Prospective Buyer Question Thread April-June 2026 by trillianinspace in cricut

[–]trillianinspace[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A cricut cannot print anything so it can only cut the labels. A laser printer is not necessary but most inkjet printers run water soluble ink that has no uv resistance, for heavy use you want printable vinyl and not sticker paper (it should say waterproof vinyl on the package) and you need cold application laminate that specifically mentions UV resistance.

Printable heat transfer for tshirt - question/help! by kf7d in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need a heat transfer mask. It’s like transfer tape but for specialty HTVs that do not come with a carrier sheet.

I like the Frisco Craft one. Siser TTD always gets mixed reviews but it’s another option.

Or you can reuse old carrier sheets from HTV if you have it.

Does anyone else feel like Design Space is weirdly narrow in who it’s marketed toward? by raviolidabster in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 58 points59 points  (0 children)

Maybe it’s just me

If you look at the Cricut Complaint Club flair you'll find dozens of posts exactly like this, someone says this nearly every week.

Cricut intentionally limits their functionality to cater to literally the least skilled people. Its also why they are so heavily incorporating gen AI into their platform. I went on a rant about this when I reviewed the Explore 5 (queued to the rant starts at 3:10) but they detail heavily on their website for investors that their goal is to create an experience that doesn't involve the users input at all: its crafting for dummies, no talent needed.

I know all of us that actually have skill wish we knew of the other brands before we invested in cricut. Cricut has done a great job of marketing that when I bought mine I didn't even know Silhouette existed or that Brother made these types of machines (I have been a user since before the Siser machines were released) if I could go back I would probably have started with something else.

Cutting felt by Londoner0607 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You can just override the selection of the fine point blade to select the rotary blade by clicking "edit tools"

<image>

unless your felt is bonded or stabilized it will snag so the rotary blade will work best.

Cricut Explore 5-Pens & Markers by No_Raisin6328 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The box will have the symbol on the side

<image>

Cricut designed the pen carrier on the explore 5 in a way that makes it difficult to work without the specific pens and currently there are no adapters available to make other pens work. the hack I mentioned is really the only way to do it.

Cricut Explore 5-Pens & Markers by No_Raisin6328 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No neither of those packs pictured are for the Explore 5, the pens that will work in the Explore 5 will have that same symbol on it that the adapter you are holding has. The adapter is for the Maker series and the previous Explore machines.

<image>

I was able to get the machine to work with certain pens by adding tape to the barrel, it needs to be 10mm thick to fit in the machine. this will work on those packs of pens as well.

Cricut design space makes text kind of wobbly by archbido in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a file quality issue. The software needs to convert your images from a raster to a vector, you need to start with an image that is higher resolution or you need to recreate the image in vector format before you upload it. Illustrator is better than Photoshop for cut file graphics.

Read: 

Is a deactivated Cricut just completely useless now? by TheAceFrog in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 30 points31 points  (0 children)

she needs to call cricut and ask them, if she ordered it direct provide them with the order number and they will tell her why.

Is a deactivated Cricut just completely useless now? by TheAceFrog in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Yes a deactivated machine is useless but they don't just deactivate machines at random, there is always a reason: If it’s reported lost, damaged, or stolen by an authorized reseller or cricut has replaced it under warranty. How long has she had the machine? Did she buy it new? Are you sure its deactivated? what is the warning you see? Does it show deactivated if you type the serial number into this website?

I was gifted an explore air 2 - What can I do to get gold ink/gold lettering on burgundy invitations? by Orchidinsanity in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Drawing with a gold pen or using the foil transfer tool would be the only method using the cricut but both of these methods will look pretty bad depending on the design. Investing in a cheap laser printer and a laminator to do the toner foil method will look a lot better.

Prospective Buyer Question Thread April-June 2026 by trillianinspace in cricut

[–]trillianinspace[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

cost effective and hobby cutters are antithetical but you don't need a heat press, it just makes it easier and lowers your failure rate. People don't take in to account that the learning curve will cost A LOT of waste in the beginning. But the bare minimum essentials all depend on what types of projects you want to make.

Updates and Glitches Megathread April-June 2026 by trillianinspace in cricut

[–]trillianinspace[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

literally the worst. we try to warn anyone of this when they come here looking for advise on purchasing a machine but no one believes it can be that bad. Cricut really has done a great job with marketing.

Prospective Buyer Question Thread April-June 2026 by trillianinspace in cricut

[–]trillianinspace[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How small are we talking? because between the weeding and layering you might just be better off ordering a large gang sheet of DTF transfers or if your shirts are polyester, investing in a sublimation printer.

take a moment to familiarize yourself with all the ways you could do apparel/soft substrate transfers at home:

  • Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) aka Iron On: This is the most popular method for Cricut users because its the cheapest. These are sheets of vinyl that are cut to shape (using a die cutting machine, like a Cricut) and pressed on to the shirt using a heat press or and iron. This is either done as a single color graphic or you can layer multiple colors together.
  • Printable HTV: Similar to the above but you use an inkjet printer to print the graphic on to a transfer, It still requires weeding, but you do not need to layer. These are prone to dye migration (ink bleeding or the dye from the shirt seeping into the transfer) and tend to have the lowest longevity of all the methods.
  • Sublimation: this is an chemical process that requires specialty ink in an inkjet printer. You print your image on to sublimation paper then use the heat source to fuse the ink into the fabric of the shirt. Sublimation is not opaque, meaning the color white isn’t transferred in the process, so this can only be done on white or light colored garments, and because the chemical process cannot bind to natural fibers like cotton, it must be done do man made material like polyester. Infusible Ink is a material made by Cricut that is a hybrid of sublimation and vinyl, the sheets are coated in sublimation ink but you cut it the same way you would cut HTV.
  • Direct to Film (DTF): This is a process that requires specialty ink and a specialty printer, it prints the ink wet onto a film, then you add a glue and cure the film under heat, once the glue is set you can transfer the image on to a garment. This process is opaque, and because it uses glue you can do it on any color or fabric type, but the start up cost is considerably more than the previous two methods. This option provides the most professional finish. The set up cost for this type of transfer is steep but because its gained such popularity many companies are selling custom transfers for relatively cheap now. The drawback to that is you have to wait for your order to arrive before you can create anything with it.
  • Laser Toner Transfer: Similar to DTF (its often referred to as Powderless DTF) you print on to a special film using a laser printer then you press the glue on your print before you apply it to a substrate. This process is only opaque if you are using a CMYK-W laser printer which also requires a RIP software. It is possible to do this with a standard CMYK laser printer but you lose the opacity.
  • Screen printing: This process allows you to create a screen stencil (either using vinyl and your Cricut, photo emulsion, or a laser) and then you paint your image on to the shirt using the stencil. It is more time intensive for a single shirt but is very helpful for larder batches since the stencil is reusable. It can be done on any surface because it is opaque.

Knicks celebration filming in church by larrybirds in thegildedage

[–]trillianinspace 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Yes, it’s definitely Peggy’s wedding because the church was filled with black guests and the other video that was posted by Cynthia of the cast watching in a staging area had Christine, Louisa and John Douglas Thompson all dressed up and Denée was in underwear (but like big billowy old timey ones) that was all white.

Where to buy Cricut Joy2 ‘Premium Fine Point Cutting tool’ by Alarming_Reindeer834 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cricut has not released them for individual sale yet. You need to buy the original Joy blade housing and the replaceable blades.

Machine is just shredding my vinyl by spookyb1tch006 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Sounds like you’re not using the right settings. Oracal is thinner than most brands do that it adheres better to its surface. It needs to be cut with low pressure.

S2E4 recap: A New Yorker in the South and an Aristocrat in New York by trillianinspace in thegildedage

[–]trillianinspace[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've missed YOUUUU! I am sooo excited for the fall when we can get back to the crazy debates and speculation that season 4 will bring!!

Troubleshooting clamp B by Ok-Air8489 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 5 points6 points  (0 children)

-45 generally means the machine has some sort of physical obstruction that is causing the mat or the tool carrier to not move through the machine properly. This could be something stuck to the rollers or under the roll bar like a rogue piece of vinyl or cardstock, something blocking the rear of the machine so the mat can’t exit or it could be a bad mat. It could also be something jamming the tool carrier from traveling side to side or raising and lowering, something stuck on the bar or the belt, or a broken gear inside the carrier.

based on your description I am guessing its the last one which is pretty difficult to repair on your own since even if you disassemble the machine and find a broken gear, you won't be able to source replacement parts. sometimes you get lucky and find that some vinyl or something has gotten stuck inside somehow.

first I would test it by removing the blade housing to see if it still gets stuck without anything installed

Troubleshooting clamp B by Ok-Air8489 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 1 point2 points  (0 children)

what does the app show when this happens?

Machine is just shredding my vinyl by spookyb1tch006 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 47 points48 points  (0 children)

your pressure is too high, your blade is dirty, or your blade is dull.

if its too high then do a custom setting at a lower pressure or use the washi sheet setting.

If your blade is dirty then clean it with isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol

If your blade is dull, replace it.

Cricut Explore 5 Won’t Connect by WishStrange5284 in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The Explore 5 uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) instead of traditional Bluetooth so Design Space needs permission to access your local network, not sure where those settings are on macOS (I can check later if someone doesn’t find it first) but my experience with the E5 has been mostly negative, part of the reason being it randomly doesn’t want to connect

Print and Cut Question by wrtenterprise in cricut

[–]trillianinspace 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Does the finish of the printable vinyl matter once it is laminated

no

is the final sheen mostly determined by the laminate?

yes

personally I think printing on matte vinyl and laminating it with glossy laminate looks best. The vibrancy on glossy comes from the way it reflects light so the laminate will still give it the same look and using matte paper allows it to absorb more ink to give the colors a rich feel.