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My family has a strong interest in the arts and crafts. My friends all knew that my father owns a business that specializes in t-shirt design, lettering, and uniform production, therefore I’m interested in exploring the craft niche.
One day, I saw on Instagram that a teen was starting a t-shirt business with the help of a Cricut, and I was so impressed with what it could do that my husband bought me one so that I can start my home based business in crafts.
What is a cricut?
A cricut machine is a computer cutting machine that helps you create crafts, stencils, signs, and other materials using special cutting blades and software. For example, you can use a cricut machine to cut out vinyl letters to make a sign, or you can use it to cut designs into fabric to make a quilt. It allows you to personalize your crafts and make gifts that are unique.
The Cricut Explore Air 2 which I own is a perfect machine for beginners where I can accomplish a lot of different tasks easily. Inside the machine, there is a cutting blade that reminds me of my father’s design before which he would create on paper but then cut with his own two hands and it took him some time to do certain designs. With the machine there is a small movable cutting blade inside that will make these designs in seconds like your home printer.
Types of Cricut Machine
There are many different cricut machines available, with different features and price points. There is the Cricut Explore Family, Cricut Maker and Cricut Joy. You can choose the one that suits your needs best.
Cricut Explore Air 2
The best thing about the Cricut Air 2 is its ability to work with 100+ materials, including cardstock, vinyl, iron-on, and more. It can work with anything you throw at it with incredible precision. This is the machine that a common crafters would get.
Price: $199
Cricut Explore Air 3
For the first time ever, you can make cuts up to 12 feet long without manually lining up two pieces of fabric. The latest in Explore Family makes Cricut Explore 3 faster and more efficient while using Smart Materials that easily load into the machine without a cutting mat.
Price: $299
Cricut Maker and Maker 3
Cricut Maker and Cricut Maker 3 the latest version offer more features than the Explore family with cutting materials, from paper to leather, to other hard materials like leather and basswood. It can cut the most tedious parts like fabric. You can upload your own sewing patterns too and of course it cost more money.
Price: $389
Cricut Joy
To start with your home based business you will need:
Cricut Basic Tool Set – 5-piece set includes essential tools you need to lift, snip,burnish, and weed a wide variety of materials. You will need this because this is not included in the cricut box.
Price: $34.99
Cricut easy press – This is your essential iron-on tool. Enjoy heat-transfer perfection every time. Just enter the recommended time and temperature settings, apply heat, and when the beep sounds, you’re done! Its ceramic-coated heat plate is adjustable up to 400°F (205°C).
Price: $99
Cricut Easy Press Mini – This small but terrible iron press works good for my crafts. Aside from it’s affordable it works for my everyday personal craft use. This design is used for baby shoes, hats, stuffed animals, and more. It is lightweight, portable, and easy to store. Works with major brands of HTV, iron-on, and the entire Infusible Ink family of products.
Price: $49
Heat Transfer Vinyl
Heat transfer vinyl, also known as, iron-on vinyl, t-shirt vinyl or HTV, is a special type of vinyl that can adhere to fabric.
Price: $36.18
Adhesive Vinyl
This comes with a sheets or rolls that is used for anything that is not fabric like decals, labels, signs, glass and more
Price: $28.99
Cardstocks
There are so many different crafts you can make using cardstock such as crafting flower wall art, paper flower shadow frames, greeting cards and more! Different levels of cardstock thickness will allow you to customize your project depending on what you are making. You can always adjust the depth blade in your cricut machine with the thickness of the cardstock.
Price: $19.99
Faux Leather
It’s a synthetic leather not real leather. It is a material intended to substitute for leather in upholstery, clothing, footwear, and other uses where a leather-like finish. It can use to make earrings, key chains, bows, bags, baby shoes and more!
Price: $16.99
There are endless business opportunities to make in this cricut machine but the basic project you can start is to make a t-shirt, mugs, labels, earrings, cards, wall frame, stickers and so much more! I write 20 business you can make for your cricut project
Once you have your cricut machine you have to set up a cricut design space in your computer or an app yes! It works with phones and tablets too just download cricut design space. Then, via Bluetooth or USB, you send the design to the Cricut cutting machine.
A cricut design space is a free design software to transmit designs to your cutting machine.
You can use your own design in that software or go to their Cricut Access where you can find thousands of free images (most of which require a Cricut Access subscription for $10 a month.) You can also upload your own SVG files free for some or paid elsewhere like etsy or other design websites.
Here's a comparison from official Cricut blog inspiration
My first Cricut project was a t-shirt design. Then I made a bunch of designs that I gave as gifts, such as keychains, earrings, and holiday cards. Then one day, my husband recommended my work to a coworker who wants to make a t-shirt for his company, and I get paid it was all worth it!
If you are serious about your crafts, there is a great business opportunity out there using this wonder machine. This is ideal for stay-at-home moms or as a side hustle. If crafting is your pastime, you will enjoy it and be surprised to learn that you may make a nice living from it.
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