Learn what you need to get started crafting with a Cricut. Check out the must-have supplies and materials along with information to help you learn to use your machine. If you are buying a Cricut as a gift, this Must Have shopping guide will help you buy the right items to give the best Cricut gift ever!
You can make so many amazing projects with a Cricut machine. From beginners to professional makers, the Cricut machine is a fantastic tool to add to any creative space.
What you need to get started with Cricut
I'll cover the basics and then go into more detail to help you decide what you will need to buy and where you can find help getting started with Cricut.
What you need to get started with Cricut for First Timers. If you've never used any kind of cutting machine, a Cricut is a great choice. There are a number of tool options and materials you can use. I suggest starting with the Cricut basics.
- Cricut Machine
- Cricut Design Space
- Cutting blades
- Cutting Mats
- Materials to cut
- Weeding/crafting accessories kit
Continue reading for more info about the best supplies to have on hand with your Cricut Machine.
Featured Cricut Products
Have you seen the New Tool Organizer from Cricut? Check it out and buy your own!
Must Have Cricut Products for Beginners
I recommend all Cricut users include the following products to get started crafting with Cricut. Here's what to look for:
- Cricut Machine – If you are an occasional crafter, the Cricut Air 2 or 3 is a terrific place to start. If you are a more advanced crafter and would like to upgrade your crafting with a cutting machine, a Maker or Maker 3 (there is no Maker 2) is also a great choice. The Cricut Maker is my go-to because it can cut so many different materials and I love the extra blade options for fabric, paper crafts and delicate cutting materials.
- Cricut Design Space – No matter which machine you go with, you'll need a Cricut Design Space account. You can register for a free account that allows you to set up projects, browse images and fonts and saves your projects on both desktop, tablet and mobile. I recommend a Cricut Access account so you can play with images without worrying about the cost or having to hunt for all the free images.
- Cutting blades – All machines come with at least one blade. The standard is the fine-cut blade which will cut a huge variety of materials all on it's own.
- Cutting Mats – New machines will include at least one cutting mat right in the box. I suggest buying an extra multi-mat set so that you have options to use for your different materials. Usually when there is a cutting problem, it's the mat, the not blade.
- Materials to cut – New Cricut users should try out different materials to get a feel for what each material type is like. For starters, I'd recommend cardstock, paper and iron-on vinyl. If you do choose Iron-on a Cricut EasyPress does come in handy. It's not necessary, but it is a really nice addition to the crafting setup.
- Weeding/crafting accessories kit – An accessory kit will include a weeding tool, scissors, cutting blade and other extras that make crafting with a Cricut much easier. At a minimum, I recommend including a weeding tool and a scoring tool with your Cricut crafting purchase.
- Optionally, include some extra pens for paper/cardstock crafting. The pens can add some nice details to cut designs.
What you need to get started with Cricut for advanced users.
Advanced users can benefit from the same list above as far as Must Have Cricut supplies. If you've been using a Cricut for a while, or you are buying gifts for your favorite Cricut user, below includes extra items to look for that aren't necessarily required to get started but do come in handy.
Must have items to get started with a Cricut machine
- Cricut Machine
- Cricut Design Space
- Cutting blades
- Cutting Mats
- Materials to cut
- Weeding/crafting accessories kit
Accessories and upgrades for Advanced Cricut users
Crafters that are already familiar with Cricut will likely already have the above products in their craft room. However, there are plenty of other Cricut products that any Cricut fan would appreciate.
- Cricut Mats
- Specialty tools and blades for the Cricut Maker
- Cutting Materials
- EasyPress and EasyPress accessories
- Additional Craft tools
- Cricut Mats – cutting mats don't last forever, so getting more is always a smart idea and appreciated gift.
- Specialty tools and blades for the Cricut Maker – if you have the Cricut Maker, do you already own all the current blades and tools? The tool list is constantly growing and so can your crafting abilities. From the rotary blade for fabric to the embossing or engraving tips, additional Maker blades are fantastic!
- Cutting Materials – Cutting materials get used up, so having extra on hand is never a bad idea. If you have the Cricut Makers, you can also try new materials just to see what your machine can do and broaden your crafting techniques.
- EasyPress and EasyPress accessories – If you are working with iron-on vinyl or Infusible Ink, the EasyPress is must have for sure. You'll need at least one press and one EasyPress mat along with some parchment paper and extra cardstock to get started. Check out my article on Infusible Ink to read more about it.
- Additional Craft tools – there's always something at Cricut you can pick up to add to the collection. The different tool sets, self-healing mats and crafting tools are each great quality and coordinate wonderfully with the whole Cricut family of products.
- Cricut Storage – don't forget those rolling cases and carrying bags to help store and transport all these Cricut goodies. Cricut storage cases are a wonderful gift for the Cricut crafter that already has all the things.
Where to Buy Cricut Products
Finally, when you're ready to shop, there are a number of places you can find and purchase Cricut products. Start online and shop directly through Cricut.com. Or check out my article full of details about all the locations to buy Cricut products.
