Maker Projects

Get inspired! Below are some popular items made at the Collaboratory.

Using Your Own Materials? Staff approval is required, as not all materials are safe for people and the machines. See our BYOM guide for details.

With the exception of 3D printer projects, you must remain in the Collaboratory and monitoring your project at all times. Limit one project at a time.

Cricut Maker 4

The Cricut Maker 4 is a versatile smart cutting machine designed to cut, write, and score different materials with speed and precision.

The Process:

Design your project using the Cricut Design Space software. You can also upload your own design files (.svg, .dxf, .jpg, .png, .gif, and .bmp) to Cricut Design Space.
Plug your laptop into the Maker 4 and send your project file to the machine. Load the appropriate blade or tool and place your chosen material onto a cutting mat.
Assemble your project! Standard glue, heat presses and weeding tools are available.
You must be in the space and monitoring your project at all times.

Materials to Bring:

Purchase materials through us or bring your own. Suitable materials include vinyl, iron-on (HTV), cardstock, and some thin fabrics.
Materials must not exceed 2.4 mm in thickness and must fit within a maximum width of 12 inches for mats.

HTV/iron-on transfer onto fabric

Wood cutting board with single-color, cut vinyl words and hearts

Single color sticky vinyl on decorative wood

Square with shapes cut out of cardboard, layered to create a design

Design made of layered, cut-out cardstock

Card created by cutting shapes into cardstock and layered

Cut and layered cardstock

Cut out pieces of cardstock layered and glued together to create a 3 dimensional box with bunny ears

3D cardstock bunny

Cut out iron-on vinyl

Laser Cutter

Our 50-watt CO2 laser cutter uses a high-powered beam is able to precisely cut, engrave, and score a wide variety of materials, both flat and cylindrical.

The Process:

Create your design in the space using our software (Illustrator, Canva, and Affinity Studio) or bring in your design on a flash drive.
Your design must be fully completed design prior to staff approval. If approved, staff will add your name to the queue.
Staff will assist you in running your project. Note that we limit the number of items you can run per turn.

Materials to Bring:

You can purchase select, limited materials from us.
Staff must approve all materials as some materials are toxic or damaging to the machine.
Approved materials, such as solid, untreated wood, natural cork, cardboard, glass (no Pyrex) or painted/powder-coated bottles are welcome.
Avoid unapproved materials; see our Prohibited Laser Materials guide for details.

Glass etching

Words cut out of acrylic

Metal water bottles with a painted coating.

Etch onto tumblers

Solid wood board with a photo etched onto surface

Photo etched onto wood

Cork coaster with image and words etched onto surface

Design etched onto natural cork

Clear acrylic cut in a circle with etched images and words and inserted into an LED light base.

Etched clear acrylic cut to fit an LED light base

Embroidery Machines

The Process:

After staff have approved your materials, create a design on the machine. If you have your own design, it must be digitized by a professional service and be in a .DST format.
With staff assistance, hoop your material with the provided stabilizers and threads.
Monitor your embroidery job from start to finish.

Materials to Bring:

We do not sell materials to embroider.
Not all materials are safe to use in our machines. Leather, activewear/stretchy materials, sweaters with an open weave, delicate materials and thick/dense materials are prohibited. This list is not inclusive.

Several small zippered bags with an embroidered name on each

Embroidered bags

Bath towel with colorful rocketship embroidery

Embroidered Towel

Striped bathrobe with a name embroidered onto left chest

Embroidered robe

Gray hoodie with a name embroidered onto the lower back

Embriodered hoodie

Colorful, thin blanket with an embroidered monogram

Blanket with embroidered monogram

Black fabric with words Turn Hate Into Kindness and colorful flowers embroidered onto it

Fabric sign with embroidered words

Sublimation

Sublimation is a process that uses heat to transfer dedicated inks onto specially-treated surfaces, creating durable, full-color designs that won't peel, crack, or fade.

The Process:

Create a design(s) that will fit on 8.5" x 11" or 8/5" x 14" paper.
Staff will print your design on our paper using our sublimation printer; do not bring your own paper.
Heat press the design onto your items.

Learn more about the process in this video.

Materials to Bring:

The only sublimation items we sell are metal bookmarks (limit 5 per person weekly). You'll need to supply your own.
Purchase materials that are labeled "sublimation ready" or "sublimation blanks", or fabrics that are at least 60% polyester. Standard, untreated materials will not work.
Choose only materials that are white or very light colored: There is no white ink in sublimation, so any blank or white areas in your design will be the color of your material.