Cricut claims the Cricut Maker is a “match made in heaven for quilters.” With its powerful 4000-gram cutting force and quilting-friendly compatible tools, the Cricut Maker is indeed the best Cricut for quilting. We deep dive into the features of the Cricut Maker and show some of the best ways to use the Cricut Maker for quilting. We also added how you can use the older Cricut Explore Air 2 for quilting and sewing if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative to the flagship Maker.
Premium Fine Point Blade + Housing Rotary Blade + Drive Housing Fine Point Pen
Other Compatible Tools
Deep Point Blade Bonded Fabric Blade Scoring Stylus Cricut Pens Knife Blade Single and Double Scoring Wheels Wavy Blade Perforation Blade Fine Debossing Tip Engraving Tip
Colors
Blue, Lilac, Champagne, Mint, White, Rose
Cricut Maker: Special Features
The Cricut Maker can easily cut unbonded fabric and other thick materialssuch as chipboards and balsawood
Cricut Maker makes quilting and sewing easier with its features and library of patterns
The Cricut Maker is Cricut’s flagship cutting machine that packs powerful features that open up a world of design possibilities. What makes this smart cutting machine a category of its own is its 4000-gram cutting power, Adaptive Tool System, and access to a wide array of quilting and sewing projects and patterns on Cricut’s Design Space. All these and more make it the best Cricut for quilting.
Because of its impressive cutting power, the Cricut Maker can cut around 300 types of materials. These include chipboards, balsa wood, and a wide range of fabrics. While the older Cricut Explore Air 2 can also cut some fabric, it requires bonded fabric as it’s not strong enough to do so without backing. On the other hand, the Cricut Maker can cut unbonded fabric through the Rotary Blade that comes with your purchase. This blade can cut fleece, denim, cotton, and many other fabrics with excellent precision.
The Cricut Maker‘s Adaptive Tool System is a feature that lets you expand your arsenal of crafting and quilting tools whenever Cricut releases new ones that are compatible with the Maker. If you get the Cricut Maker, you’ll also have access to its library of quilting and sewing projects. These projects are easy to follow and the software guides you in every step of quilting or sewing. Unfortunately, they cannot be accessed when using the Cricut Explore Air 2.
There are different ways you can use the Cricut Maker for quiltingto maximize its powerful features.
Leave all the fabric cutting work to the Cricut Maker
Quilting has been more than just cutting different fabric into squares these days. If you want to make more advanced and complex quilting patterns and projects, the Cricut Maker and the Cricut Design Space can significantly help make the process less intimidating and tedious. Here are some of the best ways Cricut can make quilting easier and more fun for you.
Cut quilt blocks and pieces accurately and conveniently using the Cricut Maker and Design Space
One of the best ways Cricut can help you start quilting is through its quilt kits designed by Riley Blake. The different quilt kits tell you what fabric and materials you need to get started. There are also step by step instructions on Design Space to guide you throughout the process. You can get the exact fabric recommended in the quilt kit or simply use the yardage as a guide if you want to use your own fabric. If you prefer your own designs, you can easily upload your existing patterns and the Cricut Maker can cut it for you.
What’s best about using the Cricut Maker to cut your quilt pieces is it also saves you a lot of precious time. Having to cut each piece and making sure each one is accurate can take a while. With its 12″x 24″ cutting area, you can cut a lot of pieces on one go if you’re making baby-sized quilts. For smaller quilt pieces, you can cut up to hundreds of them in a couple of minutes. What some quilters do is they start sewing while the Cricut Maker is cutting the rest of the quilt pieces.
Customize or enhance quilts by adding the Cricut Iron-On Vinyl or Infusible Ink
A sample quilting project by Kate of See Kate Sew where she used the Cricut Maker, Iron-On Vinyl, and Design Space
As it can cut fabric well, the Cricut Maker can easily cut Iron-On Vinyl, Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV), and Infusible Ink Transfer Sheets. These are best for making your quilt project more personalized. You can add names, quotes, images, or anything you want to add before stitching the quilts.
The Cricut Maker is best for cutting thick quilting templates using the Knife Blade
For instances where you need to cut sturdier templates for a quilt project, you can get the Cricut Knife Blade for the Maker. As mentioned earlier, you can cut balsawood and chipboards using this powerful cutting machine. If you need to make and cut thicker pieces for your quilt patterns, the Cricut Maker can easily do it for you. This is especially helpful if you conduct quilting classes as your templates need to last a long time.
Line small quilt projects or seam allowances using the Cricut Maker Washable Fabric Pen
The Cricut Maker lets you draw the lines for small quilted projects such as quilted mitt, pouch, mug rug, and the like. It has a compatible washable fabric pen that lines the fabric for you to guide you while sewing the quilt. The lines disappear once the quilted project is washed.
While not as powerful as the Maker, the Cricut Explore Air 2 can cut some fabric you can use for quilting
The Cricut Explore Air 2 offers a 400-gram cutting power
The Cricut Maker is still the best Cricut for quilting, but those who are on a budget can still use the Explore Air 2 to cut fabric. However, more steps are needed in the process before cutting the fabric using the Explore Air 2. You need to apply heat and bond to the fabric, apply heat to activate the bond, and place the bonded fabric on the mat before cutting. With the Cricut Maker, you can skip the heat and bonding part altogether. You can easily use the Explore Air 2 to cut appliques that you can use to customize your quilt blocks.
With its powerful 4000-gram cutting force and quilting-friendly compatible tools, the Cricut Maker is definitely the best Cricut machine for quilting.
📌 Is there a cheaper quilting alternative to the Cricut Maker?
You can use the older Cricut Explore Air 2 for quilting and sewing if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative to the flagship Maker.
📌 What special features can you enjoy with the Cricut Maker?
With the Cricut Maker, you get 4000-gram cutting power, Adaptive Tool System, and access to a wide array of quilting and sewing projects and patterns on Cricut’s Design Space.
📌 How can you use the Cricut Explore Air 2 for quilting?
You need to apply heat and bond to the fabric, apply heat to activate the bond, and place the bonded fabric on the mat before cutting. With the Cricut Maker, you can skip the heat and bonding part altogether.
Former Managing Editor and Team Leader at Compare Before Buying. Writer and researcher passionate about food, people, product comparisons, culture, and current events.
