The Best Cricut Tools & Accessories for Beginners

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Tackle your very first Cricut project with the help of these Cricut tools and accessories for beginners! These staple items will help you craft your first vinyl cutting project!

I had a Cricut machine on my crafting wishlist for a couple years.  So I finally took the plunge this year after seeing a blogger friend’s Instagram story.  She was roaming the aisles of the craft store, showing off all of the great tools, vinyl sheets, and accessories you could get for your Cricut.  It was also a great time to purchase a machine.  They were under $200 at the time (the Cricut Explore Air 2 is still under $200 on Amazon!).  That afternoon, I headed to the craft store and bought myself a brand new Periwinkle Cricut Explore Air 2 and a roll of black vinyl.

As a beginner Cricut user, I was honestly intimidated to start my journey into vinyl cutting and crafting.  My Cricut was set up, but it took me days to finally try to use it.  Turns out, I had nothing to worry about.  It’s so easy to use!  Since my purchase, I’ve made so much!  I got my Cricut before Christmas, so I ended up making some homemade ornaments as gifts.  As the New Year approached, I began making labels for storage.  If I could put a label on it, I’ve probably done it!

You’ll want to use your new Cricut machine everything!  I haven’t made anything too fancy yet, but I’m constantly on my design app (you can download it while you’re setting up your new Cricut) looking for inspiration for my next project.  You can also work off of your computer, but I love how handy the app is!

If you got a new Cricut machine for Christmas or have one on your crafting wishlist, I’m sharing some of the Cricut tools and accessories I immediately bought off of Amazon.  The Cricut Explore Air 2 comes with a premium blade, pen and cardstock sample, cutting mat, and more to get you started.  But I couldn’t wait to get my hands on some vinyl and accessories!

The Best Cricut Tools & Accessories for Beginners

Cricut Explore Air 2

The first thing you obviously need is a Cricut machine.  There are a few different models available, but – to be perfectly honest – I got the Cricut Explore Air 2 because it was on sale and available in many pretty colors.  I didn’t know a thing about this or any other Cricut machine!  It’s still a learning process for me, but I’ve got the basics down.

Power on the machine, then head to your Cricut Design Space app or program.  From there, you can scroll through hundreds of free images or pay a small price for other images (check out Pinterest, too).  Then, you can resize the image for your project, cut the vinyl to size on your mat, load your mat, and let the cutting begin!

Black adhesive & iron-on vinyl

I totally recommend grabbing a roll of black vinyl.  I have it in adhesive vinyl and iron-on vinyl.  It’s great for labeling jars and storage containers.  Before Christmas, I used it to make an adorable llama face ornament!  I haven’t used the iron-on vinyl yet, but I can’t wait to design my first shirt!

White vinyl

Just like black vinyl, white vinyl is great to have on hand.  It stands out a little more than black vinyl on certain surfaces and will be used for so many projects!

Glitter vinyl

Because I was making ornaments, I loaded up on glitter vinyl.  First of all, they’re just so gorgeous!  Who doesn’t love a little sparkle?  Plus, it makes an ordinary project a little “extra.”

Vinyl Sampler Pack

If you’re looking to play around with some color right off the bat, I totally suggest grabbing a vinyl sampler pack.  I grabbed the “brights” pack and love the colors that came with it!  It comes with sunshine, lime, Caribbean, flamingo, azure, and grape colors.  They would be beautiful for summer projects (always thinking ahead!) or just to brighten up a surface!

Weeding tool set

It was recommended that I get a weeding tool set.  It’s definitely something every Cricut user should have.  It makes removing vinyl images and lettering that much easier!  The tools are sharp and there’s a variety to use with different projects.  The set also comes with a nice pouch to keep everything stored safely.

Transfer tape

Transfer tape is going to make applying your vinyl cutouts so much easier!  Cut the tape to the size of your cutout and use the scraper from the tool set to apply pressure to the image.  Then, easily apply your vinyl cutout to a surface.  Smooth it out and carefully lift the transfer tape off of it.  The transfer tape has grid lines on it so your cutout will be evenly aligned during application.

Extra mats

It’s also recommended to get extra mats.  The mats are available with different grips on them, but the Standard Grip can be used with a variety of different materials.  Having multiple mats allows you to work quickly between projects.  It’s also wise to rotate your mats so they stay sticky.

Tip: if you need to clean your mats, rinse them with warm water and a little soap.  Let them air dry and they’ll be good as new!

I’ve been having so much fun with my new Cricut! There are so many other vinyl products and Cricut accessories available, but these are great items to start you on your vinyl crafting!

Once I get more comfortable designing projects, I hope to share some of them here on the blog.  But for now, it’s been a lot of fun creating projects for our home!

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What Cricut tool or accessory would you recommend for beginners?