I've been using my cricut for a few days now with great success. My only problem is sometimes the blade drags accross the fondant and scratches it. If I just use the reverse side its ok but I would like to avoid it all together. Does anyone have this problem? Or solution?

My speed is 4
pressure 2
blade 4 or 5
Fondant I've used anywhere from 5 to 8 on pasta machine.

Thanks,
Karrie

Does anybody have any ideas on this one?

I wish I knew-- I got a Cricut for Christmas, but have not used it yet. Are you using a deep cut blade? Maybe you could look at one of the other threads about Cricut and send an email or message to one of the members who use Cricut. Good luck!

I am thinking that i use my pressure on 4 on the machine and 5 or 6 on the housing blade itself. Also have been told to make sure the dot for the housing blade faces forward. Also make sure you are letting air dry enough before cutting. I usually do 15 min if (i also use gumpaste or fondant with tylose in it)

Thanks I tried more pressure but the scraching was worse. I didn't know abut the dot though I will try that. I did find the fondant with tylose was better than the gumpaste.

Do you know about keeping them in the freezer after cutting to make them in advance. To keep them pliable? I want to use them and don't have the videos yet.

I bought some 2 gallon ziplock bags, and cut cardboard to fit that bag. I lay my pieces that are cut on this and keep in the freezer. she says to let set out 15-20 min at room temp in the bag, before placeing on the cake. I have not done a lot, did a cake with jungle animals. and cut out heart scrolls for a dummy cake i am working on. I do find that I have to clean the blade after a couple cuts. It gets caught up in the bottom. Sometimes, just have to clean the edges up. still trialing different patterns, havent done anything with little detail (like lace).

I use my cricut fairly often for different things on cakes. I use the deep cut housing, with the blade all the way out - level 6 I think. I also make sure to roll out my fondant so thin that there I can see through it. This prevents a lot of that scraping and dragging because the fondant is too low on the mat for the blade to scratch it when its moving across it.

And I do cut stiff ahead of time and keep them in my freezer until time for use. I don't even put a backing in the bag. Just put them in the bag and pop them in the freezer. They come out perfectly when its time to use them.

I am glad you all are having good luck with your cricut. I have been working for 5 hours trying to get this thing to work. I have linda's video and also her recipe. Her gum paste dries too quickly. I used fondant with tylose and can't get it off the board without it breaking. I got 3 pieces cut out a couple of days ago, but now I have my cake covered and ready to cut for real. I am about to scream and go back to my cutters. It becomes too jagged and and it gathers up on the blade. I have the blue blade, I have tried it set on 4,5, &6 and yes it scrathes the mat. I gave up on scal and inkscape and resorted to using the cartridges. I have bought 6 on e-bay. Boy I am so frustrated.

Hi
I have found I don't really need to let my fondant dry hardly at all. It seemed to cut fine as long as it wasn't sticky. I added 1 tsp of tylose per 1/2 lb of fondant. Its pretty stiff. I found too much pressure cut into the mat and not enough didn't cut through the fondant. I think if it is breaking your fondant might be drying to long. I can peel the outside scrap fondant right off the mat and then take the pattern off. The back side next to the mat was cut perfect. I thought I might just cut everything using the flip button and put it on the cake that way. I also keep the fondant really thin. When it got bunched up around the blade my blade needed cleaning. I haven't tried the programs yet, I will when I get some more $. Keep trying, I just kept a piece of paper and kept writting down what combos worked. Good luck!

I had a terrible time getting mine to work at first. It would always drag the fondant (with tylose), tear it, scratch it...just a mess. Then I figured out that I wasn't rolling it thin enough, and my hand-crank roller was a disaster. I bought a kitchenaid pasta roller attachment, and presto..works like magic now. No problems at all. And yes, I put them on a greased board, in a huge baggie in the freezer. No problem. Here's a link to my latest "cricut cake"...Scooby. You can see that there was no dragging or scratching at all. If you need more help, feel free to pm me. I know how frustrating it can be. It took me 3 days....
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1555819

Wow! Scooby looks great! I hope I can do that well when I have time to figure it out.

I finally got it to work late last night, I have talked to Linda several times. I used some ideas on this site . I mixed some of Linda's gum paste with Wilton fondant, I kneaded it real well, adding some extra shortning. I let it sit 15 minutes uncovered and presto. I could cut a whole sheet. I have a large fondant sheeter and I can roll a full 12 X12 sheet at once. I take it down to #1 on the sheeter. Put them in a zip lock bag, no board and I put them on a greased board in a zip lock. The no grease worked equally as the greased. I have been working on this for weeks, I just had to keep trying. I used the blue deep cut blade on #6, speed 3,pressure #2. It zipped right through. I think you all are right every part of the country is different. I don't think I need 2 tablespoons of tylose in Linda's recipe.
thanks bunches.

Please check out this out..If you love the cricut and gumpaste.. this will really peak your interest

Has anyone else used the sugarveil???

http://www.youtube.com/sugarveil

Yes, I know all about that, Michelle Hester is from K.C. Mo. She comes to our Day of Sharings. I have it. plus the equipment she sold.

I ordered the 1lb of sugarveil yesterday, and cannot wait to try it!

You should order her video also. You can do so much with it. The bows are beautiful.

Wow, I didn't know about the sugarveil, it's like "using fondant with cricut for dummies"....ahem, which I clearly am. I have also spent many frustrated moments trying to get a clean cut without jamming up the blade, or the entire cricut machine! Thanks lindaj36523 for the info on sugarveil, and thanks everyone for the tips

Lisa