Cricut Design Space Tutorial : My Crazy Good Life

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Wondering what Cricut Design Space is? Whether you’re making vinyl crafts or DIY home decor with your Cricut machine, you’ll need to learn to use Design Space!

Cricut Design Space

If you have a Cricut machine that doesn’t run on cartridges you probably know about Design Space. It’s the online program that helps you map out, design, and create your projects.

The great thing about the program is that it can be accessed via computer, smartphone, or iPad.

What is Cricut Design Space?

Cricut Design Space is a web based software program that allows you to connect to your cutting machines via USB or bluetooth. It’s how you make all of the awesome designs that will end up on your projects, shirts, pillows, coffee mugs, and more!

It’s also preloaded with lots of ready to make projects that are created by Cricut and other users. If you don’t think you’d be any good at starting from scratch, or maybe you lack the patience to do this, there is still plenty you can do with your Cricut through Cricut Design Space.

As an alternative to making your own designs or buying them from Cricut, I often shop at Etsy (just search what you’re looking for with SVG at the end) and then “play with” my designs. You can see how I do this in the video below, which also includes a quick walk-through introduction of Design Space:

Is Design Space free to use?

It is free to use when you are making projects from scratch or from elements that you purchase online. There is also a subscription element to Design Space that allows you access to lots of pre-made projects, fonts, elements, and more.

How much does Cricut Design Space cost?

You don’t have to pay for Design Space, but you can do so if you want. I have never paid for Design Space, and prefer to download my fonts for free at DaFont.com. For projects, I buy most of mine from Etsy.

You can pay for the entire year of Design Space upfront and it comes out to about $7.99 per month. If you don’t want to pay for the whole year at once you can pay month to month for $9.99. Paying monthly doesn’t change your access to Cricut Design Space itself. It just gives you more access to the projects and elements are that are part of the Cricut Access program.

Will Cricut Design Space work on Chromebook?

No, Cricut Design Space will not work on Chromebook. It requires either a Windows or Mac operating system. That being said, if you don’t have a compatible computer you can still access it from an Apple or Android mobile device. They have an app that will work with your smartphone, tablet, etc.

Features to Check Out:

Projects (link will open if you’re logged into Design Space)

On Cricut Design Space, there are tons of projects that are already created and ready for you to make. Most are free, but some require the subscription.

Tip: You can narrow down the projects by Category on the top right side of the screen.

Uploading Images and Elements

On the left sidebar you’ll see “Upload,” and from there you can add in your own images, SVG files, and purchased elements like those from sites like Etsy, LoveSVG, and more.

Templates

In Design Space you’ll also find a “Templates” button. From there you can see different templates that’ll help make your canvas into the right size and shape so you can easily create projects. There are templates for your favorite household items as well as things you might not have thought of before!

Images

Under the “Images” tab you’ll find access to your uploaded images, images from Cricut Access, as well as anything that might be available via cartridge (remember, cartridges are only for Pre-Maker Cricut machines).

Tutorials | Videos on YouTube

This post is an overview of Design Space, but if you’re looking for a more in-depth tutorial on a specific feature of the program that I don’t cover you can probably find it here.

Cricut Shopping Links:

Here are some links from Cricut that will help if you are looking to shop for materials, machines, and more!

Amazon Shopping Links:

I prefer shopping with Amazon because of their Prime shipping and variety of deals so here are some of my supplies that you can shop for through Amazon: