5 Methods to Use Slice Tool in the Cricut Design Space App

The Slice feature inside the Cricut Design Space is a handy tool that will help you to create unique projects with the Cricut machine. Most people use it to crop pictures, slice text, and create new shapes.

The concept of the Cricut Slice tool is quite simple: The Slice tool allows to cuts a text or shape from another shape. Even the Slice tool is easy to use; it has some quirks that frustrate new Cricut customers.

If that’s you, don’t worry. In this article, you’ll know everything about the Slice Tool. Here are the five best methods to use the Slice tool inside the Cricut Design Space.

What is the Cricut Slice tool?

The Cricut Slice is a tool that allows cutting one picture out of another, resulting in three new shapes. Every new shape will appear as an individual layer in the Layers panel, next to the other Design Space layer tools such as Attach, Flatten, Weld, and Contour.

Here are the guidelines to use the Slice tool in Cricut Design Space App

Now that it covers the basics of the Cricut Slice tool let’s talk about some of the best methods to use the Slice tool within the Cricut Design Space.

Cut out shapes and text from an extensive background shape

In this example, I’m creating a gift tag. I started with a long rectangle shape, smaller circles, and the word “Congrats.”

  1. First, create a new project. Add shapes and a text box to the Canvas.

  2. Then, start by using the smaller circle to poke holes in the rectangular gift tag so that it has a place to tie the ribbon. Drag the circle over the rectangle. Choose both layers, and press on Align > Center Vertically to line them up. After that, with both layers still selected press on Slice. You will see the Slice result in the Layers panel on the right side of the screen.

  3. Next, repeat the process with the word “Congrats.” Drag the text over the rectangle. Choose both layers, and press on Align > Center Vertically. After that, with both layers selected, press on Slice. You will see the Slice result in the Layers panel on the right side of the screen.

Note: You can only cut two layers at a time. So, you have to make this gift tag in two steps: first slice the circle, and then second slice the word.

Create a new shape from two standard shapes

In this example, we make a crescent shape out of two circles.

  1. First, add two circle shapes to the Canvas from the Shapes toolbar. I changed the colors of the circles to help show you precisely what’s going on, but you don’t have to do this in your project.

  2. Drag a circle over the other circle so that they overlap. Press on Align > Center Vertically to make all the circles lined up.

  3. With both circles still selected, press on Slice. If you look at the Slice result layers in the Layers panel on the right side of the screen, you will be able to tell it’s done.

Crop a picture

One of the best methods is to crop a premade design or cut file. This example will use the Slice tool to remove unwanted designs or pattern elements from the Cricut Access library picture.

First, start a new project and add a picture to the Canvas. In this example, we will be using the Father’s Day banner. Now, I like this design, but let’s pretend I needed to cut off the scalloped bottom side edge so you could turn it into a greeting card.

  1. First, you have to add a square shape to the Canvas, and the size is large enough to cover the bottom side edge of the banner design.

  2. Drag the shape onto the banner layer, and position it to overlap the banner area you want to trim.

  3. Choose both layers and press on Slice. You will know it’s done if you look at the Slice result layers in the Layers panel.

Cut a picture into multiple pieces and layers

Here is a simple method to use the Slice tool to split a picture into multiple parts. Use the Slice tool to cut the heart in two to create a split monogram in this example.

  1. First, use the Shapes menu in the left-hand toolbar to add a heart shape to the Canvas. Then, similarly, add a square to the Canvas.

  2. Shape the square into a long rectangle, and drag it to overlap the heart’s center. You can also press on Align > Center Vertically so that the two shapes line up perfectly.

  3. Choose both shapes and press on Slice. After removing the extra layers, you will be left with a heart shape divided into two pieces.

Modify or rearrange the finished picture

If you want to use a ready-made design from the Cricut Pictures library, it’s too long to fit on the project. You can use the Slice tool to isolate the picture and rearrange it so it fits. Here’s another method to use the Slice tool to modify or rearrange a finished design.

In this example, I am using the quote “family is everything.” It’s a picture layer from the pictures library, not something I typed in.

  1. First, start a new project and add a quote design to the Canvas. Looking at the Layers panel, the “family is everything” quote is a picture layer. It is not something I typed; I can’t just edit it with the text tool.

  2. You can detach it from the Slice tool and rearrange it. Add a rectangle to the Canvas and resize it to overlap the word “everything.”

  3. Choose both layers and press Slice. Now press and drag to separate the layers and see results.

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