Top 10 Cricut Crafting Essentials for Beginners

New to Cricut? Welcome to the world of CRICUT crafting! I know starting with your machine can be a bit much. There are so many cool projects out there, it's hard to know where to begin. Are you into paper crafts, vinyl crafts, making T-shirts, signs, or something else? It's a lot to think about. But don't worry!

If you are thinking about buying the Cricut machine and making crafts for your family or business, this article is for you! These 10 craft accessories and supplies will help you get started on any crafting journey you choose.

Let’s start!

1. A cutting machine

I have the Cricut Maker, and honestly I don’t have experience with other brands. I bought my machine on the Cricut website, although you should look at Amazon or check the websites of other craft stores to compare prices and bundles.

If I had to buy a new cutting machine today, I would take another Cricut, but would invest in the latest model - Cricut Maker 3. According to reviews, it works faster and quieter than my Maker. But my Cticut Maker suits me just fine, not too loud or slow.

CRICUT ACCESS/ CRICUT DESIGN SPACE Along with my machine I bought the Cricut Access membership where I got access to the Cricut Design Space library with thousands of images, fonts, ready-made projects. It will cost you around/less $10 a month, but will save loads of time and money if you make at least two projects a month. You will also get a discount when you order products from the Cricut website.

2. A Cricut bundle with tools and materials

Also I do recommend buying the Cricut as part of a bundle that also includes materials and crafting tools. First, you save yourself money because buying crafting materials and tools separately can be quite expensive. Also, it's a great help for the beginner to have the basic supplies included with the cutting machine.

I would definitely recommend the bundle from Cricut again to start. While you are a beginner, you will be looking in which direction to make your crafts. And the bundle allows you to experiment and you can use everything in your projects that comes inside.

3. Cutting mats

The cutting mat usually comes with a cutting machine or bundle. But I recommend having at least three mats Cricut Standard Grip Mat, 12x12or Cricut Standard Grip Mat, 12x24 for productive work.

Some projects call for more than 15 mats! And while you can pull paper off after it runs through the Cricut machine and then reuse the mat, that’s a slow process! Having more mats available is a huge time-saver.

There are different mats with different grips for different materials. Personally, I use green and blue mats for most of my craft projects.

4. Cardstock paper

The easiest way to start learning how to work with Cricut is making paper projects. I recommend using cardstock paper. Basically, I use two different kinds of cardstock. One is 8.5 by 11 inches in size and 65 lb thick paper, that I buy from Michaels Recollections Cardstock Paper. I suggest to buy a set of different colors to experiment with different projects - Cardstock Paper.

My second favorite is Bazzill 12×12″ cardstock from Joann Store here or here. Their cardstock comes in different textures, which is why I love it.

5. Bearly Art Glue

Once you have created and cut out your paper project, you need to assemble it. And the most ideal assistant in this is Bearly Art Glue. It has a thin tip, and it's very easy to apply. It doesn’t ripple your paper and holds strong. It dries quickly and leaves no marks. You don’t need much of it and it lasts you long, so I highly recommend it.

6. A glue gun

A definitely must have for any crafter is a glue gun. I use a Surebonder, but I would recommend using any gun that has a large and fine tip, which is easier to work with, for example, this one.

7. A crafting mat

I will definitely suggest using a crafting mat, first, to protect your table. But most importantly to help yourself during the assembly. You can make the markings on the mat to help you find the center or to make sure that your lines and angles are correct. It is a small investment, but a big help.

8. Vinyl

Having a cutting machine you MUST also try simple vinyl projects. My bundle included vinyl, but you can choose any vinyl you want (this or [that] https://amzn.to/3OQ3vs5). Here are my vinyl projects. You can also find videos with step by step tutorials on my YouTube channel.

9. Transfer tape

Transfer tape is a must have for any type of vinyl project. Also known as application tape, it is a gridded plastic film that can be placed on top of a piece of vinyl to make the sticker easier to apply. It allows you to see exactly where you are placing the sticker on the surface.

10. Storage

With all these different materials and tools it’s really important to create storage for all your supplies. It's hard to give one piece of advice here. It all depends on your budget and space.

It can be a crate or a plastic box, or it can be a separate crafting room. But I highly recommend keeping all the materials in one place and organizing them for yourself.

There is so much more to share but these are basic supplies to get you started on your Cricut crafting journey. This is what you need to safely experiment and improve your crafting experience. Soon you will find what you like most and do best.

I hope you find this helpful If you have anything you would add or have questions about please leave a comment below. Good luck and happy crafting.