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VINYL CUTTING

We have a Cricut Maker vinyl cutter!

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This tool allows you to take a vector graphic and cut it out of thin materials. It can cut paper, cardboard, chipboard, and vinyl. 

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The most popular thing to make (by far) is a vinyl decal, so that's what this guide will focus on.

1. Get Inspired!

If you don't already know what you want to make with the vinyl cutter, click here to get some ideas.
2. Get a vector graphic

In order to use the vinyl cutter, you must first get a vector graphic. This is the special type of image file that is sent to the vinyl cutter.

 

There are three ways to get a vector graphic:
 

1. Design your own vector graphic

2. Convert a regular (raster) image into a vector image.

3. Download a vector graphic from the Internet.

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Click the link below to learn how to do all of these things!

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Vector Graphic Design

3. Prepare vector image for vinyl cutting.
vinyl cutting process.jpg

  1. If you have not yet already done so, you must install the Cricut Design Space app from Self Service and create a new account. 

  2. Make sure your vector image is saved to your iPad. If you designed it on a computer, the easiest thing to do is probably to just email it to yourself. 

  3. Consider where you will place this vinyl decal. These decals are like stickers, but they are easily peeled off. They work best on hard, flat surfaces such as walls, windows, or the back of your iPad. They do NOT adhere well to rough or flexible surfaces like backpacks. 

  4. Once you know where the decal will be placed, size your design in Cricut Design Space so it fits. The largest vinyl sheets we have are 12" x 12", so it cannot exceed this size.  

The Cricut Design Space app can be a bit tricky to figure out the first time you use it. Please refer to the videos below if you need help getting your design into the app.

 

The app has many pre-made projects. Please be careful not to use or edit any of the projects with a little Cricut logo next to it. Otherwise, it will prompt you to pay money when it comes time to send it to the vinyl cutter. 

4. Load the vinyl sheet.

  1. Choose the color of vinyl sheet you want to use for your project. 

  2. Lay this vinyl sheet securely onto one of the Cricut mats. (Get Mr. Mularella or a high school volunteer to help you with this step.)

  3. Click "Make" in the app and choose "Vinyl" as your material.

  4. When it shows a preview, please move your design near an edge of the sheet. Never place your design in the middle of a sheet because this just wastes vinyl!

5. Send your project to the vinyl cutter.

  1. Turn on the vinyl cutter and connect your iPad to it. Go to "Bluetooth" in Settings and choose the Maker. When it asks you for a code, type in "0000". You will know when you're connected when the power button on the vinyl cutter turns blue. (Only one iPad can connect at a time, so someone may need to disconnect before you can connect.)

  2. Click on "Next" in the app. 

  3. The loading button should start blinking on the vinyl cutter. This looks like a double sided arrow. When this is blinking, you must load the mat by fitting it into the slots on both sides. Push it all the way against the rollers. 

  4. When ready, press the blinking loading button. The rollers will grab the mat and load it for cutting. 

  5. When the Cricut logo button begins to flash, press the button to begin the cutting. 

  6. Once it has finished, the loading button will start blinking again. Press this button to unload the mat. 

6. Remove and weed the vinyl decal.

This is when things begin to get difficult. Please read the instructions carefully or get Mr. Mularella/high school volunteer to help you!

  1. Carefully remove the vinyl sheet from the mat. 

  2. Use a pair of scissors to cut out just the section of vinyl that contains your decal.

  3. Put the rest of the vinyl sheet back in the box. 

  4. You must now remove all of the extra bits of vinyl that you do not want in your decal. This is called "weeding" because you are removing the extra parts the same way you remove weeds from a garden. 

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You are not removing the actual parts of your decal. You are removing everything that is not part of the decal.

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Depending on your decal, this may be easy or difficult to do. There are special weeding tools you can use for this process. Please watch the short video below to get a better sense of how to "weed" your decal.

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When you are finished, only your vinyl decal should remain on the paper backing!

7. Transfer the decal to transfer tape.

This step is incredibly important so please don't skip it! 

Watch the video below to see this process.

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Vinyl decals can easily be ruined if they are not transferred properly, so it's again very important to do these steps correctly. You will be using transfer tape in this step. This tape is necessary for being able to put the decal in its final location (wall, ipad, window, etc.)

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  1. Cut out a piece of transfer tape that covers the entire vinyl decal. It should be approximately the same size. Please do not waste transfer tape.

  2. Peel back the clear part of the transfer tape. Carefully place this clear tape over your decal so it goes on smooth. You do not want bubbles in the tape. 

  3. Use the Cricut scraper tool with the flat bottom (looks like a spatula) and rub the tape against the decal. You want to do this firmly in one direction at a time. 

  4. Continue to rub the tape agains the decal for at least one minute. The goal of this is to transfer the vinyl decal to the clear tape.

  5. When you think you are ready, gently lift a small part of the clear tape at a corner just to make sure the vinyl is stuck to the tape. Do not peel the rest of the clear tape off the paper backing!

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This part of the process is now finished! You can take your vinyl decal home with you. It should still be on the white paper backing with the clear transfer tape over the top.  The next step explains how to transfer the decal to its final location. 

8. Transfer the decal to its final location. (Last Step!)

This last part is hard to explain, so I recommend you watch the videos below!

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  1. Place your vinyl decal near its final location and make sure it's lined up correctly (may help to tape the decal).

  2. Use a flat, hard object to press the clear tape against the surface as you slowly pull it away. Just like before, you want good adhesion. There should be no bubbles!

  3. Rub against the tape so the decal transfers to its final surface. 

  4. When you think it's ready, slowly remove the tape. If the vinyl is still stuck to the tape, rub it more until it is fully transferred. 

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