How to Create SVG Files for Cricut (with Pictures)

It’s possible to convert an image and create svg files for Cricut or Silhouette

You can use jpg or png image files and turn them into svg files to use with your cutting machine.

Learn how you can convert a basic image file, for example a jpg or png file, to svg format that you can use in your Cricut or Silhouette cutting machine.

Click to watch the quick video

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Difference between svg, png and jpg

First, a little background information for you.  

Most image files are in raster or bitmap form.

This means that they are images made with pixels (a small dot or point of color) that is displayed on a screen.  

“In computer graphics, a raster graphics or bitmap image is a dot matrix data structure that represents a generally rectangular grid of pixels (points of color), viewable via a monitor, paper, or other display medium. Raster images are stored in image files with varying formats.”

Source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Raster_graphics

Using svg files

The problem with this format is that if you want to enlarge the image, the end result will be grainy and highly pixelated.  

This is not so great when you need to transfer that image to a t-shirt that you want to customize.

A better option is to use an svg file.  Svg stands for scalable graphic vector.

A vector file can be enlarged or reduced without losing any quality to the image.  

Basically, you won’t end up with blurry images on your crafts.

If you only have a jpg or a png image, you can still use the image for your project.  

All you have to do is convert the image to an svg format.

It’s best to use an image with a clear background. An image with a complex background will be harder to convert.

How to use Canva to edit images

You can clear up the image background using an online editor like Canva.

Online method to make svg files

I’ll show you how to do this in 5 steps using a free online graphic editor program.

This is a no-frills method that will give you a simple svg file that you can upload to your cutting machine.  

You will be able to use it like any other svg file because, *hint, hint… it is a real svg file.

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I’ll be using png files from the Hope Collection of my Digital SVG bundle.  

The bundle comes with 10 files (svg, png, jpg and dxf format) to use in any craft projects, personal and business usage included.

Browse the new collection and find out more about the svg bundle.

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A really quick method to convert a file to svg format is to change the suffix or filename extension.

This just means that you can select the file, click rename, and change the extension to svg.

This doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try.

The original png is multicolored.

Upload the file into the Cricut Design Space image upload window

Here are instructions on how to upload an svg to Silhouette if you are not a Cricut user.

This method is really a quick and dirty option for when you need a simple solution for converting images.

If you don’t need colored multi-layer svg files then you’ll be fine with this method.

Most likely, you will use different color heat transfer vinyl to get the colors that you want on your project.

Do you use any other programs to convert your files?

Let me know which online image converter program is your favorite.

Don’t forget to download the PDF checklist to read later.

What to do with your new svg

You’re done. The hard part is finished and you are one step away from cranking up your Cricut machine to start pumping out those cute t-shirts.

That was simple! Now you have an svg file that you can work with and cut your designs from.

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