Stickers

Follow the instructions below to make your own custom-shaped vinyl stickers!

1. Download your image if you have one.
   1. Acceptable file formats are .png, .jpg, .gif, .svg, .dxf, .heic, or .bmp
2. Open Cricut Design Space.
3. Select “New Project” in the upper right corner of the window.
4. If you downloaded an image, select “Upload” from the bottom of the left-hand option bar, then click “Upload Image” and drag-and-drop or navigate to your image using the “Browse” function. Otherwise, you can play around with the shapes, text, and other options to create a design.
5. Follow the instructions onscreen to select Simple, Moderately Complex, or Complex, depending on your design, and click Continue. If you are unsure which to use, you can click each option and see a preview of the image on the right.
   1. Note that selecting a complexity that doesn't match your image may crash and restart the program, simply try again and select a different complexity if this occurs.
6. Edit the image as necessary. In general, editing out the background and any other edits works better in a photo editing app like Adobe Illustrator (which is also available on the Makerspace computer), but it can be done in Cricut. Ensure that you do not have floating extra pixels (i.e., make sure the background is entirely transparent), as they will complicate the process later. Select “Apply & Continue” in the bottom left.
7. Select “Print Then Cut Image” and click “Upload” in the bottom right.
8. On the following screen, you should now see your image under “Recent Uploads”. Select the image and click “Add to Canvas” in the bottom right.
9. Resize, duplicate, and add other images to the image as necessary, making sure it remains within the maximum 6.75in x 9.25in size.
   1. To duplicate, make sure the image is selected, then press “Duplicate” in the top right. If you are duplicating to have multiple stickers cut out of one sheet, there is no need to separate the images; Cricut will separate them evenly for you when printing.
   2. If you have multiple images or duplicates that you want to go on a single sticker, click select those that should be cut together and then click “Flatten” to make it all one layer.
10. 
    1. An example of duplicating stickers in the Cricut UI.
11. Click “Make It” in the top right and then “Continue”.
12. If necessary, connect the Cricut machine to the computer. Remember that the Cricut should be connected to power and turned on.
13. Click Send to Printer.
    1. The printer selected should be “Microsoft print to PDF”.
    2. Bleed controls whether or not there is a border around your stickers.
14. Send the page to the printer:
    • Insert a thumb drive into the computer. Select “Print,” then save the file with a memorable name to the thumb drive. OR:
    • Send Page via Papercut.
      • Turn on Use System Dialog and click Print.
        1. Under preferences, change…
           1. … color mode to Auto for color
           2. … paper source to Multi-Purpose Tray
           3. … paper type to Heavy 3
        2. Alternatively, select the Stickers option in the top drop-down menu. (recommended)
        3. Click Print.
        4. Note: the PaperCut software needs to be running for the login to appear. You can alter this in Settings.
15. A pop-up should appear, prompting you to enter your PaperCut login credentials. Log in.
16. Take a sheet of vinyl from the sticker vinyl box. There are white and clear vinyl sheets available.
17. Go down the hall to the Anderson 020 printer in the common area.
    1. If using a thumb drive, insert it into the right side of the printer. Log in with your OneCard, select "Access Device," select your account, and then select "Access Stored Files" to print your sticker sheet.
18. Open the multipurpose tray (it’s the large one on the right side of the printer, the second openable tray from the top) and place your vinyl sheet face-down.
19. Tap your OneCard and select Heavy 3 under the paper source when the printer prompts you to do so.
    1. If using a thumb drive, select the stickers preferred setting under favorites when changing the printing settings, similar to step 13.
20. Print your stickers! This may take somewhat longer than usual prints.
21. If you want to cut your stickers using the Cricut, select your material as Medium Cardstock in the Cricut Design Space.
22. Take out the mat from the drawer labeled "Cricut stuff" to the right of the computer. Do not use the pink mat unless cutting fabric.
23. 
    1. Example setup for the Cricut cutter, with the vinyl firmly placed on the mat in the right spot.
24. Take off the plastic protective covering and put your printed sticker sheet in the top left corner of the mat, taking care to avoid wrinkles and making sure it is aligned with the lines on the mat.
25. Put the mat with your sticker sheet into the machine, pushing it up against (but not under) the wheels, as shown in the image. There are 2 notches in the machine to help you align it. Ensure that the mat is under those notches.
26. Click the blinking double arrow button to load the mat.
27. Once it is loaded, click the blinking Cricut C button to start your cut. The software will prompt you to change your settings if it cannot scan what it needs to. It will begin cutting if it has correctly scanned the black guiding lines.
28. Once your cut is done (it will beep several times and flash its lights), click the flashing double arrow button again to unload the mat.
29. Don’t forget to replace the plastic cover on the mat and put it back into the drawer!