How to cut felt with a Cricut Explore

Why felt is tricky on an Explore

The Explore uses drag blades that slice by pulling a sharp point through the material. That works well on vinyl and paper, which are firm and hold still. Soft felt is a mat of loose fibers. A drag blade tends to push and stretch the fibers instead of cutting them, which leaves fuzzy edges, uncut sections and pieces that pull off the mat.

The Cricut Maker solves this with the rotary blade, which rolls through fabric like a pizza cutter. The Explore cannot drive that blade. Instead, you make the felt behave more like cardstock, either by buying stiffened felt or by fusing a backer to the back. Then a drag blade can cut it cleanly.

Choose the right felt

Stiffened felt is the simplest option. It is sold in sheets in craft stores and online and is firm enough for the deep point blade. Thinner felts usually cut more cleanly than thick ones. Acrylic craft felt is cheap but fuzzes more; wool-blend felt is denser and holds a crisp edge better.

Prepare and load the felt

Grip matters more with felt than with most materials. A tired mat lets the felt lift and bunch under the blade. If the felt shifts, use a StrongGrip mat or tape the edges with masking tape outside the cut area.

1. 1

   If the felt is soft, cut a piece of fusible backer such as a paper-backed fusible web or interfacing slightly larger than the felt.

2. 2

   Fuse the backer to the back of the felt following the backer's package directions. Press evenly so there are no bubbles or loose spots.

3. 3

   Lint-roll the felt to remove loose fibers that can clog the blade.

4. 4

   Use a clean, sticky mat. Place the felt with the backer side down, smooth it from the center out and press it with a brayer.

5. 5

   Move the white star wheels on the roller bar to the right so they do not leave tracks on thick felt, if your project allows.

6. 6

   Load the mat with the left edge under the guides and press the Load button.

Blade and Design Space settings

In Design Space, choose Custom on the material dial if your Explore has one, then search the material list for felt. Pick the setting that matches your felt, such as a stiffened felt or a backed felt option, and let Design Space choose pressure and passes. The software prompts you for the blade it expects. Load the deep point blade for stiffened felt, or the bonded fabric blade for backed felt.

Do not invent numbers. Start with Design Space's preset for your felt and run a test cut. If the cut does not go all the way through, choose More pressure for that material or add a pass rather than switching to a very different setting. Our cut settings finder shows the blade, mat and pressure direction for stiffened felt and backed fabric on each machine, and Cricut blades explained covers the blade housings.

Note.Cut a small test shape, about one inch, in a corner before every new felt. Change one setting at a time.

Design tips for clean felt cuts

Felt rewards simple shapes. Avoid lettering under about an inch tall, thin spikes and tight inside corners, which tend to fray or stay attached. Rounded shapes, flowers with broad petals and chunky letters cut most reliably. Group pieces with some space between them so the blade is not cutting fibers that have already been loosened by a neighboring cut.

After cutting, unload the mat and peel the mat away from the felt rather than lifting felt off the mat. Bend the mat downward so it releases the pieces gently. Trim any stray fibers with small scissors. If you plan to sew or glue the pieces, leave the backer on; it adds body and does not show on most projects.

Fixes for common felt problems

If you cut felt every week, think about a Maker. The rotary blade handles soft, unbacked felt and fabric with no prep. Our best cutting machine for fabric guide and Cricut Maker vs Explore explain the trade-offs.

Machines that cut fabric and felt →

Frequently asked questions

Can a Cricut Explore Air 2 cut felt? Yes, if the felt is stiffened or backed. Soft unbacked felt usually comes out fuzzy or uncut on an Explore.

Which blade cuts felt on an Explore? The deep point blade for stiffened felt and the bonded fabric blade for felt with a fusible backer.

What mat should I use for felt? A fresh StandardGrip or StrongGrip mat for stiffened felt, and a FabricGrip mat for backed felt. Tape the edges if it shifts.

Do I need a Cricut Maker for felt? Only for soft, unbacked felt. The Maker's rotary blade cuts it with no backer.