Be a Maker with 3D Printer & Cricut

Kirstianna using the Cricut in the Digitial Art Studio.

There are lots of ways to get artsy crafty with technology tools. The best way to start with crafty tech tools is in the library’s Level 2 Tech Center Digital Art Studio. With your library card and a little training you can use a Cricut, a 3D Printer and Adobe creative software. Read on for some options to get started.

A brief orientation is required before using the 3D printer or the Cricut at the library to make sure you can use it safely. You can complete the training and then practice hands on with the equipment. You will need a library card to reserve the 3D Printer or Cricut.

Children 8-11 are welcome in the Digital Art Studio if they are accompanied by an adult. Children under 8 are not allowed in the Digital Art Studio.

If you’ve already taken an orientation class for the Cricut and 3D printer, here are some projects you can practice with on your own.

cardstock flowers

Add images, select the check box “Free” and search for these floral images:

vinyl flowers

Add the images you choose to the canvas. Resize, duplicate or otherwise manipulate the images, pay special attention to the size.

To cut one of the spiral flower designs that are then rolled into a flower, you can upload an .svg file into your Cricut Design Space account. At Step 4 above, download a spiral flower image to your computer. In Cricut Design Space, click Upload, browse for the image on the computer, and upload it. Then select that image and add it to your canvas. Proceed with the instruction starting with Step 6.

vinyl sticker on notebook

Add images, select the check box “Free” and search for “labels” and choose one of the teal label designs, like Quatrefoil Label or similar.

Lissa Staley helps people use the library. She is a Book Evangelist, Trivia Emcee, Classics Made Modern book discussion leader, NaNoWriMo Municipal Liaison, and frequent library customer. She loves her kids, being a librarian, living in Topeka, and helping people form connections and community. (She's the Community Connections Librarian!) She reads a new book every few days, but is enjoying the audiobook of "Empress of Forever" by Max Gladstone, the ebook "When We Were Magic" by Sarah Gailey and is eagerly awaiting John Scalzi's "The Last Emperox" in April!