Learn how to Make a Stencil with Cricut

You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to create custom-made stencils with Cricut stencil vinyl. With the help of your trusty Cricut chopping machine, you’ll be making DIY stencils in a short time!

I’ll current you the easy answer to make stencils with Cricut stencil vinyl on this step-by-step tutorial. Plus, I’ll offer you all of my solutions and suggestions so your enterprise will show good – even while you’ve in no way stenciled sooner than!

Making Stencils with a Cricut

There are numerous strategies to make stencils with Cricut – far more strategies to utilize them! Stencils can present a professional-level finish to all types of DIY residence decor duties, like painted pillows, handmade picket indicators, and customised t-shirts.

On this put up, I’ll current you all of the issues it is important to seek out out about making DIY stencils with a Cricut. I’ve written this tutorial with newbies in ideas, so we’ll cowl the complete stencil course of in depth from start to finish. Then, I’ll reveal strategies to make use of the stencil to paint a custom-made picket tray. After that, I’ll reply your constantly requested questions on making stencils with Cricut.

New to Cricut? Likelihood is you may have to study this main: What’s a Cricut Machine, and What Can it Do?

What’s A Stencil?

A stencil is a thin sheet of cloth – usually plastic, vinyl, or paper – with a design cut back out of it. To utilize a stencil, lay the stencil sheet on a ground and apply paint overtop. The paint will solely cross via the cut-out areas of the stencil, transferring the design to the ground. 

Stencils are very versatile. Listed below are just a few of the a number of kinds of duties you might make with stencils:

• painted picket indicators
• stenciled “wallpaper” and borders
• painted flooring and wall tiles
• cookies and cake adorning
• silk show display screen printing
• glass etching

Stencil designs could possibly be simple or difficult. While you may be capable to cut back simple stencils by hand, a Cricut machine is a perfect instrument for chopping intricate stencil designs shortly. 

Stenciling Gives

Listed below are the provides and devices you’ll need for this enterprise

Do you have to aren’t sure what Cricut machine is greatest for you, you can have an curiosity on this super-detailed purchasing for info that outlines each machine’s professionals and cons.

Protect finding out for a helpful step-by-step tutorial on making Cricut stencils with stencil vinyl. And don’t neglect to scroll to the underside of this put up for printable directions!

Best Stencil Provides for Cricut

Your Cricut machine can cut back stencils from all types of provides, along with Cricut Stencil Vinyl, widespread removable vinyl, mylar stencil film sheets, and further.

With all of those choices, you can be questioning: What is the best stencil supplies for Cricut? Listed below are numerous the most popular provides, along with their professionals and cons.

Cricut Stencil Vinyl

I actually like using this stencil vinyl because of it’s thicker and further sturdy than widespread vinyl. The adhesive backing holds the stencil in place while you paint and prevents shade bleed.  

Cricut Stencil Vinyl is repositionable and reusable, too. As long as your stencil design isn’t too intricate, it is best to have the power to reposition the stencil many events sooner than it tears or loses its stickiness.

Frequent Removable Vinyl

It’s essential use widespread removable vinyl – just like Cricut Premium Vinyl or Oracal 631 – to make stencils. It’s a great way to utilize scraps or colors that you just don’t want anymore.

Since widespread vinyl isn’t designed to be used as a stencil, it’d tear everytime you peel it away out of your enterprise – so don’t plan on reusing it.

Stencil Film

Stencil film sheets are washable and reusable. It’s essential use stencil film sheets repeatedly, so that they’re good for making multiples.

Stencil film is constituted of sturdy, versatile mylar – just like the pre-made stencil sheets you can purchase in a craft retailer.  They don’t usually embody adhesive backing, nevertheless you might spray them with stencil adhesive to take care of them in place.  

You presumably may even uncover food-safe stencil film sheets to make meals or cookie stencils with Cricut.

Freezer Paper

I actually like using freezer paper to stencil on material. The freezer paper sticks to the fabric, so that you just don’t have to worry about paint bleed. Then, it merely peels off everytime you’re accomplished painting. Research additional about freezer paper stencils proper right here: The proper technique to Make Freezer Paper Stencils.

Cardstock and Paper

You presumably may even use cardstock to make stencils. These paper stencils aren’t very sturdy, so you might’t reposition or reuse them. Nonetheless, they’re good for one-off duties.

We’ll be using Cricut Stencil Vinyl on this express tutorial. Nevertheless be at liberty to fiddle with whichever supplies matches your enterprise and your preferences.

Which Cricut Machine is Best for Stencils?

You’ll be glad to know that all Cricut fashions can cut back stencils!  

The Cricut Maker and Cricut Uncover sequence machines can cut back all styles of stencil provides, along with stencil vinyl, mylar sheets, and freezer paper. With a typical dimension mat, you might stencils as a lot as 11.5″ giant and 11.5″ prolonged. Or, use the larger dimension mat to make stencils as a lot as 11.5″ giant and 23.5″ prolonged.

The Cricut Pleasure can cut back stencil vinyl, removable vinyl, and freezer paper with ease. The Pleasure can cut back simple designs out of the stencil film sheets too, nevertheless you can must make numerous passes. With a typical dimension mat, you might cut back stencils as a lot as 4.5″ giant and 6.5″ tall.

The proper technique to Scale back Stencils with Cricut

There are 4 elementary steps to creating stencils alongside along with your Cricut.

1. Design the stencil in Cricut Design Space
2. Scale back the stencil
3. Apply the stencil
4. Paint the stencil

Let me current you strategies to do each step.

Step 1: Design the Stencil in Cricut Design Space

The very very first thing to do is select the image you’d want to stencil. You presumably can choose a design from the Cricut Entry Libary, add a stencil SVG file, or make your particular person stencil in Cricut Design Space. 

Search Cricut Entry

You presumably can search the large library of images in Cricut Entry for stencil enterprise ideas. To go looking out good stencil images, use the search phrases “stencil” or “pattern.”

For this enterprise, I’ll be using a free image often known as “Lattice Pattern Overlay” from the “Edge to Edge” image set. I duplicated the image numerous events and welded them collectively to create an even bigger design.

Add your particular person image

You can also add your particular person stencil image to Cricut Design Space. One glorious place to look out cool SVG recordsdata is Etsy. Or, check out the free stencil images on freestencilgallery.com.

Design a Stencil in Cricut Design Space

One other selection is to design your particular person stencil image in Cricut Design Space. You can too make a stencil of a monogram, some letters, a short quote, an illustration, or any combination of those elements.

Consider to preserve all parts of your stencil image associated for those who want to reposition and reuse your stencil. All design elements must be touching for those who want to cut back the stencil vinyl as one sturdy piece.

Step 2: Scale back the Stencil Vinyl

If you’ve finalized the stencil design, you might put collectively to cut the vinyl.

First, place the stencil vinyl onto a LightGrip or StandardGrip Cricut chopping mat. I want to roll the stencil vinyl with a brayer instrument to confirm it is flat, simple, and well-adhered to the mat.

Then, press the button to load the mat into the machine.

Subsequent, return to Cricut Design Space, and ship the file to your Cricut machine. Proper right here’s how to do that:

• Click on on the inexperienced “Make it” throughout the top-right nook. 
• On the next Put collectively show display screen, confirm that your design appears to be acceptable. If that is the case, click on on Proceed.
• On the next Make show display screen, click on on Browse All Provides and select Stencil Vinyl. Observe: In case you may have a Cricut Uncover Air 1 or 2, flip the Good Dial to Custom-made in order to make use of the Browse All Provides menu.

After that, you are capable of cut back the design. Double-check that the Prime quality-Stage blade is loaded into your Cricut machine, and click on on the flashing Go button to cut the design.

When the Cricut has accomplished chopping, unload the mat. Now it’s time to modify the design.  

Non-obligatory Step: Weed the Design

At this stage, you can or couldn’t must weed the design or use change tape. Proper right here’s strategies to tell if it is important to weed the stencil vinyl:

Needs Weeding and Swap Tape:

In case your design could possibly be very intricate or includes floating elements, it would be best to weed the design and use change tape to modify the stencil from the liner to your enterprise ground.

1. Weed the design. Take away the detrimental gadgets from the stencil using a weeding instrument or tweezer.
2. Take away the change tape liner. Place the change tape, adhesive side down, onto the stencil design. Burnish the change tape onto the stencil vinyl.
3. Slowly peel away the stencil vinyl liner at a 45-degree angle.
4. Then, fastidiously place the change tape with the stencil vinyl onto your ground.

Doesn’t Need Weeding or Swap Tape:

In case your design is relatively simple and manufactured from connecting elements, you may be capable to pull the Stencil Vinyl from its backing with out weeding it first. After you peel the stencil from the backing, it’s doable so that you can to place it onto your enterprise with out using change tape.

Step 3: Apply the Stencil

Ready to make use of the stencil vinyl to your enterprise ground? Proper right here we go:

1.  First, make certain your enterprise ground is obvious and dry. Then, fastidiously place the stencil vinyl onto the ground. Take your time to put it exactly as you need to the last word image to look.
2. Use a Cricut scraper instrument or an outdated reward card to burnish the stencil vinyl onto the ground. Start burnishing throughout the coronary heart, then switch out in direction of the edges of the image. Burnishing the edges will create an excellent seal and cease your paint from bleeding beneath the edges. Given that stencil vinyl is obvious, you’ll have the power to see the place it’s making good contact, the place there could possibly be bubbles, or the place it is important to burnish additional. 

In case you’re using change tape, you’ll adjust to the similar burnishing instructions. After burnishing, gently peel away the change tape at a 45-degree angle, leaving the stencil vinyl on the enterprise ground.

Step 4: Paint the Stencil

Now that you have the stencil vinyl utilized, it’s time to paint your design! 

Use a stencil brush or a sponge brush to dab a lightweight coat of paint on prime of the stencil vinyl. The paint will cross via the cut-out areas of the stencil, transferring the design onto your enterprise ground.

For additional safety, you might apply additional skinny coats of paint as necessary. Perceive that it’s greater to make use of three skinny coats than one thick coat to forestall paint bleed.

Then, as quickly because the paint is dry, gently take away the stencil vinyl. At this stage, you might reposition the stencil vinyl to a model new area and reuse it.

If for some trigger, the stencil stretches or tears as you’re taking away it, it is best to make the most of your Cricut to cut one different stencil.

Listed below are a few additional stenciling solutions:

• Use as a specific stipple brush or sponge brush to make use of the paint.
• With stenciling, barely paint goes an amazing distance. Offload any additional paint by tapping the comb on a paper towel.
• Faucet the comb over the stencil in an up-and-down motion. Don’t brush the paint side-to-side, as which will set off the color to bleed beneath the edges of the stencil.
• Await the paint to dry sooner than eradicating the stencil to forestall drips or smears.

If you’re accomplished stenciling, you might seal your piece with a clear coat. For a picket tray like this one, I prefer to make use of a coat of water-based polyurethane.

Steadily Requested Questions

Stencils could possibly be robust, significantly for those who’re new to the strategy. Listed below are a few troubleshooting solutions that can assist you to get an excellent consequence.

Do You Must Weed Stencil Vinyl?

You don’t basically have to weed stencil vinyl – it can rely on the intricacy of your design.  

Since Cricut Stencil Vinyl is thicker and stronger than widespread vinyl, you might sometimes take away it from its backing with out the design stretching or tearing. So, in case your stencil design is relatively simple, it is best to have the power to peel up the stencil with out weeding the small bits.

Alternatively, you can must weed the stencil vinyl in case your design has numerous curves, could possibly be very open, or has numerous delicate parts.

Do You Must Use Swap Tape with Stencil Vinyl?

As soon as extra, it depends upon! In plenty of circumstances, you might peel the stencil vinyl off of its backing and apply it to your enterprise with out utilizing change tape.

Nonetheless, in case your design is intricate – or has any non-connected, floating elements – it is best to make the most of change tape that can assist you.

In case you’re having trouble getting the change tape to launch the stencil vinyl, listed below are some solutions:

• Gently peel the change tape away from the stencil vinyl at a 45-degree angle.
• If the vinyl retains sticking to the change tape, use a scraper instrument to burnish the vinyl onto the enterprise ground.  

Is Cricut Stencil Vinyl Reusable?

Certain, you might reposition Cricut Stencil Vinyl and reuse it in a single different area. After you apply paint to the first area, let it dry to the contact. Then, fastidiously peel off the stencil vinyl. The adhesive must be sticky ample that you could be lay the stencil once more down in a model new area and use it as soon as extra.

Now lastly, the adhesive will placed on out, or the stencil will rip. Nevertheless, you might merely use the Cricut to cut one different stencil.

Are you able to make the most of Stencil Vinyl on Material?

Certain, it is best to make the most of Cricut Stencil Vinyl on a variety of provides, along with picket, material, canvas, plastic, paper, and further.

Are you able to make the most of Stencil Vinyl for Glass Etching?

Certain, you might. Nevertheless, since Cricut Stencil vinyl is thicker than widespread vinyl, it could be tougher to make use of to curved surfaces. So, merely preserve that in ideas when designing your stencil. 

Uncover Additional Cricut Duties

Do you have to love crafting alongside along with your Cricut, you can be inquisitive about these articles.

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