Instructions
STEP 1: GET MY FREE How to Fill Letters DESIGN FILES
First, download my free How to Fill Letters SVG/PDF/DXF collection from my resource library -- it's Design #454.
The download folder includes PDFs to cut by hand, and DXF or SVG files for use with a cutting machine. I'll show you how to use the SVGs with a Cricut.
The files include:
- a "Silent Night" engraved design for the acrylic nightlight in the materials list,
- gift tag designs to customize,
- a Peace design, that I put on a gift tag using cardstock from the Recollections Essentials paper pack.
- and a file with special lines we can use to fill other designs and letters using the right steps.
I'll show you a few ways to use the designs and lines file to fill letters using engraving, foil, and drawing tools on a Cricut.
Upload the SVG design file of your choice and the lined SVG to Cricut Design Space and add them to your Canvas.
We can use the lined file to fill in letters in any of these projects or any design or welded font. We can use pens for the gift tags or any cardstock project like a greeting card or anything you can think of. We can foil gift tags, and we can also engrave these special acrylic night lights.
You can try these techniques on your own designs, too! Just make sure the element you want to fill starts as a cut file that is all on one layer. I'll show you how to make a design with different layers work below!
TIP: If you're not sure how to upload an SVG cut file to Cricut Design Space, watch this helpful video training series I made.
Project 1: Foiled Letters on Gift Tags
STEP 2: PREPARE THE DESIGN FILES
Start with the "peace" and "lines" files on your Canvas with both visible. You can zoom in to see more detail by clicking on the plus (+) sign on the lower left.
The lined design is what we'll use to control the foil tool. But we have to adjust it first.
Select the lined object. Use the Operation menu to change it to Foil - Medium.
NOTE: I had good results using the Medium foil tip for filling in letters and using the Bold tip when I just did outlines. You can follow these suggestions or experiment to get the look you want.
I'll use the Color Box to set it to gold since I'll use that color.
Keeping the lock icon closed, enlarge the lines design to be 6" tall, about twice its original size. Then click Combine and select Weld.
When you zoom in, you can see lots of lines close together. That's how the foil lines will fill the space. The tool will follow each one that we use in the design.
Select the Peace design and Ungroup it. Then hold Shift and select the layers you want to fill with foil, so the letters and branch. The branch also looks good just outlined with the Bold foil tip.
Click "Combine" then "Weld." Note their original dimensions together so we can put them back to normal. Mine is 2.5" wide and 2.14" tall.
Enlarge the design to be about 125% as large, or 2.75" tall. You can use this percentage when experimenting with your own designs.
Drag the lines so the peace design and branch is all within the shape. Hold Shift to select both--but not the cut tag shape, then click Slice.
Delete the Slice Results layers other than the one already set to Foil-Medium.
Resize the slice result back down to size, 2.14" tall. Drag it back into position on the tag if it moved.
Then, drag a bounding box over the layers including the Cut shape and click Attach.
STEP 3: FOIL YOUR DESIGN
Make sure you have the right machine selected and click "Make It."
If prompted, click "On Mat," "12 in x 12 in," and "Confirm."
On the Prepare screen, make sure your design looks correct. If pieces are in the wrong spots, a step may have been missed, so go back and try again.
Centering your foil design on the mat screen will make it easier to work with the foil sheet, so drag it to the middle.
Click Continue.
I chose "Light Cardstock" with Default pressure.
Make sure your Blue LightGrip mat is clean to get the best foil transfer, Then, place the cardstock face up on the machine mat. Use the brayer to really secure the cardstock to the mat.
Then, place the foil sheet shiny side up over the design area as indicated on the screen. The dull side without color goes against the cardstock.
TIP: You can trim the foil sheet to size if you like, just make sure it will totally cover the foil design. Don't let the foil stick to the mat, it will be ruined.
Adhere one edge in place using the included tape. Don't place the tape over the design lines as it will interfere with the tool tip.
Make sure there are no creases and the design is still totally covered. Smooth the foil but don't pull it taut and tape down the opposite edge. Add tape to the other edges, too.
If you need to reposition the tape, it's easy! Just gently pull it up and try again. The tape is reusable, too!
Follow the screen prompts to put your Medium tip into the Foil Tool Housing when directed. Remember, the Medium has two lines. Then put it in Clamp B
Load your mat and press the flashing button to start the foiling. This small design will take several minutes. Make sure your computer doesn't lose the connection to the Cricut by going to sleep or turning off. It might be safest to use the wired connection. Turn off your screen saver and energy saver settings, too! If it stops, you'll have to start over.
When the foiling is done, don't remove the mat! Carefully remove the tape and foil.
Then, swap in your Fine-Point Blade and housing in clamp B and follow the screen prompts to make the final cut.
Unload the mat. Flip it over and peel it back to release the cardstock. The scraper can help gently lift the card.
Cut a length of the special spiral jute string in festive colors and tie a loop through the tag's hole. Or you can use the standard brown for a classy, yet traditional packaging look. You could even wrap your gift first with standard brown butcher paper and tie it up with jute. Try different color combinations, too!
Project 2: Drawn Letters on Gift Tags
STEP 2: PREPARE THE DESIGN FILES
Start with the "peace" and "lines" files on your Canvas with both visible. You can zoom in to see more detail by clicking on the plus (+) sign on the lower left.
Select the peace design and Ungroup it.
Then hold Shift and select the layers you want to draw, so the letters and branch.
Click Combine and Weld.
Change the layer's color to orange to help differentiate between the pieces in the next part. Note the original dimensions so you can put it back to normal after the adjustments. Mine is 2.5" wide and 2.14" tall.
With the lock icon closed, I changed the height to 5". If you're using a different design, make it twice its original size. If it's any smaller, the lines won't be close enough together to really fill in the space.
With the lined object selected, click "Combine" and "Weld." Then change the color to red. The change is more apparent if you zoom in a bit.
With the lock icon closed, enlarge the lined object so it covers the entire design. I made mine 12" tall to fit, but if you're using a different design, enlarge it to at least twice its original size, even if the design fits at a smaller dimension. Again, this is important for the line spacing.
With the lined object still selected, change the Operation to Draw - Pen. Use the Color Box to select a .8 Glitter Gel Pen. We used glitter gel pens in red, neon green, neon blue, and the brown that gives it that gold metallic look! I'll use brown.
Hold Shift to select both--but not the cut tag shape, then click Slice.
You'll see four layers called Slice Result at the top of the Layers Panel. They might not be in the same order, but they are:
- Orange Basic Cut layer with just lines filling the letter shapes
- Orange Basic Cut layer with lines filling the shapes and a full outline
- Brown Pen layer with lines filling the shapes and a full outline
- Remaining brown Pen lined shape with the design cut out of it.
The pen layer with lines and an full outline is the one we want, so delete the others. The design might look a bit jagged, but it will look fine when it's drawn out.
Resize the design back to the original, mine was 2.5" wide. Drag it back into position on the tag if needed.
Drag a bounding box over both layers and click Attach.
Your design is ready!
STEP 3: DRAW THE DESIGN
Make sure you have the right machine selected and click "Make It."
If prompted, click "On Mat," "12 in x 12 in," and "Confirm."
On the Prepare screen, make sure your design looks correct. If pieces are in the wrong spots, a step may have been missed, so go back and try again.
Centering your design on the mat screen will make it easier for visibility, so drag it to the middle.
Click Continue.
I chose "Light Cardstock" with "Default" pressure.
Place your pen in Clamp A and fine-point blade in Clamp B. Put the cap on the pen so you don't lose it.
Place the cardstock face up on the Blue LightGrip machine mat. Use the brayer to really secure the cardstock to the mat.
Load your mat. The pens can smudge when they're still wet, so move any white star wheels that will go over the drawing design so they don't.
Press the flashing button to have the Cricut draw and then cut your design.
Let it completely dry before removing the cardstock from the mat. Flip it over and peel it back to release the cardstock. The scraper can help gently lift the card.
Cut a length of the special spiral jute string in festive colors and tie a loop through the tag's hole. Or you can use the standard brown for a classy, yet traditional packaging look.
Project 3: Engraved Acrylic Night Light
STEP 2: PREPARE THE DESIGN FILES
I'll show you how to engrave a design using the Silent Night SVG from the download and the line file. Add them both to your Canvas.
The larger you make the design prior to welding, the closer together the lines will be. This is what we want for engraving.
Select the lines file and use the color box to change it to red - that makes the lines easier to see and helps differentiate the elements we'll adjust.
Keeping the lock icon closed, enlarge the lines design to be 6" tall, about twice its original size.
Then, click Combine then Weld.
I want the stars and branches to just be outlined in engraving but want to fill in the letters, so we can adjust them to work with them separately.
Select the design and click the Ungroup icon.
Hold Shift to select the two layers with letters in the Layers Panel. Then click Combine and Weld. They'll jump to the top of the layers list in a single layer.
Take note of the original dimensions so we can return to them at the end of the adjustment process. Mine is 1.45" wide and x 1.42" tall. I'll use the color box to make these layers orange to help keep things straight.
Then, hold Shift to select the remaining star and branch layers. Use the Operation menu to change them to Engraving.
Drag the welded words over on top of the object with lines. We want to get the lines filling the letters, but if we did at the current dimensions they would be too far apart to really fill the spaces during engraving. Here's the trick!
Keeping the lock icon closed, enlarge the words to be 3.3" tall, about 225% its original size if you're using another file. Make sure it still fits within the lined shape.
Select the design and lined shape, then click Slice.
You'll see four layers called Slice Result at the top of the Layers Panel. They might not be in the same order, but they are:
- Gray layer with just lines filling the letter shapes
- Orange layer with lines filling the shapes and a full outline
- Red layer with lines filling the shapes and a full outline
- Remaining red lined shape with the design cut out of it.
Delete the results other than the orange layer with lines filling the shapes and a full outline. Zoom in to see the details if you need help telling the difference.
With the remaining design selected, change the Operation to Engraving. The color disappeared, but that's what we want.
See how far apart the lines are? If we engraved it at this size, they wouldn't fill the letter.
Resize the design to the original dimensions - 1.45" wide and 1.42" tall - and you can see that the lines are much closer together now. This will make the engraved lines much more dense, which is what we want!
Drag the adjusted design back into position with the stars and branches. Then drag a bounding box to select the entire design and click Attach.
Now you're ready to engrave!
STEP 3: ENGRAVE THE DESIGN
Make sure your acrylic disk is no more than 2 mm thick, otherwise it might not fit under your cutting machine's rollers. If your acrylic disk has a protective film, remove it from the side that will touch the mat.
Next, center the disk on your Cricut Purple StrongGrip mat with the unprotected side up. Use the cross in the center of the mat as your centering guide.
Once centered, tape around the disk's edges using painter's tape to keep it still during the engraving. I used this pink painters tape to more easily see on the mat. Avoid putting tape where the engraving will happen. You can reference the design by advancing to the Prepare Screen.
Back in Design Space, make sure you have the right machine selected, either a Maker or Maker 3, and click "Make It."
If prompted, click "On Mat," "12 in x 12 in," and "Confirm."
On the Prepare screen, make sure your design looks correct. If pieces are in the wrong spots, a step may have been missed, so go back and try again.
Center the image on the mat at the 6" horizontal and vertical marks. This way, the Cricut will engrave on the disk and not on the mat! Click Continue.
For the material, search for "acrylic" and select "thick acrylic (2mm)" then click Done.
Change the pressure to "More." Put your engraving tool in Clamp B, and move the four white star wheels all the way to the right.
Load your mat and press the flashing button to start the foiling. This small design will take several minutes. Make sure your computer doesn't lose the connection to the Cricut by going to sleep or turning off. It might be safest to use the wired connection. Turn off your screen saver and energy saver settings, too! If it stops, you'll have to start over.
Since engraving is a more involved process than the usual cutting, I recommend watching your machine during the cut in case any issues arise.
When your machine has finished engraving, unload the mat and use a soft cloth to brush the debris off. Rubbing alcohol helps if it's stubborn! To remove debris from your machine, use a soft cloth or small vacuum attachment.
Remove the disk from the mat and carefully peel off the painter's tape. Brush off any more debris. Remove the other protective film if it's still in place.
STEP 4: SHOW THEM OFF!
To finish the Engraved Acrylic Nightlight, place the disk in the slot on top of the LED base. You can have the engraved side face the wall or face out. Make sure it has fresh batteries and plug it in to enjoy your work!
You could also use a second acrylic disk behind to fill the space in the base. Or, add another engraved design or a vinyl decal to the second disc. Think of the possibilities!
Place your night light in your child's room, or yours. Hang your foiled or drawn gift tags from all the gits you give this year. Imagine placing your custom tag on the package that contains the night light ? And they match...Imagine the reactions 🙂