If you have a Cricut you’ve probably wondered how to make stickers in Cricut Design Space. Making stickers is one of the easiest and most fun projects you can do. To make stickers in Cricut Design Space you will need to use the print then cut feature. I’ll break it all down for you here and there’s also a video in the post that shows you exactly how everything works.
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What You Need to Make Stickers:
- Sticker paper
- Printer
- Cricut
- Light Grip Cricut Mat
Getting Started:
So as I mentioned above, to make stickers in Cricut Design Space you’ll be using the print then cut feature. This means you will need a color printer to print out your design and then you can cut the stickers with your Cricut. Really any printer will work, it doesn’t have to be a specific brand but I’ve linked the one I use above. You’ll also need a good quality sticker paper. There is much debate over which sticker paper is the best and honestly, what it boils down to is different papers work better with different printers. You may need to try a few out before you find the right one. I’ve linked what I use with my printer above. If your stickers smudge or don’t dry completely then you don’t have the right sticker paper for your printer.
You’ll also need your Cricut and a light grip Cricut mat (the blue one). You can use any Cricut except the Cricut Joy. The Joy does not have the print then cut feature. In my video tutorial you’ll see me using the Cricut Explore Air 2.
Making the Stickers:
Okay, now that you have all the supplies you need it’s time to actually make the stickers. This tutorial is about actually printing out and cutting the stickers. It is NOT about how to design the stickers. You may have your own designs made in Design Space or in another program. Maybe you purchased graphics you want to turn into stickers…that part is totally up to you. No matter how you got your sticker graphics you can follow from here to print and cut them.
The first thing you’ll want to do is add a solid background around your sticker design. This is so you can peel the stickers off the sheet in one solid piece and to just give it that “sticker” look. To do this you’ll use the offset feature in Design Space (note this feature is still in Beta and only available on the desktop version of Design Space). I like a smaller background however you can make it whatever size you’d like. The video tutorial shows exactly how to do this.
Printing the Stickers:
Once you have your background you’re ready to print your stickers. You’ll need to make sure your image is set to print and “flattened” in Design Space before printing. This is SUPER IMPORTANT. The video above will show you how to do that and go over why it’s so important. When you’re ready to print, simply hit “Make It” in the top right corner of Design Space. Now you can arrange your design or duplicate it however you’d like. Take note the printable area is smaller because of the large black outline around your design. This outline is used by Cricut to know where to cut.
When you have your mat arranged how you want it click “Continue” and then “Sent to Printer”. On this screen you’ll choose which printer you want to send it to and you’ll set up your print settings. Make sure to click OFF the “Add Bleed” setting. You’ve already created the outline so you DO NOT want a bleed. Click ON the “Use System Dialog” then click “Print”. Next you’ll see a new box pop up and this is your printer settings. This is where you make sure you have the right printer selected and then you go in and change the paper quality and print quality. This will look different for everyone based on your printer and your computer operating system. Just make sure you’re using the highest quality possible for print and using whatever paper setting your sticker paper says to use. You’ll see me work through all of this in the video. Click “Print” and then print your image.
Cutting the Stickers:
Yay! Your stickers are printed and they look amazing. It’s time to cut them with your Cricut. Place your sticker paper on your light grip mat and load it into your machine. Set your Cricut to the “paper” setting and then go back to Design Space and click “Continue”. If too much time has gone by you’ll need to hit “Make It” again and start over but instead of sending them to the printer you can just click the option for already having them printed. When the “Cricut” button starts flashing, press it and it will pull you mat into the machine. You’ll see a light come on and the light will scan your paper. It’s registering that black boarder so that it knows exactly where to cut. When it’s done registering it will cut out your stickers.
If it doesn’t cut correctly you may need to recalibrate your machine. To do this simply login to Design Space and click the “Menu” icon in the top left corner on the home screen. Then select “Calibration” and you’ll be guided through the steps. It’s really easy to do and there are lots of YouTube tutorials that will show you how. And that’s it. Now you’re ready to make stickers in Cricut Design Space.
