mighty handy when you’re making Halloween costumes. Cutting little pieces of fabric, felt or other materials is super easy. Scissors don’t quite produce the same quality project when it comes to small and precise pieces on a detailed outfit!  

Personally, I have made full on spartan warrior costumes, group Pokémon T-shirts, cut EVA foam and unicorn horns (among other things), but there are a myriad of possibilities for costume making using your Cricut machine.

Scrapbooking–Yes, You Still Can!

Scrapbooking is at Cricut’s roots, but it’s grown to be so much more. If you’re into making pretty pages for your photo albums, a Cricut is something you still want on your side! Design Space has tons of premade pages for you to press a button and create with your Cricut machine.

Cricut, the Ultimate Labeling Machine

You can literally make labels for any of your things in any size, any shape, and with any font with your Cricut. How is that for flexible? It’s been a pretty handy tool for making names to iron on to kid’s clothing or label the jars in my pantry. And I LOVE that I’m not stuck with one pre-set option!

What a Cricut is and what it does

It’s a cutting machine, but really, I’ve found it to be a huge catalyst for creativity. I can almost think it and then figure out a way to make my machines make it happen. Give it a try!

Paula Biggs

Owner at Frog Prince Paperie
Paula Biggs is a party planner, DIY crafter, and owner of Frog Prince Paperie, where you can find hundreds of party, craft and lifestyle ideas.