This is a sponsored post. I received a Maker machine to review and this post also contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
Wondering why you might consider upgrading to a new Maker machine from your Explore? Curious as to what the fuss is all about? Interested in just how excited should you be if you sew or just love fabric? Today I am sharing exactly why I have been so giddy since I first heard about the new Cricut Maker machine.
I have owned a Cricut machine since they first came out. You might remember the cartridges? I still have some! As Cricut has grown and changed I have loved the updates and increased capabilities of their machines and design space. I was given an Explore when they first came out and I have used it over and over again. But, there has always been one draw back for me- working with fabric was always a challenge. I didn’t always want to have to back my fabric with something in order to get it to cut. And, even if I did, I often felt like the cuts weren’t clean. And don’t even get me started on cutting felt! (the pictures below are from the Room Challenge I did for the Cricut Design Star challenge I participated in a couple of years ago, you can see in the first picture that the cuts are pretty good, but there are still a couple threads that didn’t get cut all the way)
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| Cutting Fabric on the Cricut Explore- fabric backed with freezer paper |
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| Reading pouf created using the Cricut Explore |
I was told that Cricut was coming out with a new machine that would cut fabric- I was thrilled, but also a little skeptical because I had been told that before with the Explore machines. (which, while it technically does cut fabric, requires backing your fabric and sharp, new blades to get crisp, clean cuts)
So, when I went in to check out the machine- I came prepared with samples of my own! I wanted to see if it really would cut fabric, wool felt and even the cheap acrylic felt from the craft store.
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| Fabric cut with Cricut Maker |
Let me tell you, this machine knocked my socks off! The rotary blade is magic!! It’s a tiny 12mm blade and it lifts and pivots amazingly!
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| felt bird cut with Cricut Maker |
There are a couple of limitations you should be aware of:
First: you can only cut down to a 3/4″ radius on curves. Any smaller than that and you will damage your fabric mat. For really intricate cuts, they recommend using the bonded fabric blade and fabric backed with a stabilizer such as Heat n Bond
Second: There is an over cut programmed into the machine so that the corners are sharp and neat, since there is a round blade involved. Why this matters is if you are cutting something thin, like the stem of a leaf, you might find that the stem is cut off because of the over cut. Just something to be aware of.
There are free projects available in Design Space to get you started cutting fabric and felt. In addition, Cricut has teamed up with Simplicity Patterns and Riley Blake Designs to provide patterns and quilts for you to purchase and make. Plus, with design space, you can upload your own designs and create your own projects! I will be sharing the file to make the pincushion in this post soon!
If you focus on paper projects or mostly cut vinyl and already have a Cricut Explore- I would definitely enjoy your machine and not upgrade. But, if you’re like me and spend most of your time with fabric, needle and thread I would not hesitate for a second to make the switch. The adaptive tool system provides accuracy and pressure to cut cleanly and the new fabric mat holds the fabric in place so you don’t need to add backing to your fabric.
Watch for lots more projects and videos from me soon!
xoxo,
Amy
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
