DIY Fridge Magnets With Cricut + Free Designs!

Instructions

STEP 1: PREPARE TO PRINT THEN CUT

When you're working with a new material or process, calibrating your machine's settings will save you time and money in the long run.

In a new Cricut Design Space window, click the three lines in the upper left corner, then select Calibration.

Select Print Then Cut. Then follow the prompts to select your printer and print a test sheet.

Follow the directions to place the test sheet on your LightGrip cutting mat and load it into your Cricut.

Your Cricut will perform many cuts that may or may not line up with the numbered lines.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT unload your mat until the Calibration test is complete.

Answer the questions in Design Space about the cut results. If the calibration was off, you may be asked to print another test sheet and check the settings once more. Once your Calibration is successful, your Cricut is ready!

Next, clean the print heads on your inkjet printer for the best print quality. Consult the printer's manual for the specific steps as they vary.

STEP 2: GET MY FREE DIY FRIDGE MAGNET DESIGNS

Next, download my free DIY Fridge Magnets PNG files, Design #396, from my free resource library. One file has the full collection sized to fit on one Print then Cut sheet. The folder has all ten designs in individual files so you can work with them individually.

I will show you how to make the file with all of the designs using two different material processes. The upload process for Print then Cut is different than a SVG.

Upload the image as normal until you reach a screen with the PNG on the left.

Select Complex for the image type and then click Continue in the lower right corner.

You do not need to do anything on the next screen, so click Apply & Continue.

For Upload Type, select Print Then Cut and click Upload.

You should now see your fridge magnet designs collection in your Recent Uploads. Select it and click Add to Canvas.

STEP 3: PRINT THEN CUT YOUR DIY FRIDGE MAGNETS

This is what the DIY Fridge Magnets collection looks like on my Canvas.

You can zoom out to see all of the design by clicking on the minus (-) sign on the lower left.

I have sized the PNG to be ready to cut on a single sheet. As of July 2022, the maximum Print then Cut size is 9.25" x 6.75". If you'd like to make your magnets smaller, click and drag the resize handle. If you'd like for the magnets to be larger and you get an error because of the print size, upload the designs as individual PNGs so that you can print them on multiple sheets.

They're ready to cut!

Make sure the correct machine is selected, then click "Make It" in the upper right corner.

There is nothing to change on the Prepare screen, so click Continue.

Some of the settings are different depending on the magnet materials you're using.

Click the green Send to Printer button to open the Print Setup window. Make sure your printer is listed and the sliders next to "Add Bleed" (a small border around each image that allows for more precise cutting) and "Use System Dialog" are green. Then click Print.

The print screen for your printer will appear, but it might be hidden behind Design Space. Minimize your Cricut window to see the print settings window.

Your window will look different depending on your computer and printer. Make sure your printer is listed in the window. For either material, set the paper type to "glossy photo" and print quality to "Best."

Since the materials we're using for the magnets are thicker and a different composition than traditional printer paper, I've had better results using the manual feed tray. Change the paper source if necessary.

After your magnet designs have printed, set them aside until the ink is completely dry to avoid any smears during the cutting process.

This is what my printed vinyl sheet looks like.

And this is what my printed magnetic sheet looks like.

See the black box around my designs? This is called a registration box and is used by your Cricut cutting machine to tell it exactly where to cut your project.

Now, we need to apply the printable vinyl to a thicker magnet sheet. The printable vinyl sheet is larger than the magnet, so placement is important.

Remove the backing from the printable vinyl and lay it design-side down on your table. Remove the adhesive protective sheet from the magnet. Center the magnet over the back of the printable vinyl so that it will cover all of the designs. Press the sticky side of the magnet to the back side of the printable vinyl.

Flip over the layers and gently smooth out any bubbles.

You can cut either material as they are, or you can apply laminate to add a glossy finish and more strength. It also helps protect them from water!

I found it easiest to apply the laminate sheet with the magnets already placed on the machine mats. The printable vinyl on a magnet sheet goes on a StrongGrip Machine Mat and the printable magnet goes on a StrandardGrip Machine Mat.

Place the printed sheet on the correct mat, lining up the top left corner. We need to trim the laminate so that it doesn't cover the registration marks. The Cricut uses the registration marks to determine where to cut. If the laminate covers the registration marks it can interfere with that which might cause the cut to be way off.

Use a ruler to measure inside the registration box. The laminate just needs to cover the designs so I'm going to cut mine to 9.5" by about 5.75".

Remove the backing of the self laminate. Just like transfer tape, fold the edges up like a taco and place the bottom curve along the center of the magnet sheet. Gently let the sides down and use your scraper to smooth out any bubbles.

TIP: If you have any tricky bubbles, it is okay if they aren't completely gone, just make sure they are in an open white area and not over a design.

Use a brayer to make sure your sheet is really stuck well to the mat.

Now, they're ready to be cut by the machine. The settings and tools are different depending on which type of magnet you used.

Cutting Printable Magnets

Click "Browse All Materials” and select "Printable Magnet." Also, set the Pressure to "More."

Insert your Fine-Point Blade and press the flashing arrows to load your mat into your Cricut. Press the middle flashing button to cut the designs.

Cutting Printable Vinyl on Magnet Sheets

Click "Browse All Materials” and select "Magnetic Sheet 0.6mm." Also, set the Pressure to "More."

For this cut, you'll need the Deep-Point Blade in Clamp B. Press the flashing arrows to load your mat into your Cricut. Press the middle flashing button to cut the designs.

IMPORTANT: BEFORE unloading your mat, gently lift the edge of the magnet sheet to check the cut. If the design doesn't easily separate from the excess magnet, click the middle button on the Cricut to cut the material a second time. You may need to do this one or two times depending on the sharpness of your blade. As long as you don't unload the mat, the cut will be identical for each pass.

Once you're sure the magnets have cut all the way through, press the flashing arrows to unload your mat. Remove the magnets and excess magnet material from the mat. You're all done!

STEP 4: SHOW THEM OFF

Aren't they adorable! Remember, you can make the magnets larger by using the solo files, like I did with the flowers and glass.