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Last Updated on July 17, 2022 by Chris Butler
Hello crafty friends! I’m sure some of you might have seen the newest June/July 2022 Cricut Design Space update. If not, this is a rolling update and you should be seeing some changes soon. I want to discuss this particular update because there are quite a few changes that make the design process different.
As with many of the Cricut updates, there have been some glitches, but overall, I do believe these changes will be for the better. And, as a bonus, if you already design in other programs such as Inkscape or Illustrator, some of these changes may be familiar to you.
Quick Links to Information in This Post
Cricut Design Space Update Video
Watch the video below to learn about the new Design Space updates and what that means for you while you’re making your next design!
Where Did My Icons Go?
I think after this update the question we’re all asking ourselves is, “Where did my icons go?!”. When clicking on text or an image before the update we would see an ‘X’ to delete in the top left, a rotate symbol on the top right, a dimension lock on the bottom left, and a re-size arrow on the bottom right. After the update you’ll notice that now they’re all gone.
Don’t worry! You can still perform all of these functions. You’ll just need to get used to doing it in a different way.
The icons now have been replaced with small square boxes called nodes. You can click on any one of these corner nodes to re-size your object.
When you click and drag the corner to re-size, you’ll see a straight line with an arrowhead at each end. However, if the straight arrow changes to a curved arrow, that means when you click and drag your mouse you will be rotating your object.
Just like with re-sizing, you can also rotate from any corner now. But these will be the only two things the corner nodes control now.
How Do I Lock/Unlock My Dimensions?
One of the hardest adjustments from this update for me is losing the lock/unlock icon. Unlocking your dimensions enables you to stretch objects as you resize them (think turning a circle into an oval). While locking your dimensions makes sure that everything stays in scale as you make it bigger (your circle just becomes a bigger circle).
There is still a lock/unlock icon, but instead of being on your selected object it will be in the top menu where you see the width and height measurements.
It’s actually always been there, but I definitely thought using the icon on my selected object was more convenient. But if you were used to clicking the icon in the top menu this shouldn’t be too much of a change for you.
How Do I Delete Things?
Now, I really do miss being able to delete things with the ‘X’ icon. Old habits die hard. We do still have 2 ways to be able to delete things though. You’ll just need to adapt to whichever way is easier for you.
The first way I’ll show you is at the top of the layers menu on the right. There is a trash can icon here. All you need to do is select whatever you want deleted and click the trash can.
Another way you can delete is to select the object you want to remove and click the delete button on your keyboard. Easy, right?
Did My Text Box Change Too?
One other thing that you may have noticed a change with is your text box. Now, when you make your text box smaller from the center node on the right or left your text will begin to wrap.
This just means that letters from your word will start to stack vertically.
This will be a really cool feature if you ever want to make a vertical welcome sign or something similar!
Do You Like the New Cricut Design Space Update?
I know a lot of us don’t like change. I’ve heard in several groups that they don’t really like this latest update. But I think once you get used to these changes, you’ll really start to love it.
I’m also excited for what these changes could mean for the future of Design Space. I think this is just the beginning of a lot of great possibilities!
Want to learn more about some of the recent updates to Cricut Design Space? Check out my blog post about using Cricut Guides!
Chris Butler has helped thousands of crafters learn how to use their Cricut machine without feeling overwhelmed. She is a best selling author and an up and coming designer. For fun Chris enjoys designing SVG Files, hanging out with her family (preferably at the lake), traveling, and volunteering at her church. She is a wife and mom of two crazy fun kids.
How do you order your book and how much does it cost?
It’s July 18, 2022, and my Design Space shows version 7.12.163. What gives? Do I have the latest version, or have I been hacked?
My problem with the changes to text box is I am trying to make a vertical text and it spaces the letters too far apart. I cannot “shrink” it down to the right size using the corner/side arrows anymore. Can’t figure this out for the life of me!
Use the letter spacing tools on the top. You can also lock the text box on the top where I showed the little lock icon above the size. That will stop the text wrap.
I guess I’m one of the rare ones who don’t mind these changes. I’m 73 so I’ve seen and ‘lived through’ lots of changes in my life. This one is not even on the scale of top one million most important changes in my life. I’ve always subscribed to the notion that if you stop learning, you stop living. I’ve worked in so many different programs, that when I opened DS after those updates, I barely noticed the changes. I simply figured it out – sometimes by just messing around., sometimes by knowing another, historical way to accomplish that task. My advice is this: try not to make it about DS specifically. The more we learn how to do things in different ways, the more flexible and skilled we are becoming in general. We are adding to our brain power. To our self worth. It will help to use those thinking muscles instead of relying on habit.
All that said, there are definately situations where we are under the stress of time! I get that. The only way around that is to keep up with communications about updates as best we can. Watch that explainer on YouTube. Read that blog. And try to keep things in perspective. No matter how good we are, we are only human. We can’t do it all.
why did they change the ability to change font style after you have set it up.?
How can i order your book?
and whats the cost