Cricut: How to Make a Foiled Bookmark
Discover how to use the Cricut Foil Transfer Kit to create a shimmering bookmark! Personalise this simple accessory in a whole new way using your Cricut machine.
The Foil Transfer Kit can be used with the Cricut Maker, Explore Air 2, Explore Air and even the original Explore machine! The foil is transferred onto the material using pressure, so all you need to do is choose the nib thickness, then pop in the housing and foil.
Follow our simple foiled bookmark guide for a great starter project with this new foiling system.
This project has been created using the Cricut Maker.
Project and instructions by Aisha Cluitt
Please note: This project contains paid-for content from Cricut's Design Space app. Screen reference images are taken from the desktop Windows version of Design Space.
You will need
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Is $ 12.00
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Is $ 29.00
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Is $ 64.00
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Is $ 606.00
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Is $ 22.00 , was $ 30.00
How to make
You will also need -
* Cricut Design Space app installed on your Mac, PC or laptop.
Open up the Design Space app on your desktop and start a new project. Select images from the toolbar on the left-hand side of the screen.
Open the 'Art Type' menu and select draw only. Type "Enjoy the Little Things" into the searchbar and hit enter to search.
Select the highlighted design (#M13947C5F) then click 'Insert'.
Once back through to the canvas, select the image and hide the light orange rectangle layer by clicking on the eye symbol.
Select the second image layer and click the 'Contour' button at the bottom of the layer panel.
Click the three curved vertical lines at the bottom of the design to hide them - they'll turn light grey in colour.
With the image selected, change the'Line Type' to 'Foil' from the drop down, and then select the line weight - we went for 'Fine'.
Amend the colour of the foil to the colour you intend to use - we used silver.
Open the image library once more, this time typing "Bookmark" into the search bar.
Top Tip: Make sure the 'Draw only' filter is not selected in the 'Art Type' menu.
Select the highlighted image (#M7D7D65A).
Amend the width of the bookmark to the desired size. Ours measured 5.8cm.
Open the 'Shapes' menu, and insert a square. Click the padlock icon so that the width and height of the shape can be amended indepently. Amend the width to match that of the bookmark, then tweak the height to the desired size. We made ours 9cm tall.
Drag a selection box over both shapes, then click the 'Arrange' button in the toolbar at the top of the screen, and select 'Centre Horizontally' from the dropdown menu.
Click the grey rectangle and press the downwards arrow on your keyboard until the shape is in the desired location, ensuring that it overlaps the bookmark shape, if only marginally.
Once happy with the placement, drag a selection box over both shapes and select 'Weld' to join both shapes together.
Amend the colour of the new shape to match the colour material you intend to use - we changed ours to black.
Click the 'Shapes' button once more, this time selecting 'Score Line'.
Rotate the line 90 degrees so that it runs horizontally on the canvas, then amend the width to 5mm less that the width of the bookmark.
Change the line type to 'Foil' selecting the same line weight as in step 4.
Open the image library once more and search "Grow Where you are Planted" in the search bar at the top of the screen, making sure the 'Draw Only' option is selected from the 'Art Type' menu.
Select the highlighted image (#M185F0FA1).
With the image selected, click 'Contour' and click on the text within the design to hide it, along with any floral elements you wish. We hid three of the floral stems so we had five in total.
Once happy with the new design, change the line type to match the rest of the foiled elements within the design, then resize and position in place on the bookmark.
Once happy with the arrangement of all the elements, drag a selection box over the entire bookmark and select 'Attach'.
Click 'Make It'.
You'll then be taken through to the mat preview screen. Check everything is correct before clicking 'Continue'.
Apply the faux leather to the cutting mat with a brayer and then secure the foil sheet on top, using the supplied tape to secure it on all four sides.
Top Tip: Make sure the tape is taut across the material where the design will be foiled. Ensure the foil sheet is facing matt side down.
Try to avoid the foil touching the cutting mat in any way, as the foil will transfer onto it.
Add the correct foiling tip into the housing, the 'Fine' tip will have one silver ring around the base, the 'Medium' tip two silver rings, and the 'Bold' tip three rings.
Once the tip has been inserted into the housing, place it into port B of your machine.
As this project uses faux leather, the white star wheels on the machine will need to be moved all the way across to either the right or left hand-side of the bar to avoid leaving an imprint in the material.
Once through to the machine set-up screen, select the material you'll be foiling onto, then follow the onscreen instructions to foil and cut the design.
After the foiling part of the design has been completed, you'll be prompted to remove the foil sheet, DO NOT UNLOAD THE MAT, carefully remove the sheet, then load the fine point blade to cut the bookmark shape.
Once the cut is complete, remove the bookmark from the cutting mat, then gently rub your finger over the design to remove any loose flakes.
To complete the bookmark, secure two handmade tassels to the hole at the top.
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