Recently joining the Cricut world has been so much fun and I am quickly learning all of the jargon and accessories that are available for the seemingly endless projects. Who knew that these machines were so powerful? Today I wanted to talk about one specific tool: the Scoring Stylus.
What is it? What's its purpose? How can we use it? Do we need the Scoring Stylus AND the Stylus Wheel? What's quick-swap? All these (and more) will be answered in this post.
What is the scoring stylus?
The Scoring Stylus is an accessory offered by Cricut and looks like this.
What is the purpose of the scoring stylus?
The Scoring Stylus is used for, of course, scoring on paper projects and crafts. It creates easy fold lines for cards, envelopes, boxes, and 3D paper projects (like this tutorial for 3D cardstock butterflies from Sew Woodsy).
How does the scoring stylus work?
You install the Scoring Stylus by sliding it in slot A, which means you can cut and score at the same time. You don't have the added step where you have to swap out the cutting blade from slot B like you would if you were using a scoring wheel. It just slides across the material and leaves a crisp folding line for you to use.
Do I need a specific machine to use the stylus?
What projects can I make with the stylus pen?
So far I used mine to make crisp score lines on construction paper and cardstock for a few cards and envelopes. The score lines came out perfectly and I was so pleased with the results.
Are there other options that do the same thing?
Cricut also offers two scoring wheels (one blade v. two blade option). These are only compatible with the Cricut Maker and they allow you to score thicker materials. For example, you can score acetate with the scoring wheel but not the scoring stylus. I don't own either of these...yet.
If you want more information about comparing the stylus and the wheels The Chic Cottage did a great post about it with valuable information. Check out her comparison!
Do I need the stylus pen AND the stylus wheel?/What is the difference?
It depends on what you plan on doing. Because the stylus wheel is used on the Cricut Maker only, it is designed to inflict more pressure on the material and can be used for thicker materials. If you do not have a Cricut Maker or if you only plan to score simple paper crafts, then the scoring stylus is plenty.
The stylus is also much cheaper than the wheel options so I would just purchase the stylus and use that until you encounter a project where you are not pleased with the stylus results. The stylus is less than $10 and the scoring wheel options can be $40+.
If you have the Maker and you want to use thick materials like specialty paper and cardboard, then having both will definitely be helpful.
Where can I purchase the stylus pen?
You can easily find the stylus pen online at Cricut.com or at your craft store like JoAnns. You can also find it on Amazon but be careful of the pricing there. The stylus is cheap and should not be more than $10 ($6.99 on sale).
How do I install it in the machine?
Installing the stylus pen is so easy. You just unsnap Slot A and slide it down into Slot A until you hear it click. Then close the snap and you're ready to score.
We're gonna bop we're gonna bowl
We're gonna score score score score scooooore, tonight"
No comments
Post a Comment
Have a thought? I'd love to hear it! Share a comment and let me know what you're thinking.