How to Make Insert Cards with Cricut, the Easy Way!

Instructions

STEP 1: GET MY FREE EASY INSERT CARDS DESIGNS

First, download my Easy Insert Card files from my free library – look for Design #795. Alternatively, you can use the Save This Project form near the top of this post and the design link will be emailed to you.

In the SVG folder, you’ll find files for my “birthday,” “love,” and “thanks” cards. They are sized to fit the R10 (3.5" x 4.9") Cricut Insert Cards, which are compatible with any machine and card mat. I’ll show you how to resize the designs to fit other Insert Cards.

There is also a DXF folder with cut files, and a PDF folder with versions you can print and cut by hand.

TIP: If you’re not sure how to upload, go to jennifermaker.com/svgs to learn how to unzip and upload SVG files.

STEP 2: PREPARE AND CUT YOUR INSERT CARDS

CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

1. In Cricut Design Space, open a blank Canvas.
NOTE: If you’re new to using Cricut Design Space, go to cricutkickoff.com for my introductory tutorial on Design Space basics.
2. Click “Upload” and then “Upload Image.” Click “Browse” and select the card SVG file you want to use.
NOTE: I’ll demonstrate with the “love” card, which uses the same steps as the “thanks” design. The “birthday” card has an extra step I’ll point out.
3. Click “Open,” and then “Continue.”
4. Click “Upload” to add the design to your Canvas.



5. Click “Save” and give your project a name so you can find it easily.
6. “Ungroup” the design to work with the elements separately, but don’t move anything.


NOTE: On your Canvas, you have one grouped layer for the design’s middle, and another group for the corners.
7. In the Layers Panel, click the arrow next to the first group to expand it.

8. Select the bottom layer in the expanded view.
NOTE: This layer has the details we want to draw, while the other has the shapes to be cut.
9. Set the “Operation” to “Pen,” then select your preferred pen in the Color Box.
NOTE: I’ll keep “F - Fine Point (0.4mm)” selected in the menu and choose “Very Berry."
TIP: The fine point pens work best with delicate designs like these.

10. If you are making the “birthday” design, use Steps 7-9 to also adjust the “Operation” and colors for the corner decorations.


11. To make the design and corners fit another size card, use the “Shapes” icon to add a free Square to the Canvas and move it to an open area.
12. Change the Square’s “Operation” to “Guide” so it is just an outline and won’t be part of the design sent to the machine.
13. Click the “Lock” to unlock the Guide’s proportions, then resize it to match the insert of your chosen card.
NOTE: I’ll make mine 4.4” x 6.3” to fit the R40 card as an example. I’m using the card in portrait orientation, but you can also re-orient your design to use it in landscape.
TIP: The insert sizes for each card in portrait orientation are as follows. Reverse the dimensions to use them in landscape orientation:
R10: 3.2” x 4.6”
R20: 4” x 5.25”
R30: 4.25” x 6”
R40: 4.4” x 6.3”
14. In your design, “Ungroup” the lowest Grouped layers to separate the corner cuts.


15. Move the top left cut corner roughly into the top left corner on the Guide.


16. Select the top left corner cut and the Guide together.
17. Use the “Align” tool to pick “Align Top.”
NOTE: If you don’t see the “Align” menu, you may need to click the pencil icon first.


18. With both elements still selected, use the “Align” tool to pick “Align Left” to correctly place the first corner.


19. With both still selected, click “Group” to keep the corner in place on the insert during the next alignment phase.


20. Use Steps 15-19 to align and group the remaining corner cuts on the Guide, adjusting your “Align” tool options as appropriate.
TIP: Make sure the diagonal line in each corner cut forms a triangle shape in each corner.

21. Move the grouped middle design layers onto the Guide, roughly in the center.
22. With the Lock icon closed, resize the middle design to fit the Guide shape, then adjust the placement as needed.
NOTE: I made mine about 4.11” W x 3.64” H for this size card insert in portrait orientation.

TIP: Many designs look best centered by eye instead of by the Align tools due to irregular shapes.
23. “Ungroup” the design elements until there are no Groups in the Layers Panel.
NOTE: Don’t move anything on the Canvas.


24. If you want to change the color to match your card base, change the “Basic Cut” layers using the Color Box.
NOTE: I’ll make my card front white and use a red insert.


25. Select the entire design and click “Attach” to keep the elements and operations together on the mat.
TIP: The Guide will not be part of the final design even if it is attached.

26. Your project is ready to cut!
CUTTING

1. Make sure the correct machine is selected in the top right.
2. Click “Make.”
3. On the “Prepare” screen, check that your design looks correct.
NOTE: If you see a mat with just lines, one or more of your layers may not have attached correctly, so click on “Cancel” to return to the Canvas to check and adjust as needed.


4. Click the drop-down menu under “Material Load Type” and select “On card mat” to reload the preview with the card mat view.
TIP: The Cricut automatically picks the size of the card based on the size of the artwork.


5. Make sure your “Material Size” matches the cards you’re using. If you pick a new one, the card will automatically re-center to fit it.
NOTE: If your design is not oriented correctly, select it, then hold your “Shift” key to click and drag the curved arrow icon to rotate the design. Remember that the card’s left edge is the fold.
TIP: If one section of your card mat starts to lose its stickiness, move the design to another area to use a fresh area.
6. Click “Continue.”
7. On the “Make” screen, set your Base Material.
NOTE: For the “birthday” and “thanks” designs, I got the best results using the “Heavy Cardstock” setting with “More” Pressure for Cricut Insert Cards. For the “love” design, I got the best results using the “Intricate Cuts” setting with “More” Pressure. All machines are different, so your results may vary.
USING THE CARD MAT

1. Remove the protective mat covers from both sides (even if you're just cutting one card), place the shiny sides together to avoid picking up dust, and set them to the side.
2. Make sure the mat is top-edge up, so you can read the word “Cricut.”
TIP: Unlike other machine mats, the 2x2 mat must be loaded top-first. Otherwise, your designs will not be properly aligned on the cards.

3. To add the folded card to the mat, gently poke a weeding tool under the divider's left edge and pull up just enough to slide the card's back underneath.
TIP: The surface you want to cut goes on top of the divider, so the other side goes under it, fed from the left.


4. Make sure the card is aligned at the top left corner and tucked all the way so the crease touches the divider’s left side.
TIP: You can confirm you're using the correct card size by using the helpful guides on the divider.

5. Press down on the card to make sure it sticks well to the top of the divider.
6. Use your brayer to press all over the card for better adhesion.
7. Make sure there’s plenty of space behind the machine for the mat to feed through.
8. Use your fingers to move all of the machine’s white star wheels into the center so they align with the middle column of the card mat.


9. Load the mat matching the screen preview.
10. Follow the screen prompts to select and add your pen in the clamp indicated.
TIP: Remove the pen’s cap (put it on the back so you don’t lose it) and test it on scrap paper to make sure it flows well first.
11. Check that your Premium Fine-Point Blade is clean and in the clamp.

12. Press the flashing button to start drawing and cutting.
13. When the drawing and cutting are done, don’t unload the mat right away, but do remove the pen from the clamp and re-cap it.
14. With the mat still in place in the machine, gently lift a corner of the cardstock to see if the cuts went all the way through. If not, press the cut button to run the operations a second time in the same spots.
TIP: If you have three or more cards on the mat, the machine may have trouble with the second round of cuts.
15. Unload the mat but leave the card in place.

STEP 3: REMOVE THE CARD FROM THE MAT & ASSEMBLE

1. Instead of my usual tips to remove cardstock from a mat, leave it flat. Use a scraper or spatula tool to lift up the top, right, and bottom edges of the card first so it won’t rip, especially when the mat is super sticky.


2. Once it’s lifted a bit, you can gently pull the rest of the card up from the divider. The rest of the pieces should stay stuck to the divider.


3. To remove the left-behind bits and pieces, use the scraper again, moving from top to bottom so the little bits don’t get stuck in the mat's crevices.
4. Tweezers and a weeding tool can help, too.


5. Place the mat protectors back in place, clean sides down.
6. Lay the card open and hold your insert face down.
NOTE: You might notice the design isn’t perfectly centered on the card front — that’s normal for the card mat since Cricut Design Space doesn’t always align cuts exactly in the middle.


7. Gently bend the insert so you can get the corners into the matching slits cut in the card's front.

STEP 4: SHOW IT OFF

You now have a beautiful card to share!