If you’ve ever been confused about when to use Weld, Slice, or Subtract in Cricut Design Space, you’re not alone. These three editing tools are some of the most powerful features in Design Space, but knowing when to use each one can be challenging. So let’s get started on this fun project!
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How to Use Weld, Slice & Subtract in Cricut Design Space
In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through creating a fun Mickey-inspired birthday card while demonstrating how these Design Space tools work together to create a custom project from start to finish.
If you’re new to Cricut or looking to build confidence with Design Space, this project will teach techniques you can use on cards, gift tags, party decorations, scrapbook pages, journals, and much more.
What You’ll Learn
In this tutorial you’ll learn how to:
- Create a custom-shaped greeting card
- Use Weld to combine shapes into one cut file
- Use Subtract to create custom cutouts
- Use Slice to build layered design elements
- Organize and rename layers
- Add score lines for clean folds
- Use score lines to perfectly align small letters
- Assemble a layered cardstock birthday card
Materials
- Cricut Explore 3 (or any Cricut cutting machine)
- Cricut Design Space
- LightGrip Mat
- Fine-Point Blade
- Scoring Stylus
- Red cardstock
- Yellow cardstock
- Black cardstock
- Foam adhesive squares
- Paper adhesive
Full video tutorial below:
Step 1: Create the Card Base
Start by selecting a television shape from the Mickey & Friends image set in Cricut Design Space.
Resize the image to approximately 5 inches wide, then duplicate the base layer.
Flip one copy horizontally and slightly overlap the straight edges before using Weld.
This creates a single folded card base.
Why Use Weld?
The Weld command permanently joins overlapping shapes into one cut piece.
Use Weld when creating:
- Custom card bases
- Cake toppers
- Word art
- Vinyl decals
- Stickers
Tip: Because Weld is permanent, make sure your design is exactly how you want it before applying it.
Step 2: Add a Score Line
Insert a score line from the Shapes menu.
Center it where the card will fold and Attach it to the welded card.
Attaching tells Cricut to keep the score line aligned with your card during cutting.
Step 3: Create the Mickey Window with Subtract
Resize a Mickey silhouette and center it inside the television screen.
Select both the television frame and the Mickey shape, then choose Combine > Subtract.
Subtract removes the top object from the lower object, creating a perfectly shaped opening.
Why Use Subtract?
Subtract is ideal for:
- Windows
- Shaker cards
- Frames
- Peek-a-boo designs
- Decorative cutouts
One of the advantages of Subtract is that the individual components remain editable within the Layers panel, giving you flexibility if you decide to make adjustments later.
Step 4: Build the Inside Panel Using Slice
Duplicate the television pieces to create an insert panel for the inside of the card.
Align the frame over the panel and choose Slice.
Slice separates overlapping objects into multiple individual pieces.
Delete the pieces you don’t need, then remove the antenna using Contour to create a clean insert panel.
Finally, Weld the remaining pieces together into one solid insert.
Why Use Slice?
Slice is perfect for:
- Layered cardstock projects
- Creating inserts
- Splitting shapes
- Custom embellishments
- Building multi-layer designs
Step 5: Add the Greeting
Create your birthday sentiment using any font installed on your computer or available in Cricut Design Space.
Duplicate the text.
- Leave one copy as a Basic Cut for the cardstock letters.
- Change the second copy to Score.
Attach the score text to the insert panel.
This creates a placement guide that makes positioning tiny letters much easier during assembly.
Pro Tip: If you don’t want to place individual letters, you can also switch the text to a Pen operation and let your Cricut write the greeting instead.
Step 6: Cut Your Project
Before cutting, review the project preview to confirm each mat is assigned correctly.
Your project should include:
- Black cardstock (card base)
- Red cardstock (television frame)
- Yellow cardstock (television screen and insert)
- Black cardstock letters
Load each mat using a LightGrip Mat and allow Cricut to complete the score and cut operations.
Step 7: Assemble the Card
Fold the scored card base.
Adhere the television layers together, using foam adhesive behind the front panel to create dimension.
Next, align the tiny cardstock letters using the scored placement guides before adhering the insert inside the card.
The result is a unique layered birthday card that showcases several of Cricut Design Space’s most useful editing tools.
Want the finished design? Sign up for the studio letter to access my VIP Template Library.
Don’t Forget the Extras
If you’ve already created my Mickey Gift Card Holder, it coordinates perfectly with this birthday card.
You can also use the leftover Mickey cutout from the front panel as:
- A gift tag
- A decorative envelope seal
- An embellishment on the front of the card
It’s a great way to make use of every piece from your project.
Learning Weld, Slice, and Subtract doesn’t have to mean practicing on random shapes. By using these tools in a real project, you’ll better understand when and why to use each one in your own designs.
Once you’re comfortable with these techniques, you’ll be able to create custom cards, party decorations, scrapbook layouts, gift tags, and many other Cricut projects with confidence.
Have questions about this project or another Cricut Design Space feature you’d like to learn? Leave a comment below, I always enjoy hearing what you’d like to create next!
Happy Crafting!
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