To attach elements in Cricut Design Space and keep them exactly where you've placed them on your canvas for cutting or writing, follow these three simple steps: Select, Click Attach, and Make It!
Understanding the Attach Function
The Attach tool in Cricut Design Space is essential for two main purposes:
- Keeping things together: It fastens design elements together in their current arrangement on the canvas. This is crucial for ensuring text is cut or written exactly as you've laid it out, or that shapes stay in position relative to each other.
- Holding things down: It can fasten a cutting layer to a Print Then Cut layer, ensuring your design prints and cuts correctly in alignment.
Think of Attach like using a virtual staple gun in Design Space – it holds multiple layers or objects together so they move and cut as a single unit.
Steps to Attach in Cricut Design Space
Based on the provided reference, here are the exact steps to use the Attach function:
- Step 1 -- Select the design elements you want to attach
- On your Design Space canvas, select all the layers or objects you want to attach together. You can do this by clicking and dragging a selection box around them or by holding down the Shift or Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) key and clicking on each layer in the Layers panel or on the canvas.
- Step 2 -- Click Attach
- With your desired elements selected, find and click the Attach icon. This icon typically looks like a paperclip and is located at the bottom of the Layers panel on desktop or in the Actions menu on mobile. The selected layers will now be nested under a single "Attach" layer group in the Layers panel.
- Step 3 -- Make It!
- Once attached, proceed to the "Make It!" screen. You will see that the attached elements maintain their relative positions on the mat preview, exactly as they appeared on your canvas.
Here is a quick summary table:
| Step | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Select objects/layers | Elements are highlighted |
| 2 | Click the Attach icon | Elements are grouped and held together |
| 3 | Click Make It! | Elements appear in position on the mat preview |
Practical Uses of Attach
Using Attach is vital for various projects:
- Keeping text together: If you arrange individual letters or words, Attach ensures they cut in that exact arrangement.
- Placing elements precisely: Attach a shape onto another shape if you need them cut in a specific relative position.
- Writing or Foiling on a shape: Attach a text or drawing layer to a cut layer so Design Space knows where to write/foil in relation to the cut shape.
- Holding down internal cuts: For complex designs with internal cuts, Attach ensures all pieces stay in place for cutting.
Remember, Attach works by grouping layers under a special "Attach" layer type, visible in the Layers panel. To separate them later, simply select the attached group and click the Detach icon (which replaces the Attach icon when attached layers are selected).
