How To Design A Template For Cricut In Illustrator

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Learn the basics for creating a uncomplicated SVG cut file in Illustrator that can then be cutting using a Cricut Explore or Silhouette Cameo.

create a simple SVG cut file in Illustrator that can then be cut using a Cricut Explore or Silhouette Cameo.

Ane of my goals recently is to tackle the reader questions I get a lot. One of those is how I blueprint my own cutting files for my Cricut Explore and Cricut Maker. While I sometimes design cut files using the Cricut Design Infinite, I prefer using Adobe Illustrator to pattern my own files.

End pulling your hair out and first creating confidently with your Cricut! Check out our helpful Cricut Resources—everything you need to know to learn and dearest your Cricut.

To start, we'll create a simple blueprint to prove the basics of creating a cutting file in Illustrator. Illustrator is a highly powerful software and can be intimidating for beginners. And so allow'south first with something easy—a quote: "Live Loved."

I am working on a Mac, but I will likewise requite the PC commands. I am a HUGE proponent of keyboard shortcuts, then I am going to share those besides in teal . Utilize THEM. I am twice every bit fast at designing files now because my hands rarely get out the keyboard.

NOTE: the layout of your workspace might exist different than mine—I have found the menus that piece of work best for me. If you don't have a panel that I reference, get to Window and scroll down to discover information technology, making sure to look in sub-menus if necessary.

Step 1: Create a New Certificate

Create a new certificate that is 12″ x 12″ — the size of a Cricut cutting mat.

File > New (cmd+N / ctrl+N)

You can specify both the dimensions and the unit here. I choose 12 x 12 and set up the unit of measurement to inches.

Footstep 2: Type Your Quote

Click the Type Tool (T) in the left-hand panel and type your words: live loved. I used separate text boxes for each word, because I prefer to exist able to move each line individually. It's easier than dealing with line spacing and centering and all that.

Screenshot showing how to Create Text In Illustrator

Step 3: Modify Your Font

I didn't love the default font (does anyone?) and then I went to the menu Type > Font > Beloved. (Get the Beloved font here.) Once the new font was selected, I moved each line around until I was happy.

Step 4: Outline Your Fonts

The next step is to outline your fonts. This basically turns them from fonts into shapes. Y'all must outline your fonts or the Cricut Design Infinite and Silhouette Studio will not be able to read them. You'll become an error when you endeavour to upload them.

Type > Create Outlines (shift+cmd+O / shift+ctrl+O)

An important annotation most using fonts. The Cricut and Silhouette cut "simple" artwork the best. And past this I hateful that the motorcar software prefers fewer "nodes." It tin cut incredibly intricate designs, but the more than mathematically unproblematic they are, the meliorate. The easiest mode to see your font'due south nodes is looking at your fonts once y'all've outlined them. Yous'll see that Love is a fairly straightforward font—a reasonable number of "nodes" (those tiny squares) around the font.

To illustrate a complicated font, I used one of my favorites, Midnight. Find just how many more than nodes there are in this font! For each of those nodes, the blade will change directions ever and then—and there's a good chance that it will mess up your materials with then many dissimilar cuts.

Footstep v: Unite

As our file is right now, the Cricut will still read each letter as an individual shape and cut them separately. Yous can see in the higher up screenshot that the blue outlines of the alphabetic character tails overlap each other. To make each give-and-take i unmarried shape, y'all'll use the Unite tool under the Pathfinder Panel.

Window > Pathfinder (shift+cmd+F9 / shift+ctrl+F9)

The Unite tool is the first top left option under Shape Modes (if you lot hover over each button, it volition tell you lot what they are). Make sure all of your text is selected and click the Unite choice. Y'all'll see that the tails of each letter are gone and you at present have i continuous shape.

Pathfinder Tool in Adobe Illustrator to create a simple SVG cut file in Illustrator that can then be cut using a Cricut Explore or Silhouette Cameo.

A close up of a text that says, \"Live Loved\"

Step 6: Brand a Chemical compound Path

If yous want, you lot tin can continue to saving every bit an SVG at this point. Simply I like to practice 1 more quick step to save myself some fourth dimension in the Cricut Pattern Space. Right now, this image we've made is really three shapes — "live," "loved," and the dot over the "i" in lived (it's separate because it's non overlapping either of the other two shapes). If y'all bring this file into the Cricut Pattern Infinite as is, you'll have these iii shapes and you lot'll need to adhere them to cutting them properly. Instead, I make everything a compound path in Illustrator and information technology imports it every bit 1 shape.

Object > Compound Path > Make (cmd+viii / ctrl+viii)

Step 7: Save equally an SVG

Illustrator files are natively ".ai" file extensions. Usually I will salvage an Illustrator version of my artwork, and then salvage a separate SVG for cut.

File > Save As (shift+cmd+Due south / shift+ctrl+S)

In the dropdown Format menu, select SVG and save! Don't worry about any of the options in the pop-up—just hit OK and your file volition salve as an SVG that you can open in the Cricut Design Space or Silhouette Studio Designer Edition.

And so you're ready to cut your file and use information technology however you lot'd like!

finished coffee mug with SVG made from Adobe Illustrator

I hope this tutorial helps you get your feet wet in using Illustrator to pattern cut files for the Cricut and Silhouette! Illustrator is such a wonderful plan with so many capabilities—it's fourth dimension to start exploring them!