Slice Tool In Cricut Design Space-All you need to know

Welcome and thank you so much for being here!

Today we will be discussing the slice tool in Cricut Design Space in detail! We will also be doing examples together so you are implementing as you are reading this:) WOOHOO! The more you practice and do things, the easier the things become!

We will be deep-diving into what the slice tool is and what it can do with numerous examples you can follow and implement as you read through this.

There are five tools in Cricut Design Space that we will be addressing in the next few weeks. The Five tools are Slice, Attach, Weld, Flatten, and Contour.

Topics covered here are

The shapes Cricut Design Space offers
Using the slice tool with two shapes
Cutting text out of a shape using the slice tool
What if I have more than 2 layers to slice
Creating new shapes with the slice tool with the provided basic shapes in Cricut Design Space
Cropping an Image with the slice tool
Cutting an Image in half using the Slice tool

The purpose of the slice tool is to cut one image or text from another. If you overlap 2 images or text over one another to slice (cut) them into separate parts.

This tool is super powerful once you master it! Below is one of the examples we will be doing together! So let’s dive in!

Need the basics of Design Space? First, read my Ultimate Beginners Guide to Cricut Design Space.

This guide will walk you through all Cricut Design Space, all the icons, and what they do. Even gives you some examples to start!

Using the slice tool in cricut design space.

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Shapes-

You will be using these all the time so get used to the shapes and designing things from them! You can do many cool things with some basic shapes.

I am not going into Detail about shapes here. If you need more information on shapes please visit my Ultimate Beginners Guide to Cricut Design Space.

The shapes in Cricut design space are

Square
Circle
Triangle
Diamond
Pentagon
Hexagon
Star
Octagon
Heart

Also here is where you will find another version of your scoreline.

How to use the Slice Tool in Cricut Design Space

Alright, I am so excited to get into this! We are going to be slicing together:) WOOHOO

To start, I opened design space up and logged in. Go ahead open design space and log in. Start a new blank canvas.

I then went into Cricut access by going into images and searched for a frog in the search bar and choose the one I wanted to use.

I then grabbed a basic shape by going into the shape icon and selected the square. You should now have two items on your canvas. See the image below. You should have the frog, or whatever image you chose, and a square.

Selecting images and shapes to slice in cricut design space

If you don’t have Cricut access and would like it you can click here and it will take you directly there so you can view your options and purchase it.

If that is not an option for you right now, No worries, We can just use two basic shapes. So go ahead and grab two basic shapes right now if you don’t have Cricut access. See picture below

For others that don't have access to cricut access and how to use the slice tool with two basic shapes

Moving on– I then placed the frog in the middle of the square and selected both items. Make sure the frog and the square are both highlighted in that darker grey on the layers panel on the right-hand side. See the image below.

The same would go with the basic shapes. Choose which item is going in the middle and do the same thing with those basic shapes. See image below

Frog and square example using the slice tool in cricut design space — If you have access to Cricut access

two basic shapes example using the slice tool in cricut design space — If you are using basic shapes

Finally, we get to use the slice tool. So go ahead, once both items are selected go down to that slice tool in the bottom right-hand corner in design space. See the 1st image above to see where the slice tool is.

Slice result with frog and square using the slice tool in design space — Results from the slice tool with frog and square

Slice result with two basic shapes in cricut design space — This is your slice result for the basic shapes. WOOHOO, YOU DID IT!

When you slice the images it won’t look much different than it did before you hit the button, but if you take a peek at your layers panel, on the right side, it will show you the results. You can also move your image to see if it cut it. Most of the time the slice will show through on the design once you slice it as well.

Depending on your plans for this, you can use all the pieces it produced or you can delete what you don’t need.

What if my slice tool isn’t highlighted to use?

Make sure all your items are ungrouped and/or unattached and ONLY two items or objects are selected at a time. Any more than that, your slice tool will not be available to use.

Ideas that could come from these

Ideas that can come about when using the slice tool in cricut design space

Stencil- The square with the frog cut out could turn into a stencil for a piece of wood
Vinyl cut out or HTV- the image of the frog could turn into a cut file with HTV for a tote bag or shirt
Could also use the square with the frog in it as a picture with a solid square behind it with color
Could add words to it and use it on a tote, shirt, or sign
The same goes with the basic shapes!
You can turn that circle after slice into a paper ornament for Christmas. Just add a picture and another solid circle behind it to hold the picture. Glue it together and hole punch the top and there you have it:)

Idea from the two basic shapes. A tree ornament for you and your loved ones

Cutting Text out of a Shape with the Slice tool

If you need more help I linked to my Editing text in Cricut Design space because I will not be going into detail about editing the text.

Information on Editing Text In Cricut Design Space

Now we are going to grab a shape and add text to the shape. So go grab whatever shape you want and write something that inspires you, but make sure all your text is connected!

Below I am using a square that I modified and chose the text Alexis Mattox-Emma Rae, which is a single-layered text.

I tend NOT to write all my text in one box but you most certainly can write it all in one box. The choice is yours! Below I have 3 different text boxes for each of the words, plus my square.

Next, we are going to place the text on top of the shape you chose, which in my case would be the square. Make sure you align and center it, if that is what you are going for.

We are now ready to select TWO layers at a time to slice! Remember you can only do two objects at one time as we discussed earlier. If you have one text box, just select that and the square and hit slice.

More than one text box

I would have to select and slice three different times because I have three text boxes. You can see that above or below in my layers panel which is on the right-hand side.

More than two layers to slice? Not a problem, just follow along — Here you can see that I have the You selected as well as my square and I sliced.

Next, you may be surprised at what happened if you have more than a few layers. When you slice it, the 2 items you sliced will be on top and the rest of it will be behind the image. See picture below

Result after the first slice. The two items you sliced are in front and the other layers are behind. Select the square and move it to the back. — Here you can see the slice result and how only what I sliced is shown. Everything else is behind it

So the next thing you have to do is select the square and send it back to the back. You can now view everything. And repeat the slice steps for the next two text boxes.

And TA-DA There you have it! YOU JUST DID THAT!!!

The final results of slicing words and a basic shape — Two different ways you can use this. I changed the color of the square to make it prettier!

Creating Shapes with the Slice Tool

The Slice tool is great for creating shapes that Cricut design space doesn’t offer in the shapes icon. I thought we would start by making a moon slice and a lemon in one shot with 2 shapes. I am going to try explaining it the best I can.

So we are going to start with 2 circles on our canvas like so

Creating shapes with two circles. We will be making two lemons and 2 moons out of two circles — I just eye balled the type of moon I wanted. I do not have exact placement for this. Use your judgement.

Next, we are going to select both circles and go ahead and hit that slice tool.

Creating shapes with two circles. We will be making two lemons and 2 moons out of two circles- Slice result — This is the result of the slice. Se how you can see the results on the images of the slice.

So here I am just moving them and changing the color from the picture above. And there you have it. You have two moons and two lemons out of just two circles below.

Creating shapes with two circles. We have 2 lemons and 2 moons out of two circles. I just moved them and changed the color — You can always add little details here on the lemon or the moons

If you want a thicker moon, you can definitely do that. Just move your circle further out

From these two things, you can make endless designs and shapes.

Just some ideas of what could come out of these shapes

Cropping an object with the slice tool

Sometimes, well a lot of the time, you find an object and wish a part of it wasn’t there right? Oh, I understand how frustrating that can be, but no worries because this tool can help with that.

For example, Let’s take this curved arrow below. I love the curve but don’t want the arrow for the project I am working on so I want to remove it.

First grab a basic shape from the shape icon, for me that would be a circle. If you want the cut flat vs rounded you can grab a square.

Sometimes, well a lot of the time, you find an object and wish a part of it wasn't there right? Oh I understand how frustrating that can be, but no worries because this tool can help with that.

Now let us line it up right where you want it to cut or slice at. Then you want to select both objects which are the arrow and circle and hit slice.

Line up that circle on the arrow where you want design space to slice. — Lined the circle on the arrow right where I want to slice it and selected both objects

Make sure they are both selected and hit the slice tool in cricut design space — I then hit the slice tool.

Your final results will look like this and you can add or embellish it from there. Use your imagination and play around here. You can make some pretty cool images from these shapes.

Final results of the slice in cricut design space

Just a few ideas below of what you could do and go from there. Once you are happy with each of your items here you can weld them together to make them one piece by selecting each piece or by drawing a box around the whole design with your mouse, then hitting the weld tool, which is right next to the slice tool.

Just a few ideas below of what you could do with your sliced items — Just playing to give you examples of what you could make

Once you are happy with each of your items here you can weld them together to make them one piece by selecting each piece or by drawing a box around the whole design with your mouse, then hitting the weld tool, which is right next to the slice tool. — Welded together. And remember it always takes the color of the back shape

Slicing a shape in half in Cricut Design Space

The same concepts apply here as well. You would take the shape you wanted to cut in half and put it on your canvas. For me, that would be a star that I want to be cut in half with a basic shape that fits what I want to cut. (1)

Step 2- I unlocked the square to make it fit the whole side of the star that I wanted to slice off.
3- Make sure both items or objects are selected and hit the slice tool in the right hand corner.
4- Your slice results!! You cut the star in half! And that is how you would do most images.

The same concepts apply here as well. You would take the shape you wanted to cut in half and put in on your canvas. For me that would be a star that I want cut in half with a basic shape that fits what I want to cut. (1)
Step 2- I unlocked the square to make it fit the whole side of the star that I wanted to slice off.
3- Make sure both items or objects are selected and hit the slice tool in the right hand corner.
4- Your slice results!! You cut the star in half! And that is how you would do most images.

Alright now stop what you are doing and give yourself a big pat on the back!!! You got through all that information and I am super super proud of you! I hope this article truly helped you on your path to creating.

If this article did help you please share the love and help others too! I spend hours, if not days researching and putting these articles together! Thank you so much for your support!

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