To prepare and use your Cricut mat for cutting, the process involves placing your material correctly on the mat and then loading the mat into your Cricut machine.
Preparing Your Mat: Placing the Material
Before loading the mat into your machine, you need to apply the material you wish to cut onto the mat's adhesive surface. The sticky side of the mat holds your material securely during the cutting process.
Based on the reference, for certain materials:
- "Down you want the shiny part down." This instruction refers to placing the material onto the mat.
- "heat vinyl down"
- "regular vinyl up"
This indicates that the orientation of your material on the mat depends on the specific type of material you are using to ensure proper cutting and weeding. Always place your material smoothly onto the mat, pressing it down firmly to remove any bubbles or wrinkles.
Here is a quick guide based on the reference:
| Material Type | Placement on Mat |
|---|---|
| Heat Vinyl | Shiny side down |
| Regular Vinyl | Shiny side up |
Note: Always refer to the material manufacturer's instructions or Cricut's recommendations for specific material placement if unsure.
Loading the Mat into Your Cricut Machine
Once your material is correctly placed on the mat, you are ready to load the mat into your Cricut machine. The reference states, "And then you're going to load your mat. So it's that easy."
Here are the general steps for loading your mat:
- Position the Mat: Align the edge of your Cricut mat with the guides or rollers on the loading tray of your Cricut machine.
- Feed the Mat: Gently push the mat under the guides or rollers.
- Press the Load Button: On your machine's control panel, press the flashing Load/Unload Mat button (often indicated by arrows). The machine will automatically feed the mat into the correct starting position.
"Then once your mat is loaded you're ready to start your project." The machine is now prepared to begin the cutting process based on your design.
