If your Circut mat loses its stick you can clean it to regain some of its stickiness. Ultimately, its really important to pick the right mat for the job so you can have the greatest success with your die cutting craft projects. Its the basic mat for many different projects and has a medium amount of adhesive on it. The mat still has a fair amount of stick and grip for a lightgrip mat but only works for the below materials. This mat is perfect for cutting delicate materials like vellum, light cardstock, construction paper, and thinner pattern paper. I hope you have found this useful and feel a little more informed and know more about where you can find Cricut mats, which ones are suitable for your projects and which ones fit your machine. Here are some examples of projects people need the 12 x 24 inch mat for: These mats are also good if you are creating bulk amounts of a single item. We also use the standard grip mat for thicker cardstocks about 60-110 lb. What is the Blue Cricut Cut Mat Used For? If it removes fine from the Green one then its okay to use. Ideally, you dont want to put thin light materials onto a standard grip because its so hard to remove them once the cut is completed. Line the corner of your material up with the top left corner of your cut mat, Smooth down the material from left to right and then top to bottom, If you dont have a Brayer Tool Use your hand to ensure the material is stuck. It will be rejuvenated and ready for a ton more projects. Keep in mind that some materials still may require additional securing. We may earn a small commission for purchases made through affiliate links in this post. There are 4 colors of sticky cutting mats: Now that you have learned about the colors. I love this as I often cut out pieces to use for quilting projects so this would really help me speed up my time and the production line. Place the tape sticky side up on the mat (so the mat adhesive is holding the tape and then the tape will hold your material). While you can try and use an alternative brand I have never tried them to judge the quality. We hold NOTHING back for our yearly members and want you to have the best experience possible. As far as I can tell from Cricut themselves and other resources each colour mat comes in 3 different sizes so you have full options for eachs style of Cricut machine. Were going to break it down for you here so youll always know the differences between Cricut cutting mats. If you use a cutting mat that isnt strong enough, your material may move around and you wont get a precise cut. try to avoid touching the mat too much with your fingers. Cricut cutting mats come with a plastic protective cover over them. For fun Chris enjoys designing SVG Files, hanging out with her family (preferably at the lake), traveling, and volunteering at her church. Because if you have multiple mats, you can prep them in advance and have them ready to load in the machine when the previous cut is finished. The mat colors are specific to the materials that you will cut with your Cricut. Tell us about your experiences with Cricut cutting mats, and what you use the large 12 x 24 mats to cut. With the top up place the mat under the two guide tabs on wither side of the Cricut Machine. Read our full disclosure policy here. If set too high, it may only cut slightly through your vinyl, cardstock, etc. But its not. Hold the mat against the roller bar and press the load mat button (arrow button) on top of your Cricut. A Cricut mat is a felxible mat that has 1 inch grid system in place. Cutting mats provide a stable surface for your machine to cut on. Places such as Joanns and Hobby Lobby are great for those in the USA where places such as Hobbycraft is the best option for those in the UK. Purple:this bad boy is for those super heavy duty materials. Cricut recommends you use the Strong Grip mat for heavyweight materials on this mat. DIY Olympic Shirts SVGs, Materials, and Tips! The oils from your hands will start to weaken the adhesive. I started my passion for sewing and craft when I was a little girl and it developed into a degree in Historical and Performance costume. Check out this Guide to Choosing the Correct Cricut Mat. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'howtoheatpress_com-box-3','ezslot_4',123,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-howtoheatpress_com-box-3-0')}; Buy all four 12 x 12 mats in one pack on Amazon. Are there Cricut Mat Alternatives? If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a commission, but it doesn't cost you anything. This is especially important with paper projects, if Cricut assumes your paper is vertical and you place the paper horizontally on your mat it will mess up your cut.
This is the Standard Grip Cricut Cutting Mat. Then we will discuss which ones you really need (and how many of them you should have on hand). First, lets discuss why you need to use a Cricut cutting mat (or not). They also come in different pack sizes. Allow the mat to air dry. Here are a few tips: Check the orientation in Design Space on the cut mat screen. Pink this specialty mat is used for fabric. Spray a light coat, let it dry and then place your materials on the mat. Because the adhesive is different on this mat, it has its own guidelines for cleaning. If you find that any material still seems too loose even with the StrongGrip Cutting Mat, tape around the edges will do the trick! Lets go through the mats color by color to give you examples for each one. There are ways you can get more use out of it though like taping any places that break and keeping it properly cleaned. I recently picked up, How do you change a Cricut blade? What is the Pink Cricut Cut Mat Used For? There are numerous tutorials out there about reapplying adhesive to your cutting mats. This is the one we use the most. The green Cricut Cut mat is the standard grip mat that is designed for use with the Cricut Explore and Maker machines. These are to fit a number of machines that Cricut create. There are different size and style mats that have multiple purposes and some have specific purposes for different materials and cutting styles. [], Let's customize mom a Mother's Day mug! This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.
These 7 tips and tricks are drawn from our larger article, 25 Cricut Tips & Tricks. Owning a few Cricut cutting mats isnt just about choosing the color you like or the one that goes the best with your decor. That would be best for lighter cardstock. Cricut is fast becoming a household name in the world of crafting and is highly popular for people who love to do paper crafts, vinyl crafts and even fabric cutting. Never fails that when you drop a Cricut cutting mat it always goes sticky side down! That said it also depends on your use. If your fabric is bonded (has a backing) you can use the bonded fabric blade in the Cricut Explore or Maker. It is also recommended that you use masking tape to tape down the edges of things like acrylic and wood to keep them from slipping. It will leave a mess behind. The most popular size is the 12 x 12 mat, but Cricut also offers a larger mat size12 x 24 to cut bigger projects. Lets talk about the materials that each one should be used for. The StandardGrip Cutting Mat is great for the following materials: The blue mat, or the LightGrip Cutting Mat, is probably the mat that I reach for the least. If you are looking at buying the strong mat you may also want to check that your Cricut machine complies with these materials and you may require a special blade to do so. Pro tip: After cleaning a light grip mat a few times, we find that it has lost so much of its stickiness that we cant really use it at all anymore. The link below is to Amazon who has a single standard grip green mat listed below, the size is 6 x 12 inches. This will remove cardstock and vinyl residue, as well as household dust and lint. Pink:This Cricut cutting mat is for fabric. Keep this cover and replace it after each use to keep the mat cleaner and stickier for longer. There is other information that you might want to know about Cricut and Cricut accessories such as Cricut blades and replacing your blades. The FabricGrip Cutting Mat should be used with the Rotary Blade and the Bonded-Fabric Blade. If you do get paper stuck to the mat you will need to carefull peel off what you can without removing any of the sticky surface or damaging the mat altogether. Lets take a look at the four different tacks of mat, and check prices on Amazon and Cricut to get the best deal! cardstock and other medium weight materials. (NOTE: You need a Cricut Maker to use a rotary bladeif you have other types of machines, you dont need this pink mat). With minimum adhesive, this mat is perfect for lighter weight materials or materials that have a high chance of ripping when being pulled from adhesive. We use Standard Grip cutting mat for nearly any kind of vinyl (although we usually find that unless our green Cricut mat is brand new, we need to use a StrongGrip mat for glitter iron-on). Another way to really get your mat dirty is to not replace your protective plastic cover. Read our privacy policy to learn more. Required fields are marked *. To cut these different fabric types you will also need to use a Cricut Maker and the rotary cutting tool. The machine reads marks on the mat so messing with it might effect that. The Martha Stewart Cricut Collection See The Range Of Products! Cricut Joy uses a different-sized mat that is specifically designed for use with the Cricut Joy machine. It has a sticky side which helps grip onto your chosen material ready to go into the machine to be cut. This will hold it in place while Cricut cut the material. Items also rip easily if they are too stuck down. This mat is perfect for cutting all types of fabrics. The blue Cricut mat is the light grip cutting mat. Required fields are marked *. They come in 2 different sizes and 4 different tack levels, each color coded so we dont get confused! Light Blue this mat is used for your more delicate materials. Well, if you use a cutting mat that is too strong, it will hold your material in place while cutting, but you may have trouble removing it from the mat without damaging it. You dont want to use the LightGrip mat with any thicker materials though as it may slide around and you wont get the perfect cuts youre looking for and it may even jam your Cricut machine. See an example below. This will save your mat and keep some of those more messy materials off your mat (like wool felt!). Then a pet or kid comes along and before you know it, your cutting mat is collecting all sorts of things like food crumbs, pet hair, and whatever else happens to be on your craft table or floor. Can you use Other Mats? Green: Remember up above where I said this is your general mat. Several brands listed here on Amazon have great reviews and will save you several dollars. Using the rotary blade and mat it is a perfect partnership with the Cricut Explore. Cricut machines can cut much more than vinyl. I havent had it happen with my mats they tend to crack and break after about 6 months use. The purple Cricut Cut mat is the heavy-duty grip mat. The dimensions of the Joy mat are 4.5 x 6.5 and 4.5 x 12. Have you used the mat very often? Part of owning a Cricut machine involves owning a few sticky Cricut cutting mats. This is the mat I use more than any other, probably because I mainly make heat transfers for t-shirts.
Cricut mats come in two main sizes to accommodate different projects for Cricut Explore and Maker Machines. Light cardstock (I reckon you can get away with heavy cardstock too), Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) or Iron-on vinyl, Any other thin and light material (non-fabric), Thicker, heavier cardstock (such as glitter cardstock). There are several different types of Cricut mats available on the market and they all have one common goal: to provide a stable surface for your machine to cut your materials. Alternatively you can find Cricut Mats online platforms such as Amazon, Ebay, Etsy and more. ], 23 Cricut Christmas Ideas for 2022 Iron On & Adhesive, The Ultimate Seasonal Heat Press and Cricut Craft Calendar, You Should Use HTV on Wood! The mats come in a variety of sizes. Cricut Lightgrip Cutting Mat 12X12 3 Pack, Cricut STRONGGRIP CUTTING MAT 3 PACK, 12"x12", Purple, 3 Piece, Cricut Variety Mat, 12"x12", 3 Mats (2003546), Learn The NEW Cricut Design Space With This EPIC Tutorial . What do all the colors mean? How to Apply HTV on. It can be difficult to get cardstock off, even if you have all the right tools, when its new and fully sticky. For those who have been a Cricut crafter for a long time, note that the Cricut Cake mat has been discontinued. And depending on the thickness of the fabric you may even be able to use the standard blade. Use a stiff brush in circular motions to remove debris.
Cricut Mats also come in different sizes, so lets take a look at your size options. They are quite similar in the amount of adhesive they have on them. I agree that this site may use cookies for site performance, project that I worked on earlier this year, DIY Kitchen Measurement Reversible Sign + Bakers Raffle Basket Ideas, Easy DIY Mothers Day Mugs with the Cricut Mug Press, Making Sweet Potato Bisque with Apple Salsa, Make One of These Three DIY Solar System Project Ideas. I started this blog as a way to share what I new and learnt about sewing, machines and everything in between. Your email address will not be published. This is a stronger mat, made especially for use with the Rotary blade (only the Cricut Maker uses this blade). The link below is to Amazon who has a 4 pack of the mats listed below, one of each strength at the size of 12 by 12 inches. To safely remove materials like paper and vinyl flip your mat over and gently peel the mat back from your materials. We are here to inspire and support you in your crafting journey! If like me you are a little confused as to which is most suitable for the machine you have I decided to create a handy table below to help you understand which size mat you need for your machine type. The 12 x 12 mat will be sufficient for most projects, but every now and again you might want to go large. It could be that you have been stocking up and you now run with 5 or 6. Your problem might be a mat that has lost all its tack, or that you need to firmly apply a thicker or heavier material to the mat. The last Cricut cutting mat is the Fabric Grip Mat. The following materials are ideal with this mat:if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'howtoheatpress_com-box-4','ezslot_3',126,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-howtoheatpress_com-box-4-0')}; The Cricut Strong Grip Mat is the purple mat. If you are looking for more Cricut related tutorials and tips, check out my Cricut project page! It will tear or ruin your lighter materials. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. A craft and sewing blog owned by Helen Harrison. Fun and Festive Christmas DIY, recipes, and tutorials. The pink mat has a special surface design that helps to keep your fabric in place while its being cut. Cutting mats are a lot like belly buttons in that way. You are a die-hard Cricut cutting crafter. Is this normal? It may get into your rollers and it WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY! You can find more information on the size mats for these models if you wish to be able to buy them second hand. My cricut mats have always lasted ages. I ordered a size to large and was hoping to cut it rather than return. Its more about not wasting your materials. The pink mat or otherwise known as FabricGrip is designed to hold the fabric in place while being cut. Its cheaper than buying a new machine! Theres a lot to remember when youre a Cricut beginner. The green mat should not be used to cut fabric or other thicker materials like leather or wood. As well as using the right tools to remove your cut projects from the cutting mat, here is another tip to getting it off. Cricut cutting mats are designed to be used multiple times.
The following cleaning tips apply to all the Cricut cutting mats except the Pink one. She is a wife and mom of two crazy fun kids.
You can increase the lifespan of you Cricut cutting mats (and save yourself some money for other craft supplies) by taking care of your cutting mats. The strongest grip Cicut mat is the Purple Strong-Grip Mat. Flip your mat over and use masking tape over any areas that have cracked or broken. You can get either a 1, 2 or 3 pack of each tack mat, or you can buy the four pack pictured to the right with one of each kind of mat. Im not sure sorry, it depends on the size/brand! I have to remember this especially when I am switching between materials in the same session. Mine eventually crack, but thats after a long time. My only problem has been getting cardstock off the green mat. How To Make A Magic Braid Leather Bracelet, Noodle Bead Bracelet with Sliding Knot Tutorial . This means it has the least amount of adhesive on it.
This is the Standard Grip Cricut Cutting Mat. Then we will discuss which ones you really need (and how many of them you should have on hand). First, lets discuss why you need to use a Cricut cutting mat (or not). They also come in different pack sizes. Allow the mat to air dry. Here are a few tips: Check the orientation in Design Space on the cut mat screen. Pink this specialty mat is used for fabric. Spray a light coat, let it dry and then place your materials on the mat. Because the adhesive is different on this mat, it has its own guidelines for cleaning. If you find that any material still seems too loose even with the StrongGrip Cutting Mat, tape around the edges will do the trick! Lets go through the mats color by color to give you examples for each one. There are ways you can get more use out of it though like taping any places that break and keeping it properly cleaned. I recently picked up, How do you change a Cricut blade? What is the Pink Cricut Cut Mat Used For? There are numerous tutorials out there about reapplying adhesive to your cutting mats. This is the one we use the most. The green Cricut Cut mat is the standard grip mat that is designed for use with the Cricut Explore and Maker machines. These are to fit a number of machines that Cricut create. There are different size and style mats that have multiple purposes and some have specific purposes for different materials and cutting styles. [], Let's customize mom a Mother's Day mug! This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.
These 7 tips and tricks are drawn from our larger article, 25 Cricut Tips & Tricks. Owning a few Cricut cutting mats isnt just about choosing the color you like or the one that goes the best with your decor. That would be best for lighter cardstock. Cricut is fast becoming a household name in the world of crafting and is highly popular for people who love to do paper crafts, vinyl crafts and even fabric cutting. Never fails that when you drop a Cricut cutting mat it always goes sticky side down! That said it also depends on your use. If your fabric is bonded (has a backing) you can use the bonded fabric blade in the Cricut Explore or Maker. It is also recommended that you use masking tape to tape down the edges of things like acrylic and wood to keep them from slipping. It will leave a mess behind. The most popular size is the 12 x 12 mat, but Cricut also offers a larger mat size12 x 24 to cut bigger projects. Lets talk about the materials that each one should be used for. The StandardGrip Cutting Mat is great for the following materials: The blue mat, or the LightGrip Cutting Mat, is probably the mat that I reach for the least. If you are looking at buying the strong mat you may also want to check that your Cricut machine complies with these materials and you may require a special blade to do so. Pro tip: After cleaning a light grip mat a few times, we find that it has lost so much of its stickiness that we cant really use it at all anymore. The link below is to Amazon who has a single standard grip green mat listed below, the size is 6 x 12 inches. This will remove cardstock and vinyl residue, as well as household dust and lint. Pink:This Cricut cutting mat is for fabric. Keep this cover and replace it after each use to keep the mat cleaner and stickier for longer. There is other information that you might want to know about Cricut and Cricut accessories such as Cricut blades and replacing your blades. The FabricGrip Cutting Mat should be used with the Rotary Blade and the Bonded-Fabric Blade. If you do get paper stuck to the mat you will need to carefull peel off what you can without removing any of the sticky surface or damaging the mat altogether. Lets take a look at the four different tacks of mat, and check prices on Amazon and Cricut to get the best deal! cardstock and other medium weight materials. (NOTE: You need a Cricut Maker to use a rotary bladeif you have other types of machines, you dont need this pink mat). With minimum adhesive, this mat is perfect for lighter weight materials or materials that have a high chance of ripping when being pulled from adhesive. We use Standard Grip cutting mat for nearly any kind of vinyl (although we usually find that unless our green Cricut mat is brand new, we need to use a StrongGrip mat for glitter iron-on). Another way to really get your mat dirty is to not replace your protective plastic cover. Read our privacy policy to learn more. Required fields are marked *. To cut these different fabric types you will also need to use a Cricut Maker and the rotary cutting tool. The machine reads marks on the mat so messing with it might effect that. The Martha Stewart Cricut Collection See The Range Of Products! Cricut Joy uses a different-sized mat that is specifically designed for use with the Cricut Joy machine. It has a sticky side which helps grip onto your chosen material ready to go into the machine to be cut. This will hold it in place while Cricut cut the material. Items also rip easily if they are too stuck down. This mat is perfect for cutting all types of fabrics. The blue Cricut mat is the light grip cutting mat. Required fields are marked *. They come in 2 different sizes and 4 different tack levels, each color coded so we dont get confused! Light Blue this mat is used for your more delicate materials. Well, if you use a cutting mat that is too strong, it will hold your material in place while cutting, but you may have trouble removing it from the mat without damaging it. You dont want to use the LightGrip mat with any thicker materials though as it may slide around and you wont get the perfect cuts youre looking for and it may even jam your Cricut machine. See an example below. This will save your mat and keep some of those more messy materials off your mat (like wool felt!). Then a pet or kid comes along and before you know it, your cutting mat is collecting all sorts of things like food crumbs, pet hair, and whatever else happens to be on your craft table or floor. Can you use Other Mats? Green: Remember up above where I said this is your general mat. Several brands listed here on Amazon have great reviews and will save you several dollars. Using the rotary blade and mat it is a perfect partnership with the Cricut Explore. Cricut machines can cut much more than vinyl. I havent had it happen with my mats they tend to crack and break after about 6 months use. The purple Cricut Cut mat is the heavy-duty grip mat. The dimensions of the Joy mat are 4.5 x 6.5 and 4.5 x 12. Have you used the mat very often? Part of owning a Cricut machine involves owning a few sticky Cricut cutting mats. This is the mat I use more than any other, probably because I mainly make heat transfers for t-shirts.
Cricut mats come in two main sizes to accommodate different projects for Cricut Explore and Maker Machines. Light cardstock (I reckon you can get away with heavy cardstock too), Heat transfer vinyl (HTV) or Iron-on vinyl, Any other thin and light material (non-fabric), Thicker, heavier cardstock (such as glitter cardstock). There are several different types of Cricut mats available on the market and they all have one common goal: to provide a stable surface for your machine to cut your materials. Alternatively you can find Cricut Mats online platforms such as Amazon, Ebay, Etsy and more. ], 23 Cricut Christmas Ideas for 2022 Iron On & Adhesive, The Ultimate Seasonal Heat Press and Cricut Craft Calendar, You Should Use HTV on Wood! The mats come in a variety of sizes. Cricut Lightgrip Cutting Mat 12X12 3 Pack, Cricut STRONGGRIP CUTTING MAT 3 PACK, 12"x12", Purple, 3 Piece, Cricut Variety Mat, 12"x12", 3 Mats (2003546), Learn The NEW Cricut Design Space With This EPIC Tutorial . What do all the colors mean? How to Apply HTV on. It can be difficult to get cardstock off, even if you have all the right tools, when its new and fully sticky. For those who have been a Cricut crafter for a long time, note that the Cricut Cake mat has been discontinued. And depending on the thickness of the fabric you may even be able to use the standard blade. Use a stiff brush in circular motions to remove debris.
Cricut Mats also come in different sizes, so lets take a look at your size options. They are quite similar in the amount of adhesive they have on them. I agree that this site may use cookies for site performance, project that I worked on earlier this year, DIY Kitchen Measurement Reversible Sign + Bakers Raffle Basket Ideas, Easy DIY Mothers Day Mugs with the Cricut Mug Press, Making Sweet Potato Bisque with Apple Salsa, Make One of These Three DIY Solar System Project Ideas. I started this blog as a way to share what I new and learnt about sewing, machines and everything in between. Your email address will not be published. This is a stronger mat, made especially for use with the Rotary blade (only the Cricut Maker uses this blade). The link below is to Amazon who has a 4 pack of the mats listed below, one of each strength at the size of 12 by 12 inches. To safely remove materials like paper and vinyl flip your mat over and gently peel the mat back from your materials. We are here to inspire and support you in your crafting journey! If like me you are a little confused as to which is most suitable for the machine you have I decided to create a handy table below to help you understand which size mat you need for your machine type. The 12 x 12 mat will be sufficient for most projects, but every now and again you might want to go large. It could be that you have been stocking up and you now run with 5 or 6. Your problem might be a mat that has lost all its tack, or that you need to firmly apply a thicker or heavier material to the mat. The last Cricut cutting mat is the Fabric Grip Mat. The following materials are ideal with this mat:if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'howtoheatpress_com-box-4','ezslot_3',126,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-howtoheatpress_com-box-4-0')}; The Cricut Strong Grip Mat is the purple mat. If you are looking for more Cricut related tutorials and tips, check out my Cricut project page! It will tear or ruin your lighter materials. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. A craft and sewing blog owned by Helen Harrison. Fun and Festive Christmas DIY, recipes, and tutorials. The pink mat has a special surface design that helps to keep your fabric in place while its being cut. Cutting mats are a lot like belly buttons in that way. You are a die-hard Cricut cutting crafter. Is this normal? It may get into your rollers and it WILL VOID YOUR WARRANTY! You can find more information on the size mats for these models if you wish to be able to buy them second hand. My cricut mats have always lasted ages. I ordered a size to large and was hoping to cut it rather than return. Its more about not wasting your materials. The pink mat or otherwise known as FabricGrip is designed to hold the fabric in place while being cut. Its cheaper than buying a new machine! Theres a lot to remember when youre a Cricut beginner. The green mat should not be used to cut fabric or other thicker materials like leather or wood. As well as using the right tools to remove your cut projects from the cutting mat, here is another tip to getting it off. Cricut cutting mats are designed to be used multiple times.
The following cleaning tips apply to all the Cricut cutting mats except the Pink one. She is a wife and mom of two crazy fun kids.
You can increase the lifespan of you Cricut cutting mats (and save yourself some money for other craft supplies) by taking care of your cutting mats. The strongest grip Cicut mat is the Purple Strong-Grip Mat. Flip your mat over and use masking tape over any areas that have cracked or broken. You can get either a 1, 2 or 3 pack of each tack mat, or you can buy the four pack pictured to the right with one of each kind of mat. Im not sure sorry, it depends on the size/brand! I have to remember this especially when I am switching between materials in the same session. Mine eventually crack, but thats after a long time. My only problem has been getting cardstock off the green mat. How To Make A Magic Braid Leather Bracelet, Noodle Bead Bracelet with Sliding Knot Tutorial . This means it has the least amount of adhesive on it.