Cutting Fabric With My Cricut, Yes I did it!!!!
April 26th, 2009 | 
Author: I have a few pieces of fabric that I got from Joanns. My first attempt at cutting fabric with the cricut is documented here. I have seen a few videos on YouTube regarding cutting fabric with the cricut. I know that it is possible, I just was not sure that I could figure it out. On another wonderful trip to Joann’s and a pocket full of coupons I decided to try a few more types of fusible interfacing. Just one search at Joann.com for fusible interfacing and your eyes will go gaga. I decided to try the Pellon Clear Fuse 800 this time around. So far this is my number one. I think it turned out perfect. The fabric stuck wonderfully to the mat and there was hardly any fraying around the edges.
I tried again to use the same white interfacing that I tried the first time around on the saying below. It worked better this time since I used a new blade but it still had fraying around the ends of the cut out.
I also tested some type of vinyl that attaches to the fabric that worked poorly. The fabric tore and did not cut properly and the vinyl started coming off on one side of the cut. The other interfacing products came with detailed instructions and the vinyl did not so I am not even sure if I did it correctly. For now, I am in love with Pellon Clear fuse 800. It fuses to any weight fabric, has no grain and can be attached in any direction and most importantly is machine washable and can be dry cleaned.
If you decide to give the Pellon Clear fuse 800 a try I have a few tips. First, iron your fabric so it is flat. Make sure you don’t have any Pellon sticking out around your fabric. It will melt if you touch it with your iron (please don’t ask how I know :0) After you have attached and ironed the Pellon, leave it cool in the same spot with out moving it. I moved mine before it cooled and it wrinkled the fabric so I had to iron it again. I hope this helps anyone looking to cut fabric on the cricut.
If you would like to see my other post regarding cutting fabric on your cricut, please click here.
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THanks so much for sharing your tips on this! There are so many things I want to try…LOL. I appreciate knowing the tips to make it a more pleasant experience when I get there!
Thanks!
Heidi
Great information, thank you!
I haven’t tried cutting fabric but I can see I’ll need to try that soon!
Thanks for the fabric information, I’m wanting to try this for my newest grandsons quilt. There’s not too much information on what kind of fusible works best. Thanks again.
Anita in OK
can I ask?… did you use the deep cut housing and blade? or just the original with a fresh blade?
Hi. I used just the regular blade.
I was searching for information on what fusible to use and yours was very informational. Can’t wait to make it to Joanns and by some! Thanks so much!
I don’t have the expression, so will this work just as well on the older cricut 6 x 12 model? If so, what pressure and speed would you use? BTW, I love your website!
Yes, it will still work. You can still cut fabric (and vinyl) on the cricut create or original baby bug. The only thing that will be affected is the size since you will be working with a 6×12 cutting mat otherwise the entire process is the same. I cut max speed, max pressure and multi cut 2 or 3 depending on the thickness of the fabric.
Beth
I just bought the Cricut Personal with the intent of being able to cut fabric for applique on quilts, etc. With everything I have read and with your tips, I think this should work. Glad to hear you used the reg blade as I was about ready to buy the deep cut blade, but think I will hold off. I was wondering if you had tried using freezer paper for the stabilizer on the back of the fabric. If you aren’t familiar with using freezer paper on fabric, the shiny side has a small amount of wax on it and sticks to the fabric. The thing I am wondering about tho is it doesn’t quite adhere as good as a fusible, but was wondering if in your trial and error period, you had given it a try? Thanks so much for your tips.
Linda
I have tried the freezer paper for t-shirt designs with the cricut it worked awesome. I have not tried it for fabric cutting though. I will have to give it a try. Thanks for the idea.
Beth
Did you leave the paper backing on while you cut? If so, on what side (fabric or paper) did you cut? I have been trying different things with no luck.
Hi, Yes the paper backing was left on while cutting. Then removed after cutting. I also tried heat n bond on another post. It also works very well if you are planning on adhering the fabric to something else.
Thank you so much for posting all this about Cricut cutting fabric. I just bought the heat n bond light not heavy to try it out. The ladies at Joann’s said the heavy was too risky for the Cricut machine because it would gum up the blade they thought. Cute since not one of them had even dared try it. So they are waiting on me to do it first and report back when I can. I plan sometime next week. Thanks again for being so spot on. Elizabeth
Hello,
I have just recently purchased the Cricut Expression and I seem to be having a little trouble cutting fabric. Ihave tried both the regular cutting knife and the deep cut blade. I know that they are not dull because I only tried to cut with each once only. I kept the speed at min the pressure at Max and the heat & Bond that I used was the heavy..I think that could be my problem. What do you think?
Mary
Hi Mary,
Thank you for stopping by my blog. How many multi cuts are you using for the cut. If it is thicker it could be that you need to do 3 or 4 multi cuts to cut all the way through. I never had much luck with the deep cut blade.
To set up multi cut on your cricut:
1. Press the settings button.
2. It will say language, hit ok
3. It will say units, hit ok
4. It will say multi cut (use your arrow to select 2, 3, or 4 and then press ok)
5. You can hit the settings button at this point and it leave the settings menu.
6. Press the multi cut button on the cricut to turn it on.
***If you find multi cut 4 is not enough, you can multi cut again. After the first 4 multi cuts is completed, don’t unload the mat. Hit the load mat button, repeat last and then cut. It will cut over the same image in the same spot. If you don’t want another 4 cut’s you can go back into the settings option and change the number of multi cuts to a different number before hitting cut the second time around.
If you have Design Studio you can multi cut by going up to the menu, preferences and choosing, 2, 3, 4
If you are using the multi cuts and still not happy with the results then the material maybe to thick for the cricut.
Thank You, I will try that tonight when I get home…..hope it works as the shapes are beautiful and sure beats tracing and then having to cut out all by hand.
Thanks, Mary
I also wanted to cut fabric with my Expression. The first few tries made me think that I had made a mistake with my purchase. I checked several websites and after reading hints and methods. I used the HeatNBond Ultra Hold. I cut the size of fabric needed. I ironed on the HeatNBond. Then on the fabric front side I ironed on freezer paper. With the freezer paper size down, I placed the square on a mat that had not been used for paper. I used Med speed, High pressure and number 5 on the blade holder. I used multi cut set on 2. I didn’t use a new blade. It worked great.
I then tried using only the freezer paper ironed on both sided of the fabric square. You need to experiment with a iron setting for the type of fabric used. If it is too hot, it will be hard to peel off. It doesn’t need to be as hot as if using HeatNBond. I also used Med speed, High pressure and number 5 on the blade holder with multi cut set on 2. It worked great. This is good for the person who doesn’t want to use the HeatNBond because of the cost of the product. You can still iron the cutout to your quilt block because the freezer paper leaves a little wax on the fabric. It will hold the piece in place while you stitch. The freezer paper is much cheaper and it works.
In addition to my earlier comment, with the freezer paper you must iron on the cutout before stitching. Just place it right side up and iron on a med setting.
I am so glad I found your site. The information you have provided is wonderful. Thanks for sharing it. I have a couple questions that are a little out there I think. I have never used my cricut for anything other than paper and vinyl. My SIL is pregnant and wants to put circles on the nursey walls. We found a really cool way to do it using fabric and liquid starch. So my questions are:
1. Since we will be using liquid starch to apply the fabric circles to the wall will the starch make the fabric stiff enough to cut with out heat and bond (or anything else)?
2. If I do have to use a fusible webbing or something like that will it hinder the liquid starch wall application?
3. If I use freezer paper will that hinder the starch wall application?
4. If you don’t think any of the fusible webbing or freezer paper will work with the starch do you know of a product I can use for cutting the fabric with the cricut that will wash out after cutting?
I don’t sew a lot and when I do, I don’t using the fusible stuff so I am not sure what effects it will have on the circles.
Thanks for all your help.
Cyndi
Sorry, I have not done a whole lot of cutting fabric on my cricut to answer your questions. I would think that freezer paper would work the best. Sorry I could not help you more.
So, in my experience, I have tried fabric down and fabric up, but I have difficulty with it slipping. Even with a new mat. Any suggestions? Looks like you’re using fabric up, heatnbond ON the mat, right??
Yes, I cut the fabric side up, heat and bond on the bottom.
You ladies are sooooooo AWESOME. I have had such a Blah day at work. I needed to come home to some good ol’ cricut therepy. Love all you’re ideas about cutting with the fabric. I have so many ideas running through my head. Just stopping by to say hi and glad you are all here for people like me. Keep doing what you do so well. P.S.- I worked as an asisstant manager at JoAnn’s for over 3 years, any questions I can help with, just yell.
Okay, so I can’t spell today. SORRY!! Hopefully I will not be cutting out any words tonight on my cricut…lol…..
Hi, thank you for all the information. I must be doing something wrong, I am a new cricut user trying to cut fabric. I am using 100% cotton fabric with the heat and bond, I have cut fabric side up, fabric side down, on a new mat, with a regular blade and a deep cutting blade (just went out to buy tonight) on all different pressures and speeds and the fabric is still getting caught and dragging….help please! Your fabric cut out looks great! I have tried all the tips for the past three nights and waisted so much fabric….I appreciate any feedback or additional tips. Thank you
The only other thing that I can recomend, is slowing your speed and also maybe trying freezer paper instead of heat and bond. I am not sure why your fabric is cutting different then mine. Sorry.
i tired to cut fabric last night & had same problems many of you mentioned before i found this site i came across one that had a you tube video & she used painters tape on each side to keep it from shifting & moving also she used steam a seam 2 ironed on to size of fabric then put fabric side down to cut haven’t had a chance to try it yet but wanted to pass it on. will try to come back to report my sucess thanks for all the info here it is very helpfull