natalieg

I have a few questions for anyone that uses this machine. I have purchased one for my daughter for Christmas (it will be here later this week). I can't seem to find the info on the internet that I need.
Do you have to have the mats? I would assume so since they sell them.
Do all the cartidges fit all the machines-or do they have special ones for each machine?
What about paper? Do I need to buy their paper, or will her regular scrapbooking paper work?
Anything else I need to buy to get her started? I have the machine, one other cartridge and the cleaning picks coming.

I have an accuquilt Go! and was thinking that this might be the same concept, but not sure.

Thanks!

Quilting Di

The machine should come with a mat, but it is good to have an additional one. Scrapbooking paper is what I use, cut to 6" width. The tool kit that includes the "spatual" is really helpful as the cutouts can be somewhat difficult to remove from the mat, especially when they are new and very sticky.

livenlearn124

Yes, you do need the mats to used the cricut.
They are slightly "tacky" which is what holds the paper down while the machine cuts the shapes/letters.

All the cricut cartridges fit all cricut machines, and you can use any scrapbooking paper. You can also purchase the deep cut housing piece which will enable you to cut chip board.

Love my cricut!

natalieg

Thank you so much for the info!!! I will order more cartidges and some extra mats! She will be so happy!!!

jetnica

Perfect!! You can get extra mats at craft stores with coupons -- don't ever pay full price!! (Same with cartridges)

I've used vellum, regular paper, and cardstock - you don't need to use the cricut paper exclusively.

She will love it -- I've used mine for so many scrapbooks, pages, and projects for work.

Momof3Es

Watch for sales on these cartridges! They are usually $40 & up! It seems that everyone had them on sale on black friday. My SIL bought one for me for xmas and I bought the same one so I am taking mine back (her's was cheaper)! She is going to love this machine!!

aborning

My daughter is only 16 and she bought one for herself a couple years ago with her Christmas money. She likes to scrap book. It is a wonderful machine--I don't know how to use it though--I don't scrapbook--I quilt and garden (of which my daughter has no interest!!) Yes, get an extra mat right away and you can use any kind of paper--and get a couple different cartridges so she can be more creative. JoAnn's often has the catridges on sale for $39. What a wonderful present you bought your daughter. And I'm sure many craft stores will have them on sale between now and Christmas.

natalieg

Yeah, I am not the type of person that pays full price for much-I have been watching the sales. got the machine ($199) for $59 on sale~free shipping~then, because the site was messed up, they gave me another 25% off~~~$45 total!!!
I bought the extra cartridge on eBay ($14) free shipping!

Do ppl ever sell used cartridges? Are they ok to use? Or, are they like my dies-after much use, they will need replaced?

jetnica

perfectly okay. they're kind of like memory cards -- you will need to change cutting blades every so often - but the cartridges should last forever.

They've also done a GREAT job keeping the catridges the same as they've upgraded the machines themselves.

tuesy

I have the cricut expression and MTC. I bought MTC to go with the expression so I didn't have to keep buying carts all the time. I can cut anything I pretty much want to with this program. All you need is 1 cart that sits in the machine itself. It's the best money I have spent for this hobby.

You can cut fabric with it, but you have to put heat and bond on the back. I've tried Steam a Seam and it didn't work.

Yes, you do have to have a mat, but if you've bought the machine brand new, you'll get one with the machine.

All of the carts will fit all the machines, even the new Imagine. Only thing with the Imagine, you have 2 carts instead of the one, plus you have to buy ink for it.

If you're set on buying carts, go to eBay. Buy them there as they are much cheaper, or Michaels and Joann's has sales on them.
There are others online that sell the carts on sale too. Oh My Crafts, Memory Miser, etc.

You can cut paper, vinyl, and chipboard. If you own Amy Chomas pen holder/marker holder/embossing holder, you can make your cricut write or emboss with a special tool. It's pretty slick to see it emboss on metal.

You might want to invest in some Zig glue. That way when her mat gets not so sticky anymore, she can put the Zig glue on it and it'll be just as sticky as it was before. You might want to get a extra blade or even the deep cut blade. Those are just extra's.

HTH.