So, you’re looking for a Silhouette or Cricut machine? Now what? It can be intimidating to choose a machine and get started. These amazing crafting machines can cut paper, vinyl, leather, wood, and more, depending on the make and model. If you’re just starting out, we have 10 essentials we think you’ll need to start crafting with a cutting machine.
Crafting Machine
If you haven’t chosen a machine yet, this is a good place to start. The major brands (in our opinion) are Silhouette and Cricut. They both offer a variety of models that can help you craft some incredible projects. It just depends what your interests (and budget) are. We prefer the Silhouette Cameo 4 or the Cricut Maker.
Vinyl
We love Expressions Vinyl! We have ordered from Expressions Vinyl for years and always had a great experience. They offer fast shipping and competitive prices. They have permanent and removable adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, color changing vinyl, and more. You can even receive $5 off your first order from Expressions Vinyl when you order here.
Once you have the crafting machine of your choice and some vinyl in hand, what can you put it on? Here are some ideas for fun and easy starter projects:
Shirts
You can order a four pack of Hanes shirts in a variety of colors including blue, red, pink, purple, orange, and yellow, among others. You can also try this two pack of Gildan long sleeve t-shirts in assorted colors. Or, if you want to try a larger order, we recommend this 12 pack of Gildan t-shirts.
If you know someone having a baby, you can even customize some onesies as a thoughtful and unique baby shower gift.
Tumblers or Water Bottles
Clear plastic tumblers and/or water bottles are a great beginner project. You can order a pack of 12 tumblers from Amazon with either clear lids or assorted colors. You can also order one of these colorful water bottles.
Wood Signs
This six pack of unfinished hanging wood signs would be a great way to make a “welcome” sign or add some new decor to your bedroom or bathroom.
Canvas Totes or Zippered Pouches
You can order a pack of 15 canvas tote bags to decorate. You can add names, logos, characters, and more. If you prefer a little color, these multi-pack canvas bags can have navy, red, or green accents.
You can order a pack of 12 canvas zippered pouches for just over $1 per bag! These make great travel or make-up bags. There’s also a more colorful pack here. These can be a fun idea if you are participating in a fish extender during your Disney cruise.
Key Chains
Key chains can be a quick and easy beginner project. You can add a name or small design to these. This pack of 50 acrylic key chains is inexpensive and will give you plenty of extra’s to practice on.
Coasters
We recommend this twelve pack of stone coasters to get started. You can choose a round or square design. You may want to spray some modge podge over the vinyl as a sealer, just to make sure the vinyl doesn’t peel with use.
Earrings
We love this 30 piece leather earring making kit! It actually includes all of the tools and templates if you want to cut them by hand, but many machines can cut the leather for a variety of shapes and designs. We like that this kit also comes with everything you’ll need for the earrings, from start to finish.
Heat Press or Easy Press
If you’re working with heat transfer vinyl, you may want to consider investing in a heat press or Cricut Easy Press. You can always use an iron to apply your heat transfer vinyl, but may have better results by using a heat press or easy press. The iron doesn’t apply heat evenly so the designs can be more likely to peel off or not stick at all.
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