All of the "Tool Talk Tuesday" facebook posts in one long list.
Here's a look at all of the tools I personally prefer, when working with cricut projects. I'd love to hear your opinions, on anything I missed, or on alternatives you have found to work better! The best way to reach me is through the facebook group for this page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1121399284857845/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1121399284857845/
Fabric Tape Measure
Whenever someone asks what tools are "needed" when buying a cricut, this is my first answer. I have 4 fabric tape measures, and one pull out fabric tape measure, all in the box of cricut tools on my desk. No matter what I am making, I will need to measure. Often more than once.
When my design is ready, I check the measurements at the top of the screen, then measure that size out on the item I'll be applying it to, to make sure I like the way it fits. T-shirts, cups, pot holders, plates, Christmas ornaments.. It doesn't matter what I am making, a fabric tape measure is one item I use on every single project.
You can usually find a two pack at the Dollar Tree - for $1, or this 3 pack is $3.29 on Amazon.
https://amzn.to/2VHAl6k
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Reynolds Freezer Paper
A roll of Reynolds freezer paper sits in my window sill. The other end is tacked- with a thumbtack under the edge of my desk, and this is the surface on which I almost always work.
The paper is coated thick enough that I can paint on it & it does not bleed through to my wooden desk. It's waxy enough that vinyl can be stuck to it, and easily removed. I frequently stick designs to it as I weed them, and then I peel them up and apply them to the item they belong on. Glue wipes off with a diaper wipe, if you get it before it dries.
When it becomes too messy, I tear off the end & tack the clean end under. I bought a 150ft roll at Sam's club nearly two years ago, and I'm still using that same roll. It's 18 inches wide - I think the smaller boxes, with 50ft, are only 15 inches wide. On Amazon, 150 ft is around $23. https://amzn.to/39VyEFT
I know others work on Teflon Sheets - the mats you use with a heat press. The benefit of these is that they will last a lot longer. https://amzn.to/3od9HOm They are more slippery, more difficult to attach to my desk, and the ones I have are not as wide as my freezer paper, so I rarely use them here.
I've never used it myself, but Amazon has a roll of brown - like Kraft paper, but labeled as freezer paper - that may work too. https://amzn.to/2Wgcvi5 It's cheaper than the Reynolds brand, and is the color of Kraft paper.
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Weeding Tools
Here at my desk, I have a couple of sets of picks from Harbor Freight, the Cricut Brand Tool Set, and the Xinart Tool Set. This is the only time I can say, I prefer the Cricut version.
I do not yet have a pin pen - although I've heard great things about them! Personally, I do not like the Harbor freight picks. Yes, they work... and when a group of bridesmaids comes to the farm to work on a project for the wedding (we are at an age where all of our kids, and our kids friends, are getting married, so that happens more often than you would think!), it's great to have a bunch of tools, without spending a lot of money.
But I, myself, will reach for my cricut (or xinart version) weeding tool every time, and it will bother me to have to use something else. It's just what I am most comfortable using. I bought the Xinart set when the handle on my cricut set started breaking. I find the weeding tools to be nearly identical, but the scraper in the xinart set is plastic instead of metal, and I do not like that at all. If I were to buy another set right now, I'd purchase the DiyIt set - it looks to be identical to the cricut tools, and it is only $8.99 on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2UdXQmE Caregy also has a set now too - https://amzn.to/3ockAA8
Here's how to make your own pin pen, with a sewing needle and a mechanical pencil:
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Mats
I have used the Cricut mats with flowers, the cricut mats without flowers (the newer ones), Nicapa, Emigoo, Monicut, Xinart.... The only real difference I have seen is the price. The newer cricut mats, without the flowers, loose their green color faster - but somehow that hasn't really effected how they work. The color scrapes off but they were still sticky.
My guideline is no more than $10 for 3 mats - Xinart are usually 3 for $9.89. https://amzn.to/3lTNjbG
I usually purchase them when one of the brands is on sale 3 for $7.99
As for mat colors: Blue for Paper, Green for Vinyl, Purple for Fabric... but the reality is, once the mats have been used a few times, the color is irrelevant. And although I prefer the blue, less sticky, mat for regular paper and vellum, I use the green mats for card stock.
Mats can also be cleaned and even re-tacked, here's how:
Painters Tape
You can pick up a roll of this at the Dollar Tree, and it has a lot of uses! I use it to pick up tiny pieces when weeding a design, to help hold faux leather in place on the mat, and if I don't think my mat is as sticky as it needs to be, I may use painters tape to hold the vinyl or cardstock in place until I get my mats cleaned and re-stuck again.
I use painters tape a lot in paper projects that have a lot of small pieces - I stick the tiny detail pieces to a piece of painters tape so that I don't lose them off my desk. They remove without tearing, when I am ready to glue them fast.
Painters tape also helps hold vinyl stencils in place when glass etching.
For some projects, painters tape can work as transfer tape, to transfer a design. It's often used to apply vinyl to Christmas ornaments.
It's a cheap, versatile, item that is just good to have on hand in the craft room
Vinyl & HTV
I quickly found that for me, Cricut vinyl was way too expensive, and the quality was just not great. For a long time, I used only Orcal and Siser. And then, thanks to suggestions from some of you, I tried brands like Frisco, Caregy, and Transwonder. I haven't purchased Siser or Orcal since, only because of the price difference. Caregy HTV can be as low as 70 cents a sq foot - compared to $3 a sq foot for Siser. And in my wash test, I've found Caregy, Siser, and Transwonder all hold up exactly the same. I also really like the craftables brand of vinyl.
I have a price sheet with a break down of cost per a sq foot by brand (including shipping costs), and links for where I purchased them, here:
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Iron
I do not own a heat press, nor do I own an Easy Press. I've made hundreds of shirts over the years - and dozens of pillows, tote bags, etc. All with a regular old thrift store iron. Now keep in mind, I do not sell. If I was selling, I would likely invest in a heat press, simply because it would be faster when doing high volumes. I would definitely purchase a heat press with a cup attachment. You can buy a heat press, with mug attachment, for less than the price of the Cricut Mug press. (This one is $188, and it reviews really well - https://amzn.to/3AzG4tw) Although I will say, the mug press is cute, and takes up a lot less room than a full heat press machine. That is the only reason I have never purchased a Heat Press - I really don't want to make room for it in my craft area. If you are considering an Easy Press for that reason (lack of space) be sure to look at other brands - they are a fraction of the cost of the cricut brand, and review well - https://amzn.to/3xFHMYo
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Pens & Markers
Cricut makes their own brand of markers to fit into the machine for writing and drawing - but there are a lot of other markers that fit right in the machine and work great too! See examples here:
You can also add pencil grips to thinner markers to make them fit, buy adaptors for sharpie markers (or if you know someone with a 3d Printer, there are free files to print them) and for some markers, you can just add a little masking tape around the marker to make it sit in to the pen holder nicely.
I tend not to fuss with adjustments, and even though my husband is an avid 3d printer, I've never used any of the pen holders than the one that comes right in the original cricut machine. My most used pen is a plain old bic pen - it fits right in and writes great. Which markers I use varies - lately the Staedtler markers from Wal-Mart (it's hit or miss, they are not all the same size - I just happened to get a good pack) are my favorites, but I probably use the Dollar Tree Markers ($1 a pack!) more than any others.
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What to Buy, What To Download, & How To Use It All
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MORE TO ADD
This post is in progress - here are some of the other items to add soon!
12x12 3 ring binders
Silicone baking mats
Parchment paper
Cardstock
infusible ink markers
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