How to Make SVG Files with Kittl for Your Cricut Machine

Are you ready to learn how to make SVG files with Kittl? I’m going to create a simple SVG and show you how to import the design into Cricut Design Space, cut it out with HTV, and make a custom shirt.

Kittl is a great website that allows you to find simple designs that you can customize, export, and cut with your Cricut machine.

There is a free version of Kittl and a paid version. With the free version, you can download a PNG file but not the SVG file. If you want to create projects that you can sell that use Kittl designs, you need to have a paid subscription.

You can watch me create this design and make the shirt by pressing play on the video below.

How to Use Kittl to Make SVG Files

I love how simple it is to make SVG files with Kittl. I am creating a design to make a t-shirt today but you can use these designs for anything.

Step 1. Create a New Project

To begin, click New Project and then select the size project you want to work on. I am choosing the custom size option and then creating a project that is 12 inches by 12 inches and 300 dpi.

Click Create and now we have the art board and we can start creating. Over on the side, we’re going to click Templates and here you can see a lot of projects that can be customized.

In the dropdown under where it says templates, you can choose different project types. I am going to select T-shirts.

From there, you can see lots of different designs that you can use as-is or you can customize them right in Kittl.

Step 2. Choose a Design

I am looking for a design that can be used with HTV. Some of these designs are better for printable HTV, sublimation, or DTF printing. If there are too many colors or variations of colors they won’t work well with HTV.

Remember, to download an SVG you have to have a paid subscription. There is a 7-day free trial if you want to test out the paid subscription. With the paid subscription you get a full commercial license. Make sure you read all that is covered with the commercial license.

The design I’m using today is part of the subscription so I activated the free trial and then I was able to add the design to the canvas.

The file comes in very large. I zoomed out so I could see the whole thing and now I can start customizing the design.

Step 3. Customize the Design

In the original design, there is a purple background and white text. I am going to remove the background so I’m changing the text to a color so I can see it.

Now I can start clicking on elements that I don’t want and delete them from the canvas.

If you like the location of the text but not what it says you can double-click and change the text. Kittl self-corrects spacing which is very nice.

Step 4. Add Additional Text

To add additional text, click the Text button and choose Add Headline or Add Paragraph. You can also choose from sample text options that are set up in certain layouts that you can use to adjust the text.

Step 5. Add Additional Elements

Along with text, you can also add other elements. There is a large variety of shapes and designs within the elements tab and you can also upload your own files.

You can also add images to your design. These would be for projects where you’re printing the design vs. cutting out HTV but they do have images and you can upload your own as well.

If you’re looking for a more advanced project, you can add textures or use their AI to make your own images. I am not going to get into all those features. Today we are going to make an SVG with Kittl templates.

Step 6. Finalize Your SVG

My image came in much larger than the art board that I had set to the size I wanted so I resized the design to fit the art board.

I changed all the text to pink and now I’m going to change the background to white.

Click on the Chase Your Dreams layer and then click Background. This allows you to hide the background so you can crop away the excess around the design.

Use the boxes in the corners to pull in from the sides to remove the excess background area.

In the lower right of the screen, you can see the different layers. Each of these layers can be adjusted. I adjusted the curve on both the Chase and Dreams layers to 30 degrees and made the Your layer just a little smaller.

At 30 degrees I didn’t feel like Chase and Dreams had the same arch. I ended up adjusting the Chase layer to 19 degrees and that looked much better to me.

Step 7. Preview the SVG on a Shirt in Kittl

To really get a good idea of what your finished project is going to look like you can click Mockup at the top of the screen and see what the SVG will look like on a blank. I am making a shirt so I’m choosing a shirt mockup.

You can even download the mockup if you are looking for a way to create mockups for your shop this might be the place to do that.

Step 8. Download the SVG

Now that we have the SVG made in Kittl, we can download it to our device. This is another reminder to check the height, width, and DPI before you download. You also cannot download an SVG file unless you have a paid subscription. With a free account, you can only download a PNG.

Before downloading, I removed the background and selected Optimize Quality. Click download and the SVG will be saved to your computer.

How to Use the Kittl SVG in Cricut Design Space

Now that you have the SVG file, let’s take a look at how to use that with a Cricut machine to make a shirt.

Step 1. Upload SVG Made with Kittl Into Design Space

If you’ve ever uploaded an SVG file into Design Space this process will be the exact same. Open Design Space, click New Project, click Upload, click Upload Image, find the SVG file on your computer, and click Open. Click Upload and Add to Canvas and the SVG will appear on the canvas.

Step 2. Make Any Kittl SVG Adjustments

From here you can make any size adjustments you need to so it fits on the size shirt you’re using.

There was one layer that didn’t show up well in Design Space. On the word Your, there is a navy blue outline, that layer is still there but it isn’t big enough to see, it’s behind the pink layer.

To make it visible I selected that layer and added an Offset. Now the outline is sized so that it can be seen around the top layer.

After adding the offset you’ll need to rearrange the the layers so you can make sure it’s sized correctly.

Now we’re ready to preview how the cuts are going to look.

Step 3. Cut SVG Out of HTV

Select the machine you’re using and then click Make. You can cut HTV with any Cricut machine. Today I am using the Cricut Joy Xtra.

Here you can see that all of the pink layers are on one mat and the navy layer is on a different mat.

Even though each word is its own layer and will be cut out on the same mat you can see that the design isn’t laid out how it is on the canvas screen.

I want to reduce the amount of locating I need to do so I jumped back to the canvas screen and here I am going to select the Chase and Dreams layers and then click Attach at the bottom of the layers panel.

Attaching those two layers will place them on the mat exactly how I have them laid out on the canvas.

Do not attach the Your layer. That piece of HTV will be placed on top of the outline layer. It will be the last layer pressed for this project.

Since we’re cutting HTV make sure you click Mirror for each mat so the design is cut out correctly.

Next, we need to cut out the HTV. Place the HTV on the mat shiny side down.

Select the material you’re using and load the mat into the machine.

Press Go and allow the machine to cut out the material. Repeat for each additional mat.

Step 4. Weed the SVG

Use a weeding tool to weed away the excess material. Don’t forget to get the inside pieces like the insides of letters and in between letters.

Remove anything you don’t want pressed onto the shirt.

You can use any heat press for HTV. I am using my EasyPress and the EasyPress mat.

Step 5. Preheat Shirt

Preheat the fabric to remove any moisture or wrinkles. I have my press set at 305 degrees for 10 seconds which is the recommended setting for Siser Easyweed which is the HTV I’m using today.

Step 6. Locate the SVG onto the Shirt

Locate the SVG onto the shirt. I find it helpful to gently fold the design in half and crease the carrier sheet to mark the middle.

Place the design on the shirt located where you want it using the creased carrier sheet as a guide. I like the design to be about 2 fingers down from the neckline.

Step 7. Press Each Layer of HTV

When it comes to layering HTV, one of the tricks is to press the bottom layer for just long enough to get it to stick. It’s okay if it’s not stuck down everywhere, we just want to be able to remove the carrier sheet. This layer will get pressed multiple times.

This design is slightly larger than my EasyPress so I am pressing each section for about 8 seconds.

Allow the HTV to cool a few seconds and then slowly pull back the carrier sheet. Make sure it’s stuck down along the edges.

Mine is stuck down so I peeled back the carrier sheet. Save the carrier sheet because we’re going to use it to protect the HTV when we press the other layers.

Next, we’re going to locate the Your layer. I checked how the SVG was set up in Kittl and located it on the shirt as it is in the design.

Place the carrier sheet over both layers and press again for about 5 seconds.

Peel back the carrier sheet checking to ensure the HTV is stuck down.

Now it’s time to locate and press the last layer.

Place the pink Your layer on top of the blue layer making sure you can see the outline around each letter.

Cover the whole design with the carrier sheet from the first layer.

For this last layer we want to press for the full 10 seconds. Make sure the entire design gets pressed for the full 10 seconds.

Since the last pink layer was only pressed once make sure it’s stuck down really well. I allowed the HTV to cool for a few seconds and then used a scraper, while the carrier sheet was still on it to really push it down onto the shirt.

Remove the carrier sheet revealing the finished design.

Step 8. Final Press to Ensure Everything is Down Well

Because this was all pressed at different times, with the carrier sheets removed I want to press it one more time.

Sometimes the carrier sheets from layers can leave marks in the bottom layers of HTV.

Cover the entire design with protective paper, I’m using a Teflon sheet and press one more time for about 5 seconds.

Step 9. Reveal the Finished Shirt

With the protective sheet removed, my shirt is complete and it’s ready to wear.

I do recommend waiting a full 24 hours before washing to give the adhesive plenty of time to adhere to the fabric.

Pros and Cons of Making an SVG with Kittl

Now that the shirt is done let’s talk about the pros and cons of making an SVG with Kittl.

Pros

• I think Kittl is a great option if you’re just getting started making SVG designs. There are a lot of different templates you can use as they are or you can use them to create something completely new by adding and removing elements.
• Features like curving and editing the text, changing colors, adding text, and more are features that are easy to use within Kittl.
• If you have a Kittl subscription, you can download the file as an SVG. Without the paid subscription you can download the file as a PNG. If it’s a single-layer design you may be able to upload the PNG into Design Space and turn it into a layered design there.

Cons

• As you saw, the export of an SVG is not perfect. It’s possible if it was a single-layer design there would have been no issues when I imported it into Design Space. I wanted a layered design and had to make adjustments after importing.
• Another thing you may have noticed is that the word Your looked like it was going to cut each letter individually. In Kittl, it was grouped in a way that did cut it all in one piece. I did not have to weld it within Design Space. This is something I’ve seen when using certain fonts in Design Space. I’m not sure why it looks like that but I would check how it looks on the mat screen before cutting to ensure it’s going to cut the way you want it to.

Should You Use Kittl to Make SVG Files?

In the end, I think this is a good option and with the 7-day free trial you can test out the different tools Kittl has to offer to see if the subscription is right for you.

I’ve used this program multiple times and each time I’ve created projects that were really fun to make and look great.

I hope I’ve answered any questions you have about using Kittl to make SVG files. If you have any additional questions, leave them in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.