how to cut felt with cricut maker

3 min read 12-01-2025

Meta Description: Learn how to cut felt with your Cricut Maker! This comprehensive guide covers felt types, settings, weeding, and design ideas to help you create beautiful felt projects. Get started crafting today with our expert tips and tricks for perfect felt cuts every time.

Felt is a fantastic crafting material, offering a wide array of colors and textures perfect for everything from whimsical ornaments to durable bags. But cutting felt precisely can be tricky. Luckily, your Cricut Maker is up to the task! This guide will walk you through the process of cutting felt with your Cricut Maker, ensuring you achieve professional-looking results.

Choosing the Right Felt

Not all felt is created equal. The type of felt you choose significantly impacts your Cricut cutting experience.

Types of Felt:

Wool Felt: This natural fiber felt is thicker and more durable. It's ideal for projects that require strength and lasting wear. However, it can be more challenging to cut cleanly.
Polyester Felt: A synthetic option, polyester felt is smoother, thinner, and often more affordable than wool felt. It cuts more easily with the Cricut Maker.
Acrylic Felt: A blend of synthetic fibers, this felt offers a balance between wool and polyester. Its texture is often closer to polyester felt's smoothness.

Tip: For beginners, polyester felt is a great starting point. Its consistent thickness makes it easier to achieve precise cuts.

Preparing Your Felt for Cutting

Before you begin, there are a few essential preparation steps to ensure a smooth cutting process:

1. Check Your Felt's Thickness:

Your Cricut Maker has limitations on material thickness. Too thick, and the blade may struggle to cut cleanly. Most felt types suitable for Cricut cutting are under 1/8th of an inch thick. If unsure, test a small scrap first.

2. Clean Your Cutting Mat:

A clean cutting mat is crucial for proper adhesion and accurate cuts. Remove any dust, lint, or adhesive residue from your mat.

3. Secure Your Felt:

Place your felt firmly onto your Cricut cutting mat, ensuring it's smooth and free from wrinkles or bubbles. Use a brayer or your hand to press down firmly, ensuring good adhesion to the mat. This prevents shifting during the cutting process.

Cricut Maker Settings for Felt

The correct settings are vital for clean cuts. These settings may require slight adjustments depending on your felt's thickness and material type:

Recommended Settings (Adjust as needed):

Material: Choose "Felt" from the material list if available. If not, "Cardstock" is a good starting point.
Blade: Use the fine-point blade (it’s often the default). For thicker felts, you might need to experiment with a deeper cut setting.
Pressure: Medium to high pressure (you can adjust this after a test cut).

Designing and Cutting Your Felt

Now for the fun part! Open Cricut Design Space and design your project. Remember to mirror your image before cutting if necessary (most projects will need this). Once your design is ready:

Load your Mat: Load your cutting mat with the felt firmly attached into your Cricut Maker.
Press "Go": Press the "Go" button to start the cutting process.
Unload Your Mat: Carefully unload the cutting mat once the cutting process is complete.

Weeding Your Felt

Weeding (removing the excess felt) is just as important as the cutting itself. Use a weeding tool or even your fingertips to carefully remove the unwanted pieces of felt. Be gentle, especially with thinner felt types to avoid tearing.

Design Ideas for Felt Projects Using Your Cricut Maker

The possibilities are endless! Here are some inspirational ideas:

Felt Ornaments: Create unique and personalized ornaments for the holidays.
Felt Coasters: Make custom coasters to protect your furniture.
Felt Bags: Sew together cut felt pieces to create durable and stylish bags.
Felt Flowers: Design intricate flower shapes to decorate clothes, cards, or other projects.
Felt Appliqués: Cut out shapes and designs to embellish clothing, quilts, or other fabric items.

Troubleshooting Tips

Jagged Cuts: Try increasing the pressure setting or using a new fine-point blade.
Incomplete Cuts: Check for wrinkles or air bubbles under the felt. Try firmly pressing it onto the mat.
Felt Sticking to the Mat: Use a weeding tool or scraper to carefully lift the felt from the mat.

By following these steps and practicing, you'll master the art of cutting felt with your Cricut Maker. Happy crafting!