This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click a link and purchase an item that I recommend, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are my own.
In this blog post I will be going into detail on the newest Combine tool in Cricut Design Space. The Combine feature includes the Weld, Unite, Subtract, Intersect and Exclude buttons.
The Weld button has always been in Design Space, but the Unite, Subtract, Intersect and Exclude buttons are new. These 4 new buttons allow you to edit your objects to create new shapes and one of the best things is that you can undo any of the 4 actions.
Let’s jump into discussing the Unite, Subtract, Intersect and Exclude buttons.
Jump to Sections in this Post
How to Weld in Cricut Design Space
As I mentioned before, the Weld button has always been in Design Space, but you will realize quickly that the Weld and Unite buttons are similar.
The Weld button allows you to join 2 or more objects into 1 layer. When you weld an object, you are not able to undo it.
I show you how to Weld in Design Space in the images below.
I added a triangle and a square to the Canvas.
I selected the triangle and the square.
Click Combine and then click Weld.
You can now see the Weld result highlighted in the red box.
How to Unite in Cricut Design Space
The Unite button allows you to join 2 or more objects into 1 layer. When you unite an object, you can undo it.
I show you how to Unite in Design Space in the images below.
Add a triangle and square to your canvas and select them both.
Click the Combine button and click the Unite button.
You can now see the Unite result, you still have your original triangle and square and can still edit them.
If you click the Combine button again, you will see the Undo Unite button and the Merge Layers button. The Undo Unite button allows you to undo the unite. The Merge Layers button allows you to basically weld your layers together. Once you merge your layers, you cannot undo it.
In this image you see that the merge result and the weld result look the same.
How to Slice in Cricut Design Space
Once you start working with the new Combine tools in Cricut Design Space, you will realize that the Slice and Subtract, Exclude, and Intersect buttons are similar. The Slice button splits overlapping objects into multiple parts. You can only slice 2 objects at a time and the result will be 3 or more new layers.
I show you how to Slice in Design Space in the images below.
I added a heart, circle and square to my canvas.
I selected the heart, circle, and square and as you can see in the image below, you cannot slice with more than 2 objects. In the image, I have 3 objects selected. In order to slice, I would need to select only 2 images.
In the image below I have added some text that says “Star” and I added the shape of a star. I selected both the text and the star and clicked Slice.
You can see the Slice result in the layers panel, highlighted in green.
How to Subtract in Cricut Design Space
The Subtract button removes shapes on the top from the bottom layer of your selected objects. You can subtract multiple objects at a time and undo the action.
I show you how to Slice in Design Space in the images below.
In the image below I have selected the heart, circle, and square.
Click the Combine button and click Subtract.
In the image below I have highlighted, in the red box, the result from clicking the Subtract button. You can still edit the 3 layers, the heart, circle and square.
If you click the Combine button again, you will see the Undo Subtract button and the Merge Layers button.
If you click the Undo Subtract button, it will undo your Subtract. If you click the Merge Layers button, it will make your subtract permanent.
How to Exclude in Cricut Design Space
Exclude gives us a new cut shape consisting of only the non-overlapping parts of two or more shapes. It “excludes” or removes the overlapping sections.
You can exclude multiple objects at a time and undo the action.
I show you how to Exclude in Design Space in the images below.
In the image below I have selected the heart, circle, and square.
Click the Combine button and click Exclude.
In the red box below I have highlighted the result of using the Exclude button. You can still edit your layers after you have excluded them.
You can now see the difference between Slice, Subtract, and Exclude.
If you click the Combine button again, you will see the Undo Exclude button and the Merge Layers button.
If you click the Undo Exclude button, it will undo your Exclude. If you click the Merge Layers button, it will make your exclude permanent.
In the image below I have added some text that says “Star” and I added the shape of a star. I selected both the text and the star and clicked Exclude.
You can see the Exclude result in the layers panel, highlighted in green. You can undo the Exclude if you want and you can still edit the Exclude layers.
How to Intersect in Cricut Design Space
The Intersect button creates a new shape based on the overlapping objects of 2 or more shapes. You can undo the intersect action.
I show you how to Intersect in Design Space in the images below.
In the image clicked on Images and searched for the word “pattern”. I have selected the pattern highlighted in red.
Click Add to Canvas.
You can see that the paisley pattern is now on my Canvas.
I’m going to show you 4 different ways to use the Intersect tool. I added a square behind each of my patterns.
For the first design, I have the Paisley pattern and the square selected.
Click Combine and click Intersect.
The paisley pattern has been intersected with the square. The paisley pattern is now grey.
In the red box in the image below, you see that you can Undo Intersect or Merge Layers. If you click Merge Layers, your Intersect will become permanent. If you Undo Intersect, you will have your paisley pattern and your square, like before.
In the image below, I moved the paisley pattern underneath the square to see what would happen.
Click Combine and then click Intersect.
You will see the result. The paisley pattern is now white.
In the image below, the paisley pattern is on part of the square.
Click Combine and click Intersect.
You can see that only the overlapping parts are left.
The image on the left is the Intersect result and the image on the right is the original design.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to use the Combine in Cricut Design Space. If you have questions or below, leave them below.
