# Cricut Wiki
Lab notebook for the Cricut. Material settings, blade choices, mat care, design pipeline.
## Machine
- [ ] Model: _(Maker / Maker 3 / Explore Air 2 / Joy)_
- [ ] Firmware version
- [ ] Accessories on hand: blades, tools, pens, mats
## Blades + use
| Blade | Best for |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------ |
| Fine-Point | vinyl, cardstock, thin paper |
| Deep-Point | chipboard, magnet sheet, stiffer materials |
| Rotary (Maker) | fabric without stabilizer |
| Knife (Maker) | matboard, balsa, thick materials |
## Material settings log
_(Every time a material works well — log the exact setting + pressure. Don't re-solve each time.)_
- [[Material - Oracal 651]]
- [[Material - HTV / Iron-on]]
- [[Material - Cardstock 80lb]]
- [[Material - Smart Vinyl]]
## Mats
- Blue (LightGrip): paper, cardstock
- Green (StandardGrip): vinyl, iron-on, most
- Purple (StrongGrip): chipboard, thick
- Pink (FabricGrip): fabric + rotary
- Care: lint roller between jobs, replace when it stops holding
## Design pipeline
`Design Space` is fine for simple. For anything complex:
1. Design in Inkscape / Illustrator / Affinity Designer
2. Export SVG
3. Upload to Design Space
4. Verify layers + cut lines
5. Do a test cut on scrap
## Weeding + application
- Weed while still on mat when possible
- Transfer tape: medium-tack for most vinyl, high-tack for glitter/specialty
- Heat press > household iron for HTV longevity
## Project log
_(Date, project, materials, settings, result.)_
## Recurring gotchas
- "Cricut needs Internet" — Design Space is cloud-dependent. Batch your design time.
- Dull blade masquerades as bad settings. Swap before troubleshooting.
- Mirrored images for HTV — always. Catch it before the cut, not after.
- Kiss-cut vs. through-cut — blade depth matters more than pressure.
## Cross-hobby
- **Crafting** — cuts feed into paper craft, gift wrap, cards
- **3D printing** — print jigs for repeatable weeding/alignment
- **Gardening** — plant markers, seed packet labels
- **AV Gear** — custom gear labels, pedalboard legends
## Open questions
- Worth a heat press upgrade, or keep using the iron?
- Best SVG source workflow for non-Design-Space users?
- Sublimation — adjacent rabbit hole or real addition?
## Related
- Board: `board-of-advisors/boards/cricut.md`
- Claude Chat project: **Cricut Lab**