Cricut Maker — Ultimate Cutting Machine for Fabric, Vinyl & More
Our Cricut Maker is the most versatile smart cutting machine we carry, designed for quilters, sewists, and crafters who work across multiple materials. The adaptive tool system accepts ten different blade and tool options — from the rotary blade that cuts fabric without a backing mat to the knife blade that slices basswood and leather up to 2.4 mm thick.
We chose the Cricut Maker because it handles projects no other machine in its class can touch. Cut intricate appliqué shapes, slice perfect quilt pieces, score delicate paper, engrave metal sheets, or deboss leather — all with the same machine. It pairs with Design Space software for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android, giving you access to thousands of images, fonts, and ready-to-make projects.
What makes the Cricut Maker versatile
Adaptive Tool System & Blade Options
The adaptive tool system is what separates the Cricut Maker from every other cutting machine at Joann’s. Instead of a fixed blade carriage, the Maker uses a quick-swap housing that accepts ten different tools — each purpose-built for specific materials and techniques.
The rotary blade is a game-changer for quilters and garment sewers. It cuts cotton, fleece, denim, and even burlap without requiring a fabric backing on the mat, which means zero adhesive residue on your yardage. The knife blade tackles basswood, tooling leather, and 2 mm chipboard with a single pass. Scoring wheels create perfect fold lines on cardstock and crepe paper. The engraving tip etches aluminum sheets and acrylic blanks for custom jewelry and signage.
Materials the Cricut Maker Cuts
We tested the Cricut Maker on 300+ materials during our in-store demos, and it handled everything from tissue paper to 2.4 mm balsa wood. Fabric cuts are the standout feature — quilting cotton, fleece, felt, burlap, silk, and even bonded leather all cut cleanly with the rotary blade. No fraying, no jagged edges, no need for fabric stiffener sprays.
For paper crafters, the Maker cuts cardstock, crepe paper, vellum, glitter cardstock, and poster board. The scoring wheels create crisp fold lines on heavyweight cardstock that would crack with a blade score. Vinyl crafters get clean cuts on heat transfer vinyl, adhesive vinyl, iron-on foil, and removable vinyl for wall decals.
Design Space Software & Project Library
Design Space Features
Design Space is Cricut’s free design software, and it’s included with every Cricut Maker at Joann’s. The software runs on Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android, so you can design on your laptop and cut from your tablet in the craft room. No subscription required for basic features — upload your own SVG files, use system fonts, and access free images from the Cricut library.
Ready-to-Make Projects
The built-in project library includes thousands of ready-to-make designs sorted by category — quilts, garments, home décor, party decorations, and seasonal crafts. Each project includes a materials list, cut file, and step-by-step assembly instructions. We recommend starting with a beginner quilt block or a simple fabric appliqué to learn how the rotary blade handles curves and points.
Complete Your Cricut Maker Setup
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Common Questions About the Cricut Maker
The Cricut Maker has an adaptive tool system that accepts ten different blades and tools, including the rotary blade for fabric and the knife blade for thick materials. It delivers 4 kg of cutting force — ten times more than the Explore Air 2. The Explore Air 2 uses a fixed blade carriage and cuts thinner materials like vinyl, paper, and iron-on only.
If you work with fabric, leather, wood, or chipboard, the Maker is the machine you need. If you only cut vinyl and paper, the Explore Air 2 will handle those projects at a lower price point.
The rotary blade cuts fabric on top of a cutting mat, but the fabric itself doesn't need adhesive backing. You lay the fabric directly on a LightGrip or StandardGrip mat, and the rotary blade slices through it cleanly. The mat provides a stable surface and keeps the fabric from shifting, but the fabric doesn't stick to the mat the way vinyl or cardstock does.
This eliminates adhesive residue on your fabric, which is a huge benefit for quilters and garment sewers. After cutting, the fabric lifts off the mat with zero stickiness or fuzz left behind.
The knife blade cuts materials up to 2.4 mm thick, including basswood, tooling leather, matboard, and chipboard. The machine makes multiple passes automatically when cutting thick materials — you set the material type in Design Space, and the software calculates how many passes are needed.
For thinner materials like fabric, felt, vinyl, and cardstock, the fine-point blade or rotary blade handles cuts in a single pass. The Maker's 4 kg cutting force is ten times stronger than the Explore line, which is what allows it to slice through thick materials without stalling.
No subscription is required to use the Cricut Maker or Design Space software. You can upload your own SVG files, use system fonts, and access free images from the Cricut library without paying anything beyond the machine cost.
Cricut Access is an optional subscription ($9.99/month) that unlocks the full library of premium images, fonts, and ready-to-make projects. It also gives you discounts on digital purchases. We include a 30-day free trial with every Cricut Maker at Joann's, but you can cancel anytime and keep using the free tier features.
The Cricut Maker includes one German carbide premium fine-point blade (pre-installed), which cuts vinyl, cardstock, iron-on, and paper. You also get a 12" x 12" LightGrip cutting mat, power adapter, and USB cable.
Additional tools like the rotary blade, knife blade, scoring wheels, and engraving tip are sold separately. We stock every Cricut tool and accessory in-store at Joann's, so you can add capabilities as your projects grow.
Yes, the Cricut Maker works wirelessly via Bluetooth with iOS and Android devices. You can design projects on your phone or tablet using the Design Space app, then send them to the machine over Bluetooth. No computer required.
If you prefer a wired connection, you can also connect the Maker to a Mac or Windows computer via USB cable. The machine works with both connection methods interchangeably — design on your laptop at your desk, then cut wirelessly from your tablet in the craft room.
LightGrip mats work for paper, vinyl, and light cardstock. StandardGrip mats handle heavier cardstock, iron-on, and glitter cardstock. StrongGrip mats are for thick materials like chipboard, magnet sheets, and stiffened fabrics.
Design Space recommends the correct mat type when you select your material at the start of each project. The machine automatically detects mat size (12" x 12" or 12" x 24") when you load it, so you don't need to manually enter dimensions.