How To Make A Stencil With A Cricut

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Did you know you can make your own stencils with a Cricut machine? This has truly been a game-changer for my crafting, opening up so many creative possibilities. If you’ve ever wondered how to make a stencil with a Cricut, you’re in the right place. The good news? It’s easier than you might think!

There are actually several ways to create DIY stencils using a Cricut, including cutting vinyl for one-time use, stencil film for reusable stencils, and even paper for quick projects.

In this post, I’m taking the mystery out of the process and showing you exactly how to make stencils using both the Cricut Maker and Cricut Explore Air 2. By the end, you’ll know which stencil method works best for your project and feel confident creating your own custom stencils.

how to cut stencils with the Cricut Maker

Table of Contents

Video Tutorial On How To Make A Stencil With A Cricut Machine

Want to learn everything you need to know about how to make a stencil with a Cricut machine? The video below walks you through the entire process step by step so you can see exactly how it’s done. Press play to get started creating your own custom Cricut stencils.

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Can’t watch the video or missed some of the information? You can also follow along below to see how to make a stencil with a Cricut!

How To Make A Stencil With Cricut

As I mentioned before, there are 3 techniques you can use to make stencils, depending on how you plan to use them. Below, we'll explore each, along with when I think it's most beneficial to use the stencil technique in your crafting.

Note: All the techniques I am using today are for making regular-sized to medium-sized stencils. However, if you are looking to make large stencils (like for stenciling a tabletop), check out my How to Make A Large Stencil with Cricut blog post!

Technique 1: Use Vinyl

Cricut actually makes a special stencil vinyl that you can purchase for your projects. That makes making a stencil 10x easier!

Make this DIY burlap table runner with monogram for your home! I love the simple ruffles on the side as well!

With that being said, I'm going to be really honest and transparent here. Most of the time, I use leftover pieces of removable vinyl when stenciling. This is also a great way to use up rolls you purchased or no longer like!

The vinyl color doesn't matter, since you will be stenciling and then throwing the stencil away.

Note: These are NOT stencils that you can use again and again. Keep reading if you want to make that type of stencil.

Want to see some cases where I used vinyl as a stencil? Check out these different project ideas.

Technique 2: Stencil Film

Now, stencils made from vinyl are one-time use only, and you would need to throw them away.

But what if you want to make reusable stencils with your Cricut that you can use over and over? You can try cutting this stencil film with your Cricut to make stencils just like the ones you buy in the store! They make for the perfect reusable stencil.

Don't believe me? Check out this video of me cutting this product, along with some helpful cutting instructions.

If you want to make them sticky, simply use stencil adhesive spray on the back.

Important Note: I highly recommend taking the time to be mindful of your design when using stencil film. Remember to either use a stencil font or add in “tabs” to hold things like the centers of letters in place. You may want to cut a test stencil from copy paper to make sure your stencil is correctly designed before cutting from the film. That way, you get the mistakes taken care of on paper instead of the much more expensive stencil film!

Technique 3: Additional Options For Cricut Stencils

One of the best things about Cricut projects is that they often offer tons of flexibility so that you can accomplish the same basic craft in many different ways. In addition to the 2 different vinyl and film options above, here are a couple more.

Using Cricut Cardstock

Yes, you can totally make stencils from regular cardstock! They're definitely not as user-friendly as vinyl or stencil film would be; however, they can get the job done.

Here are some projects where I used this method:

Using Freezer Paper

Freezer paper also makes a great stencil for fabric. All you have to do is cut it on your Cricut machine and apply it with an iron. It will stick to your fabric temporarily and peel off once your project is complete.

Isn't that easy…and cheap?

Make these DIY football silhouette pillows with a few simple supplies! A quick and easy project that is perfect for a boy's room!

You can see a few projects made with this method below:

If you have been wanting to learn how to make a stencil with your Cricut, I hope one or more of these methods will work for your projects. Be sure to tell us which method you prefer for making stencils in the comments below!