This is step 2 of 8 of a project on how to make a Cricut leather bracelet. If you haven’t done previous step, see an overview of the whole project, including all the steps.
Table of contents | Getting the right file type for your Cricut leather bracelet
Introduction to file types for the Cricut
To get the correct file type for your Cricut, you’ll need to find or create cut files in the right formats.
“Cut files” are digital files that cutting machines, such as the Cricut, Silhouette, and Glowforge use to cut designs out of different materials. If you own one of these cutting machines, you’re probably aware that there are endless possibilities for the types of things you can make out of all kinds of materials.
In this article, we’re interested specifically in the cut files needed to create leather bracelets similar in style to the ones below.
There are thousands of patterns and templates that people have already made. Most of these will be for purchase, but they’re usually pretty cheap. There are also some available for free (see the section below).
If you’re interested in making this type of leather cuff bracelet with your cutting machine, the first thing you’ll need to do is find a cut file you like. Below I list some resources where you can download leather bracelet cut files either for free, or by purchasing them.
For now, let’s talk about what types of files you should look for based on the type of cutting machine you have, and the software you’re using with it.
Which file types will work for your machine and software
Here’s a quick table summarizing which file types can be used with different cutting machines, and their software programs.
When looking for cut files for your leather bracelet, you’ll notice that most bracelet cut file bundles offer a variety of formats. Make sure that your cutting machine can use at least one of them. When using my Cricut machine, I personally like to work with SVGs. They can be resized without any loss in quality, and they can be easily manipulated because they retain layers.
For example, if I need to make the hole for the closure larger, or I want to exclude certain elements from the cut, I can easily do this in Cricut Design Space or Adobe Illustrator.
With a JPEG or PNG, for example, it’s more difficult to make changes like that.
Test out different file types with your software and see what you’re most comfortable working with. You may not need the additional flexibility that some of the more complex file types offer.
Where to find leather bracelet cut files for Cricut and other cutting machines
I’ve listed a few great resources for leather bracelet digital files, including SVGs.
Free bracelet cut files
Admittedly, I tried to find some free resources for bracelet cut files and came up short. I came across a number of spammy web pages that took me to ads. If you manage to find any free resources for bracelet cut files that are the correct file type for the Cricut (or other cutting machines) that I can share here, please let me know in the comments!
All I can offer for now are links to the free bracelet cut files I offer on this website (you can filter for bracelets to see only bracelet files).
Bracelet cut files available for purchase
Again, I didn’t have a ton of luck finding other really reliable resources where you can purchase high quality bracelet cut files. If you know of any that you love, please let me know in the comments!
- Etsy is the best place for a variety of cut files for purchase.
- I also offer cut files for purchase through my personal Etsy shop.
Conclusion and next steps
Now that you know what to look for when selecting a design file for your Cricut-cut leather bracelet, the fun begins! I recommend starting with something free from my free bracelet cut file collection. This way, you can get started with little investment.
Once you’ve found a leather bracelet cut file/pattern you like, you may want to move on learning how to size the bracelet file correctly for your wrist.
You can also explore these other topics: