The most common question I’ve been asked in the 6 months that I’ve been testing my Maker is: Is it worth it? My answer: Absolutely!

If you don’t already know about this insane little machine and what it does then you must not have been on social media for the past few months. Cricut has taken South Africa by storm with aggressive marketing showing just how amazing this machine is.

What is a Cricut Maker?

Cricut is a brand which makes smart electronic cutting machines, heat press and accessories. This powerful machine is able to cut many different materials with ease by simply changing the blade. It can also be used to draw using markers as well as engrave, foil and deboss with their debossing tools and host of materials. You could argue that you can cut with a scissor but what makes this machine so special is just how precise and fast you can have even the most intricate and delicate materials cut.

It might look like a printer but that is the one thing it cannot do. To make up for that they have included a very easy step in their software called print and cut, which allows you to print to your printer and then move over to your machine and cut your items perfectly. The machine uses a small movable blade to cut your designs out of paper/vinyl or what ever other material you use.

What can a Cricut Maker do?

Essentially the Cricut Maker is a smart cutting machine which is able to cut with insane precision on a wide variety of materials. Personally I’ve used it to draw, cut vinyl, cardboard, heat transfer vinyl and different types of cardstock like glitter. It can also cut fabric, leather, wood as well score, deboss, engrave, perforate and add foil embossing.

Is the Cricut Maker easy to use?

I started my Cricut journey as a complete novice. I had no idea what I was doing but I love technology and things that work with an app. I was excited to download the design space app and see all the designs I could do. Naturally I linked my machine which was easy to do if you know your way around your phone, tablet or laptop. Loaded my mat, added the cardstock included in the box and started my first cut. What a fail. I did not know you needed to lift the protective cover off the mat. Looking back, what a rookie mistake but it was one I made none the less. It is obvious that you need to lift the plastic protector from the mat to reveal the sticky side of the mat which the card stock sticks to so it can easily be cut. I’ll forever be reminded of this blunder when taking out my blue light grip mat with its beautiful perfectly cut crown on the plastic cover. My second cut went flawlessly and since then I’ve only once made a mistake of using normal vinyl for a heat transfer project. The more I use my machine the easier it gets but I would suggest a little pre-work to make sure you dont mess up the first time. The Cricut SA facebook page is incredible for help on everything Cricut.

If you would like to see some of the projects I have created or where some amazing deals can be found check out my instagram page highlights.

Have you tried out a Cricut machine yet? I’d love to hear about your experiences.