Cutting Minky with a Cricut

People seem surprised whenever I post videos about cutting fabric using my Cricut.

Yes, it’s true! Cricut machines can cut fabric, but only the Cricut Maker line. These machines have a rotary blade for use specifically with fabric. Other machines can only cut bonded fabric with the bonded fabric blades. Cricut sells pink fabric mats specifically for use with fabric that is sticky and grips onto your fabric. The rotary blade can turn within a quarter of an inch and it can cut hundreds of different types of fabric. Cricut recommends the fabric be less than 2.4 mm thick, but they do say this can vary and they recommend a test cut first.  I’ve personally used it for 3mm pile minky, 1mm pile minky, wool and acrylic felt, fleece, and cotton.

You can even set it up to trace the sewing lines and any markings first and then cut so you don’t have to do anything at all to prepare your pieces for sewing.

CONS TO CONSIDER

For me, a Cricut has been a total lifesaver. It is fast, precise, and saves my hands and wrists from unnecessary strain.  But it may not be the perfect solution for everyone. So there’s some things to consider before you go out and get one.

There’s a learning curve. The Cricut is generally user friendly, but you’ll still need to put in some time and do your research to figure it out.

The size is restrictive. Cricut makes 12x12 in mats and 12x24 in mats with the actual cutting space being smaller. If you need larger cuts, the Cricut won’t work for you.

If your cut is very simple, it will take longer and cost more than just cutting it yourself. You’ll get the most benefit when cutting complicated, small pieces.

There’s also the cost to consider. The base price of a Cricut Maker is $399.99 and the Cricut Maker 3 is $429.99. A rotary blade + drive housing is $54.99 while the replacement blade kit is $18.99. One 12x24 FabricGrip mat is $32.99. None of this includes tax or shipping. Blades and mats will need to be replaced based on usage, they don’t last forever. You can reduce the cost by using off brands when available, but quality and compatibility vary by brand. In addition, it will void your warranty.

The Cricut is also a machine and, like any other machine, it can be prone to random failures which can result in material waste. This is especially frustrating when working with expensive materials.

HOW TO CUT MINKY WITH A CRICUT

Just like cutting anything else on the Cricut you’ll load up a cut file, lay the material on the mat and press down so it’s firmly adhered, and run the cut. There isn’t really anything special you need to do for minky.

Most plush sellers don’t provide SVG files for their patterns, but you can make your own easily in Design Space. You can’t upload a PDF directly, but you can convert it to a useable file. I’m not going to go too in depth about this as there are many tutorials online for it already, here’s one I like. You can also search general design space tutorials.

For cut sitting I select Fabric: Plush as the material and I leave the pressure on normal unless I run into any issues.

That’s really all there is to it, though you’ll need to take into consideration the fabric mat.

CARING FOR A FABRIC MAT WITH MINKY

The fuzz from minky and the fabric mat are a bad combo. After just one or two cuts, the mat will no longer stick and you cannot use it.

In order to prolong the life of your mat you will either need to protect it from the fuzz, clean it, or re-stick it.

You can lay down a layer of transfer tape to protect your mat. I use strong grip tape and cut it to the size of the mat. Non stick side goes down towards the mat adhesive, sticky side up. The minky goes on to the sticky side of the transfer tape. When the cut is done, I peel it all up and the mat is as good as new. However, if the machine cuts through your transfer tape with the minky, you’ll need to pull off all the cut pieces individually. And you’ll spend more per cut.

Even though Cricut doesn't recommend it, you can wash the mats. Spray them down with LA’s Totally Awesome cleaner and rub in circles to pull up the fuzz. Don’t use a scraper, it will scrape off the adhesive. Rinse with water and let it air dry or dry with a blow dryer. It can be time consuming to clean after every cut and it won’t last as long as the standard mats when used with only paper, but it will extend their life.

Eventually there just won't be any stick left and you can use a product like goo gone or another adhesive remover. Spray the mat, let it sit, and scrape it all off. Tape off the edges with painters tape and spray the mat with a fabric adhesive spray such as Krylon’s Easy Tack.

Or just replace your mats at this point.



HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE BLADES AND MAT

One thing Cricut won’t tell you, though, is you can use any sort of pen or marker you want! Including the ones you already use for your fabric. Many creators 3D printed adapters for the Cricut. You can either search for ones compatible with the brands you use, or buy a variety pack of adaptors and see which ones work for you. You may need to experiment a bit, but there’s a lot more options out there using adapters vs. just Cricut branded products.

A Cricut will need space both behind it and in front of it for your mat. So if you are using a 24 inch long mat, you’ll need 24 inches of space on both sides. If you don’t have that much table space, your cutting mat will flop down and it may pull the fabric so it comes off the mat or change the cut. One way to get around this is to use a ruler or something similar to act as a temporary surface to support the mat. When you are done, you can just tuck it away.