This is a tutorial for how to do the Cricut knockout method to create a layered text graphic for vinyl and cardstock projects using Cricut Design Space.
I know most Cricut knockout name tutorials online showcase that family name sign. I wanted to create something that was a little bit cuter and more applicable to all sorts of designs.
This is just a graphics editing trick that you can do in most graphic editing software products like Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape but it’s a bit more challenging given the features available in Cricut Design Space.
It is possible to though to create this kind halo design without additional software and this is what we are going to go over in this tutorial.
You can make knockout designs using any text or shape. The best part is, you can do this all within Cricut Design Space.
If you like this floral hear background graphic, both the SVG and Printable PDF are available for free in my resource library.
How to Make Knockout Text in Cricut Design Space
First, you want to either upload your background graphic or write out the background text using the Text toolbox.
Next, we want to create the the overlay text.
Use the text tool to write your text. Make the necessary adjustments using the Letter Space drop down and resizing tools. Depending on which font you use, you may need to “ungroup” the text and manually move the letters so they connect.
If you like the font in my example, its called Babette. Babette is my go to bouncy cursive font I like to use in Cricut Design Space. The automated letter spacing tool doesn’t work perfectly for it so I usually ungroup and move at least the first capitalized letter.
Once you’ve adjusted the text to your liking, select all the letters and weld them together.
With the whole word or phrase selected, click on the Offset dropdown menu.
Make sure the rounded corners option is select. Adjust the Distance setting to the right.
Cricut Offset is not always perfect. Occasionally, you will get a crossing line like you see above. Adjust the Distance slider ever so slightly and it should go away.
Depending on the end material and project you are making, you want want to do different things with the graphics. I will show you have to slice out the halo from the base graphic here.
Position your new fattened text over your graphic. With both items selected, click on “Slice”.
Note: your background graphic has to be what is known as a “compounded” graphic. The reason for this is Cricut Design Space only lets you slice 2 graphics at a time. To turn any multi-piece graphic into a compounded piece, just select everything and “weld” it together.
Now you want to “hide” everything on the right graphics panel except for the cutout hear and the text.
Now you should be able to position your text in the cutout space of your background graphic.
If for some reason the “fattened” text is not fat enough. You can always repeat the “flatten”, save it as a screenshot with bleed on, then upload the process again to get another halo ring made around the fattened outline.
There are lots of different applications for projects for this technique. For example, if you want to make custom cake toppers like the one below, it really adds that extra special touch to customize your decor. Here, not only did I create a bubble halo around the name, I create around an enlarged letter as well. Check out my Shaker Card Tutorial for more details on how to make the base letter.
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