How To Create Your Own Svg Files For Cricut

CREATE YOUR VERY OWN SVG CUT FILES TO USE WITH YOUR CRICUT OR SILHOUETTE CUTTING MACHINE.

Since I've gotten my Cricut Maker for my birthday, I've really enjoyed making birthday cards, shirts, vinyl stickers, earrings, and more. But one thing I struggle with is not always finding an SVG file that is exactly what I'm looking for. I'll search Pinterest for hours trying to find the perfect file, and usually come up short. So I started looking for a way I could create my own SVG cut files.

example of a svg cut file you can create

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What is an SVG cut file?

SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphic. The lines in SVGs are very precise. If you zoom in on a JPG it will get pixelated. But if you zoom in on an SVG file, the lines stay precise. That is why SVGs are the preferred file for cutting machines. You can find them all over Pinterest.

jpg versus svg comparison

What can you use SVG cut files for?

If you have a Cricut or Silhouette cutting machine, these use SVG files. Cricut and Silhouette both have tons of designs in their data base that you can use, but it can be limiting, and costly. Once you learn to make your own SVG cut files, the possibilities are endless.

SVGs are also used for logos, web design, animations, and I can even create sewing patterns like the butterfly shirt pattern below.

example of using illustrator to create svg cut files

What software do you need?

There is a free option and a paid option. The free option is Inkscape. The paid option is Adobe Illustrator. I had already been using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom, so I added Adobe Illustrator. It's a monthly subscription, but I love the software. But you can definitely make SVG cut files with Inkscape for free.

How can you learn to make your own SVG cut files?

I started out by searching on YouTube. I had Adobe Illustrator, but I didn't know how to use it very well. And I didn't know what tools I needed to use to create SVG cut files. I would have to sift through the search results to try and find a video that had a small part that was beneficial to me. And I would still have to fill in the missing information! It just became frustrating. I wished there was some way I could learn every step there is to creating an SVG file. I needed someone to show me the way.

It started out when I wanted to turn my paper sewing patterns into a digital format so I can put them on my blog for you to use. I only had Adobe Photoshop and was having the hardest time trying to figure out how to trace them. After some research and advice from others, I decided I needed Adobe Illustrator so I could create my files with ease. When I did, the difference was like night and day. It was like trying to use a hammer to unscrew a screw, but when I found the right tool, I was able to accomplish my task.

Even though I had the right software, I wasn't sure how to use it so I could make my own SVG cut files. I have been following Jennifer Maker for a while. She is an amazing crafter and my virtual mentor. I've learned so much from her in the crafting niche. She had what I was looking for. She has created a course that teaches step-by-step how to create SVG cut files. It's called the CUT ABOVE Design Course.

Jennifer's course is only open a couple times a year, so after I heard about her course, I had to wait until enrollment was open. When the doors opened, I jumped at the opportunity to sign up.