Apr 17 2008
Cricut makes springtime crafts fun!
(CriCut is no longer available on As Seen on TV Network)
So get your glue, your fun colored paper, lots of glitter and let those creative juices flow. From scrapbooks to custom cards to fun school-time projects, no matter what your craft the Cricut can do it all for you and in less time.
It’s the crafting timesaver!
The Cricut cutter is the future of home crafting. It’s so easy to use. You just touch a button and instantly the Cricut cuts perfect, beautiful designs and letters for scrapbooking and paper crafting. There is no computer required!
Home crafting is made a million times easier with this thing. All you do is place your favorite Cricut cartridge in the machine, choose your design and that’s it. The Cricut does the hard work for you! Mix and match cartridges for an original look only you can create at home with the Cricut!
The Cricut website makes it easy to try. Check it out and if you’re not completely in love with it, you can send it back and not pay anything else. Nothing!
Seriously, if you love home crafts you have got to give the Cricut a whirl.
I need to know how can i track my order for the cricut.
If you ordered from the 4cricut.com site you should be able to contact their customer service department and they should be able to help you.
Were do you buy the paper for the stenciling???
i was told by customer service once it ships they will give a tracking number so you can track it.
I am completely unhappy with the customer service I received through Cricut. I ordered the machine and received it in a timely manner but the cutting blade assembly was missing so the machine was useless. I contacted customer service several times to be put on hold for hours (I mean hours). I did finally receive the blade assembly but the representatives as well as the supervisor acted as though I was an annoyance and a bother and that the wait time I experienced was just too bad, not their fault. I would suggest some good training be put in place. The process was one month (my whole trial period) that I did not have a machine to try out. Hope I am happy with the machine!
Considering the cost of this product, what about supplies for this machine. Do you furnish the supplies? If you run out, where do you go to purchase more or the needed supplies for this machine?
I am considering ordering the circut product, howerver before I do, I was trying to identify if there are additional cartridges that can be purchased, for what price, and what they contain in shapes/ font, ect…. I have not been able to locate this information… If you could direct me to the proper link to research this, I would appreciate it… I would also suggest that for future site visitors, that you place this link in plain sight on your toolbar… thank you.
You can purchase more cartridges and other supplies from http://www.cricut.com or at other online stores.
Are the images copyright free? In other words, can I make projects and sell them?
I just ordered my cricut from this website. Approximately how long does it take to receive it?
Thanks.
Is this machina able to use images and fonts generated from a computer or only from the preloaded cartages?
I would like to know how to do the step by step minnie mouse i got as far as background and the bow, i can not get the rest to go WHAT AM I DOING WRONG,
After having watched the infomercial and scouring the Cricut website, I’m left with questions that I and any other prudent purchaser needs to have answered before spending this kind of money. And some of the unanswered questions in this blog thusfar indicate to me that this machine may not be all it’s hyped to be.
I have found limited information that mentions that the Cricut can be connected to your PC via a USB cable. Great! Sounds like that would open up a whole new world. You can even download a trial version of their DesignStudio software and give it a try albeit there’s no Cricut machine to “cut” your design. The trial version simply shows you how easy it is to layout your project. Big deal, you either do it on the keypad of the machine itself or you do it on your PC and send it via the USB cable to the Cricut. I’m not impressed.
The question was already asked by someone before me and remains unanswered, and this concerns me. Can you cut shapes and designs YOU created on your PC and have them cut by the Cricut? This is a straightforward question. Secondly, can I use the fonts already existing on MY PC and have them cut on the Cricut?
If the answer to either of these is NO, then the connectivity of the Cricut to your PC is useless and very misleading. I have searched in vain for an answer to these two simple questions and have yet to find them. This is why my purchase remains on hold until I do.
What may painfully be true is that you may NOT be able to cut shapes you drew in your computer and you MAY NOT be able to use any of the hundreds of fonts you already have in your PC. Spending anywhere from $25-$90 for ONE FONT is absolutely insane and telling people you can connect your Cricut to your PC leads the rational everyday person to believe this will expand their capabilities, not just simplify the restrictions in the Cricut.
If I were to use a vector based drawing program in my PC such as Corel Draw or Adobe and drew a shape that is NOT in any of the cartridges offers by Cricut, can I use my PC to send that image to the cutter and actually cut it?
If i have a font called HELVETICA LT Italic and I want to cut out wording for a sign and that font is NOT contained in any of the cartridges offered by Cricut, can I lay out my text and senit down the uSB cable to the Cricut and cut them?
These are basic questions that MUST be answered by someone at Cricut. If the answer is NO, then I won’t buy this machine and opt for a plotter/cutter for a few pennies more that will cut ANY vectored shape and use ALL of my fonts and not limit me to what Cricut will furnish. It seems to me that the capabilities of this machine are too restrictive for the true enthusiast.
If these capabilities ARE incorporated in the Cricut or the Expression, then it needs to be made known that they exist. I found no mention of them in the pdf version of either’s manual.
Might be a feature to include in future models.
What Cricut SHOULD do is furnish an accessory device that provides a “blank” reuseable cartridge and a docking device (via USB cable) whereby the user can copy their favorite font onto the cartridge and then install the cartridge into the Cricut and go from there. When the are done with that font, simple remove the cartridge from the Cricut, return it to the docking station, delete the font and upload/copy the next desired font (from their PC) onto the cartridge and continue. Similar to a thumbdrive but in the shape and connection style of a Cricut cartridge. This would tremendously expand the usefullness and popularity of the Cricut.
But that would be too simple wouldn’t it?
Does ANYONE know if I can cut a vectored shape drawn on MY PC on the Cricut using the USB connection?
Does ANYONE know if I can cut letters from a font on my PC on the Cricut using the USB connection?
Simple questions that can be answered YES or NO!
Tim Gustafson
San Diego
I am interested in the Cricut, but before I purchase; I need to know if fonts, drawings, etc. can be downloaded from a computer. It would be excellent for model railroad signs, posters, etc. IF they can be downloaded properly.
I am also very interested to know what is on the cartridge. My children are very athlete and I would be interested in all kids of sports images. Also college and pro sports team logos. I would also like to know if there is military images. I can’t seem to get any response from customer service to answer my questions.
I am looking to buy the cricut expressions after having seen it on an infomercial in L.A. Only problem being I live in the U.K. Wondered if anyone knows if I buy the machine in the states (as I’m there every other week for work) if it will work in the U.K, as the voltage and plug fitting here is different.
Long shot I know.
Reply to Tim Gustafson:
Tim,
It is the manufacturers intent that you only use this machine with cartridges that they will gladly sell you. It is possible to use it as a generic cutter under PC control however the manufacturer does not authorize this and there has been some rumour that to do so violates the warranty.
There is a third party which sells an interface program that will allow you to use any TrueType font or SVG graphic image to create your project and then download to the device for cutting.
More info can be found here: http://www.craftedge.com/
I’m not sure if yu will ever see this or how long it will be allowed on this site, but good luck.
Please inform me where and how can i buy one of your circut machines. Would like to buy it direct from you ,but i am from SOUTH AFRICA and would like to know how and what to do ,please notify me. Kind regards, INA
This looks like a great product, I just saw the infomercial on TV. My wife is a teacher and it would be great for her to use a school. My concern is that they are very allusive in giving out the price of this machine. I can only imagine what that would be. The fact that the manufacturer does not support using your PC to send images to the machine for custom images says that this product is very limited. It reminds me of the “old” days in the PC world when you had to buy special cables or special software for add-on equipment to work. I’m going to search the web for a better product, this looks to be a waste of good money.
I have found the price, I’m still not sold on it.
FYI…… You can purchase this @ your local Walmart, Joann’s, Michael’s, AC Moore….
Save on the s/h! Plus what they are charging on TV vs. what you can pay for it in person you would be able to purchase extra cartridges & supplies! Besides if you dont like it you can return it to the store w/o paying s/h fees back to them…just a thought/tip…
I ordered the product on July 3rd and it is now August 22nd, still no cricut. I have the confirmation # and everything. When I called they couldnt find my order AT ALL. The lady on the phone acted like I shouldnt have a problem because I never got charged for it. DUH. I wanted the product!! So be careful……I guess I will go to Walmart Or Jo Ann. The problem is they dont come with as much stuff as the TV offer.
If this product, CRICUT, can be purchased elsewhere (Walmart or Jo Ann’s) then what merchandise comes with it versus the TV offer? I like to comparison shop to get the best deal for the money. Thanks.
I am a school teacher. i purchased the Cricut and was told I would receive it in 10 days. In 3 days it was at my home. I used it for making charts and labels. My classroom looks awesome. I spent two days doing nothing but becoming acquainted with the machine, it was fun. it is absolutely fabulous. The images come in practical sizes, and the lettering is great.
I am very pleased with this purchase. I do not regret making this purchase, although I was having regrets after placing the order.
I would recommend this product. The two cartridges provide tons of images.
It is great for the crafter. My only regret is not purchasing more mats.
I seem to remember seeing two cartridges offered on the same terms as on this site. Was I seeing things or does anyone else remember that. Something like 4,000 images. Since I would only be using this for making cards, I two would like to know what is on each of them. Like most everyone else, money is a concern and I don’t want to spend a hundred dollars on one that I would not be using.
I worked at JoAnn Fabrics for nearly a year, and although I know very little about how the Cricut machine works, I do know that you cannot get this particular Cricut product at JoAnn’s for $49.95 - or $74.94 w/s+h. The regular price is $299.99. According to Joann.com, this exact same product is on sale online at JoAnn’s for $219.99. Yes, it does come with everything listed above. I am not sure if JoAnn’s online ships overseas or not. That may be worth looking into.
NOTE: I am not sure if you can return items you buy online from JoAnn.com to the JoAnn’s stores. I never came across that issue while I worked Guest Services. I do know that the online system is completely different from the in-store system, meaning that we could not access the online system from the registers and the item numbers did not match, though they may be looking to connect the two in the near future.
Also, you can get cartridges from both JoAnn’s and Michaels craft stores. However, price-wise, this is the best deal you’ll get.
One more thing: If you choose to go to a craft store to pick up a Cricut Cutter, make sure that you pick up the right one. They sell several Cricut Cutters, which come with different items and have different capabilities.
I am curious to know if my card stock will work in this. I design greeting cards, and a whole ton of other things.
reply to Tim Gustafson (7/18/08 blog)
Thank you for your informative blog on 7/18/08. I nearly made a purchase last evening- but changed by mind at the last minute, because I still have to many questions, and the sale persons at the store selling the product (Michaels) had no clue how to answer any of my questions. This product and it’s “ACCESSORIES” are much to pricey, especially for it’s limited use.
Instead, I am on a mission to research this product further. However, after reading your blog and the blogs of others I’m about 95% sure of “NOT” buying this product, but instead my opt for the SIZZIX BIG KICK die cut machine.
Does anyone have instructions as to how to reset a Cricut? My Cricut will only read one cartridge, so I want to try and reset it.
I am interested in seeing the infomercial. Do you know what channel and when it comes on tv?
thank you all for your comments. i was going to purchase this item but was debating over the cost. after reading the responses of those who have used this machine, i have decided against spending over $200 for something other people have had a problem with. thank you all for saving me money i really didn’t have to spend
I have researched this machine. The lady at the Michael’s was very helpful. She bought the connection for the computer, $99. She returned it because all it does is allow you to take from different cartriges and cut them on the same item. You can play around with them some, but you cannot take from your computer or the internet. Michael’s frequently has this machine and accessories half off. But that same lady told me Walmart had them cricut, sometimes cheaper sometimes higher.
Hope tjis helps.
From Puerto Rico I purchased my Cricut on Monday and six day my machine was at my home. I love my Cricut machine. Thank you.
using fonts scrapbooking
I found your post interesting and share most of your views, but just dont get your second point.
i have purchased the cricut and love it! U can change the fonts of the letters by using the italic, round and other function buttions, so u get more than one font on a cariage. my cricut came with two cartiages. I use it for home and school. Yes it will cut card stock.