Cut file tutorials and guides
Everything we have written about cutting, layering, and making with cut files. Machine how-tos for Cricut and Silhouette, file format explainers, and card making references, all free to read.
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Guides
What Is a DXF File, and How Do You Open One?
The format your cutting machine falls back on, explained without the CAD jargon
7 min read
A2 Card Size and Every Standard Card Dimension
The measurements that matter, which envelope each one takes, and how many cards you get per sheet
7 min read
SVG vs PNG vs DXF: Which Cut File Format for Cricut and Silhouette
A plain-language guide to choosing cut file formats
4 min read
Tutorials
How to Make a Pop-Up Card
The two mechanisms that do all the work, and the one rule that decides whether it still fits an envelope
9 min read
How to Make an Envelope from Paper
A measured blank that fits any card size, the scoring that makes it fold clean, and the no-template method
9 min read
How to Slice and Weld in Cricut Design Space
Slice, weld, attach, group, flatten and contour, and which one you actually need
10 min read
How to Clean a Cricut Mat and Make It Sticky Again
Four cleaning methods ranked by how much life they give back, and when to stop and replace the mat
7 min read
How to Cut Cardstock with a Cricut: Settings That Work
Blade, mat, and pressure choices, plus why intricate designs tear and how to stop it
5 min read
Paper Piecing Tutorial for Scrapbooking and Cards
How to build a layered design from patterned paper, step by step
5 min read
Print Then Cut on Cricut: The Complete Guide
How the feature works, what it can and cannot handle, and how to fix cuts that miss the printed edge
6 min read
How to Upload an SVG File to Cricut Design Space
Two ways to get a cut file onto your mat, plus fixes for the things that usually go wrong
6 min read
Tutorial: Happiness in a Cutfile – Floral Cut File Layout with Shanel Pettyjohn (May 2026 Hip Kit)
Hi friends, it’s Kimberly here, and I am so excited to share today’s project from the wonderfully talented Shanel Pettyjohn on our Hip Kit Club design team. Shanel sat down with the May 2026 Hip Kit and a gorgeous new cut file called the Floral Geometric Background, and let me tell you, what she made… Continue Reading →
12 min read
Tutorial: Build-A-Bracelet Layout
Hi friends! I am so excited to share this gorgeous layout with you today, created by the wonderfully talented Heidi Lewis. Heidi designed a “Build-A-Bracelet” layout inspired by an illustration, and let me tell you, it is pure magic. She recreated the look of a beaded charm bracelet using nothing but paper, punches, and… Continue Reading →
12 min read
Tutorial: Creating with Metal Dies – Anke Kramer – April 2026 Hip Kits
Hi friends, Kimberly here, and I am so excited to share this gorgeous travel-themed layout from the wonderfully talented Anke Kramer using our April 2026 Hip Kits. Anke set out to create a fun, colorful page bursting with sunny vacation vibes, and the real star of the show is our exclusive April 2026 Chicken… Continue Reading →
12 min read
Tutorial: Adding Texture with a Sunburst of Layers
Hi friends! I am so excited to have Shanel Pettyjohn from the Hip Kit Club design team here today, walking us through one of my favorite techniques for adding movement and texture to a layout: a gorgeous layered sunburst that radiates right across the page. Shanel built her entire sunburst using papers pulled from… Continue Reading →
11 min read
Tutorial: Sketch PLUS Waterfall Feature – Shanel Pettyjohn – April 2026 Hip Kits
Hi friends, it’s Kimberly! I am so excited to share this gorgeous project from the talented Shanel Pettyjohn on our Hip Kit Club Design Team. Shanel took the hundreds of photos she captured during a two-week trip to New York City with her children and turned them into a stunning travel layout featuring an interactive… Continue Reading →
11 min read
Tutorial: BACKING A CUT FILE – ANKE KRAMER
Hey everyone, I am so excited to share this gorgeous layout from the incredibly talented Anke Kramer using our March 2026 Hip Kits! Anke took our exclusive Tulip Bouquet cut file and turned it into the most stunning focal point by backing each piece with coordinating papers and cardstock. If you have ever wondered how… Continue Reading →
10 min read
Tutorial: Mixed Media + Cutfile Layout
Hey friends! I am so excited to share this gorgeous mixed media layout from our incredibly talented design team member Jessica Michaels. Jessica created the most stunning scrapbook page featuring her adorable little “beach diva” daughter, and she used the February 2026 Pocket Life Kit, the Embellishment Kit, and the Color Kit to pull it… Continue Reading →
15 min read