How does the Cricut Design Studio work?

[bcinohio]

I have the baby cricut and I have been seeing this Design Studio. I don't understand what it does. Does it only work with the cartridges that you have or does it give you access to others you don't have? How do you make a page with it? You have to hook up your computer to your cricut?

Is it really worth it?

Thanks for the help.

 

[disneynut14]

Hi bcinohio -
Yep it is a software that you load on your computer and use with your cricut. It allows you to take fonts and shapes from the cartridges you have and make designs, weld words together, print multiples etc. It is very versitile. And just to confuse you some more there is another software program out there called Sure cuts alot. It is in no way endorsed by Provocraft. In fact they hate it. But it allows you to take any true type font and cut it out on your cricut. I recently got the DS for free with the Michales promo but haven't downloaded it yet because it blocks my SCAL. Both are very cool. If you want to see examples check out the cricut board.

http://www.cricut.com/messageboard/tt.aspx?forumid=76

 

[kswm30b]

It's absolutely worth it. I can't seem to use my Cricut without it (or SCAL, the other program mentioned.) I love using it to figure out exactly how large something is going to cut, and for welding. I have the baby bug, too, and you can get cuts less than an inch and bigger than 5 1/2 using the software.

 

[Raenstoirm]

I adore it! I very rarely cut anything with the bug without using DS. Check out the link already posted to see some of the great stuff it does.

And you just connect them with usb just like any other "thing" for the computer.

 

[jmkdparks]

I have a question about DS and SCAL. The newest version of DS doesn't allow to use SCAL? I thought you had to have the DS to use SCAL. Does anyone know where I can find the answers about SCAL? I was planning on purchasing the software along w/ DS this next month.
Thanks.

 

[kswm30b]

I have a question about DS and SCAL. The newest version of DS doesn't allow to use SCAL? I thought you had to have the DS to use SCAL. Does anyone know where I can find the answers about SCAL? I was planning on purchasing the software along w/ DS this next month.
Thanks.

The only reason you need DS to use SCAL is because you need DS to upgrade the firmware on your Cricut. You can find lots of answers about SCAL at their board here:
http://forums.surecutsalot.com/

On the forum, there's a link in one of the threads to download the trial version of DS so you can upgrade your firmware.

Yes, the latest upgrade to DS blocks SCAL. I haven't upgraded. Both work fine for me, so I see no point in upgrading DS. I haven't bought one of the newest carts, so I have no reason to upgrade (though I'm still thinking about Storybook, but I"ll worry about that if I get it!)