Chatty Reviews: Cricut Explorer 3 Machine
BY ROXY ALLNUTT
The possibilities are virtually endless but don't be overwhelmed by that!
21 NOV - 2022
Wildly loved by fashion designers, DIYers, and small businesses alike.
I’ve had the pleasure of learning both a new craft and a new piece of technology. Chatty Chums has been in a really exciting period as we designed, prepped and launched Sophie’s first Editor’s Collection on our fresh eCommerce store. For a gal who loves to get creative, and flex her tech degree, the world of Cricut seemed to be right up my alley. It was surprising to not have crossed paths with the tool before.
The approach that you take with Cricut starts only two ways. Either with a clear idea of what you intend to create or no clue at all. From the short beginner's guide, I quickly gathered that the craft possibilities are quite endless. The plan for my first go with Explorer 3 was clear. Attractive stickers to go on our new collection boxes + mocking up some designs that we can transfer over to cute tops that we can rock around the office.
This machine is ideal for cutting precise lines and complex shapes. It will happily satisfy crafters making cards, stickers and prints. Cricut have you covered from the get-go with a really easy-to-navigate design space app that is compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android plus it’s free. The app lets you design projects from scratch. Shapes, fonts, templates, and even some corny phrases are all ready for you to get clever with. As Chatty already has plenty of branded assets, I could load these in and voila, ready to go.
With the trillions of features and methods with your Cricut, it can be easy to resort to Google a fair few times with questions like “do I print then cut or cut then print’ or “how to install a new blade”. This is where I would recommend dedicating 30 minutes to the cause and completing the beginner's guide so all those little niggly questions are answered. It is also great to opt for a freehand approach and trial the capabilities of the machine alongside an instructor. In its box, there is a premium fine point blade with its housing, a USB cord, and extra material to practise on along with its power adapter.
With the Cricut Explore 3, you can cut, draw and score with quick speed and precision. The Cricut Explore 3 can cut more than 100 different types of material. You can print everything from iron-on stickers for a crop top to massive window text stickers for your business. I have been working with sticker vinyl, iron-on and fabric adhesives for the Chatty Editorial Boxes. But I’m reading here that you can use cork, glitter paper and leather with the machine too. Pretty versatile if ya ask me. Stores like Spotlight have literally everything you need from the Cricut offerings. Super useful when you're like me and had to pick up a last-minute blade as the design I was halfway through was slightly too ambitious for my own good.
In addition to cutting and scoring designs, the Cricut can draw illustrations and graphics. Think stunning line drawings, colouring sheets, mandalas, and handwritten text. It’s fascinating to witness a robot draw flawless circles which may leave you feeling inadequate about your meagre human talents. The pens come in tones of colours, sizes, and styles, allowing you to add extra artworks to your projects. We have pens in the Chatty red which I plan to set up some thank you cards. Calligraphy has never been simpler - robots are the best! You just slot each pen into its clamp and click go from your laptop. Oh, did I mention that the machine connects via Bluetooth? Hella satisfying and simply uncomplicated.
Hopefully, this has sparked some inspiration for you and given you a better grasp of the Cricut machine's potential. These are only a handful of the capabilities of the Cricut Maker, as I am still in the novice category! But I look forward every time to clicking the on button and opening a blank design screen. Cricut is continually working on introducing new tools and features, so the Cricut community is always learning together.
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