I remember when I first got my Cricut Explore Air 2 and was ready to start cranking out some crafts and projects. It can be a bit intimidating when you first sit down to do your very first project and ask yourself, ” What is the best beginner project using your Cricut?” I wanted to share what worked for me so you can get comfortable using your very own Cricut machine.
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Finding out what is the best beginner project using your Cricut is really going to depend on which type of machine you have. I am mainly going to be talking about the Cricut cutting machines such as the Maker, Explore Air, or the Cricut Joy, since they are all very similar in their capabilities in regards to beginner projects.
I recently did a post about how easy it is to use a Cricut. You will want to read that one as well to get some tips and tricks if you are feeling a little overwhelmed once you open your brand new Cricut machine.
What is the Best Beginner Project Using your Cricut?
Make Sure to Complete your Sample Project First
Every Cricut cutting machine comes with a sample project to help walk you through the set up of your machine and to help you get your feet wet. I love that it comes with all of the materials you will need to make the little project so you don’t have to worry about messing up and wasting material that you bought separately.
I highly recommend doing these to learn how to use the machine and get more comfortable. My Cricut Explore Air 2 included things to make a card and the Cricut Easypress 2 Machine came with materials to make a Cricut logo drawstring bag. It really helped build my confidence in using both machines so that I could move on to making my own projects.
My Personal Beginner Projects Using a Cricut
The very first project I did was personalizing my daughter’s hairbrush. It was a craft that was small so I wouldn’t waste a lot of material if I messed up and I kept it simple by just using two different types of vinyl.
It was a great way to explore the Cricut Design software and get comfortable using that. I looked through a lot of the different fonts and images that they had and was able to create my own little project.
I would suggest making something like this on a smaller scale for your very first Cricut project. Mugs are another easy and small scale item you could make and personalize any way you want.
Infusible Ink is Great for Beginner Apparel Projects
I personally like using Infusible ink instead of vinyl for apparel or any kind of tote or pillow project. It just goes on a lot smoother and seems a lot easier to use. The first project I did with infusible ink was a throw pillow for my daughter’s bedroom.
I found some infusible ink with a fun mermaid print so it was all the same color, I didn’t have to use multiple prints. I easily put the image together using fonts and images from Cricut Design Space and it took less than 20 minutes from start to finish.
It was so easy that I made my son a jungle themed throw pillow to go into his nursery.
Use Cricut Design Space for Beginner Inspiration
There seems to be endless possibilities for projects you can make with your Cricut machine. When you scroll down the Cricut Design Space homepage, you will see a section titled: ” Great Cricut Maker Projects for Beginners”. Look through all of those ideas for simple to make projects.
They have things like burp clothes, mugs, shirts, pillows, cards, and more.
If those don’t seem like something you want to try, look through all of the already made projects to help walk you through using Cricut Design Space if this is your first time using the software. In the search bar, you can type in words like “easy” or “beginner” to bring up perfect project ideas for you.
When you are looking at a premade design, like this baby onesie, look for the word EASY in the project description. If it says ADVANCED, pick another project.
Keep It Simple
No matter what machine or surface you are using for your project, just remember to keep it simple when it comes to the best beginner project using your Cricut.
Stick with one type of vinyl or infusible ink. Keep it on a smaller scale, think mugs and baby clothes over huge murals.
Since it is your first time using a cutting machine, don’t make the image too elaborate. It takes practice to become efficient at weeding the material out of the spaces of the fonts and images. If your first image is something like a mandala design, you will be weeding forever!
Remember that there are so many Youtube tutorials and videos to help walk you through any project if you get stuck. It’s all about having fun and being creative! The more practice you get, the more intricate your designs and projects will become.
Once you really get good, see how you can make money using your Cricut machine.
