How to Make the Heirloom Christmas Tree in Cricut Design Space (Step-by-Step)

Customers love making our Heirloom Christmas Tree! It’s a showstopper for the holidays and looks amazing in patterned paper or light-colored cardstock (which really lets glowing lights shine through).

If you’ve been eyeing this project, don’t worry — it’s much easier than it looks. Here’s a complete step-by-step guide you can follow, even if you’re new to SVGs and Cricut Design Space.

What You'll Need

• Cutting machine (Cricut, Silhouette, or ScanNCut)
• Cardstock (65–80 lb recommended)
• Adhesive (paper glue like Scotch Quick Dry Tacky Glue)
• Downloaded Heirloom Christmas Tree SVG files

Step 1: Choose the Folding Option

The Heirloom Christmas Tree download includes two versions for folding:

• Dashed Cut Lines (recommended): Cuts tiny dashes into the paper where folds go. This makes folding easier and more precise — no extra tools required.
• Solid Score Lines: Works with a Cricut Scoring Stylus or Wheel, but depending on your machine, it may be harder to fold cleanly.

👉 For this tutorial, we’ll be using the dashed cut lines version.

Step 2: Download Your Files

To get started, you’ll need to download the Heirloom Christmas Tree SVG files from our website.

First-time purchase:

1. Visit the Heirloom Christmas Tree product page.
2. Click Add to Bag -> Checkout.
3. Log in (or create an account).
4. Place your order and click Download.

Already purchased?

1. Log in to your account.
2. Go to the product page.
3. Click View Order -> Download.

Tip: Most files save to your Downloads folder. Make note of where you save them.

Step 3: Unzip the Files

The download comes as a .zip folder. You’ll need to extract it before uploading into Design Space.

• Windows: Right-click the .zip → Extract All → choose a location.
• Mac: Double-click the .zip, and your computer will automatically unzip it.

⚡ Once unzipped, you can delete the .zip folder to avoid confusion later.

Step 4: Open the PDF Menu

Inside your project folder you’ll find:

• A PDF Menu (supply list, diagrams, paper suggestions, and step-by-step visuals)
• A folder with all the SVG files
• A photo of the completed tree

💡 The PDF is your roadmap — it makes the whole process much smoother.

Step 5: Upload the Tree into Cricut Design Space

1. Open Cricut Design Space and log in.
2. Start a New Project.
3. Click Upload → Upload Image → Browse.
4. Navigate to your SVG files folder.

To save time, upload the entire tree file:

• Open the Extras folder → select entire_heirloom_christmas_tree.svg.
• Click Open → Continue → Upload.

Step 6: Ungroup the Shapes

1. With all shapes selected, click Ungroup (top-right icon with two squares).
2. Use zoom to see everything better.
3. Click a blank area to deselect.
4. Move shapes around if needed - placement on the Canvas doesn’t matter.

Step 7: Keep Folds with Shapes (Attach)

Each piece comes with its main shape + dashed fold lines.

To make sure folds stay aligned during cutting, you’ll need to Attach them:

1. Select a shape along with its dashed fold lines.
2. Click Attach (paperclip icon, bottom-right).
3. Repeat for each piece.

👍 This step is important - otherwise Cricut may separate the folds onto a different mat.

Step 8: Get Cutting!

1. Click Make.
2. Review your mats (paper suggestions are in your PDF Menu).
3. Click Continue.
4. Select your material type (medium-weight cardstock usually works great).
5. Load your mat and press Cut.
6. Repeat for each mat.

Step 9: Watch the Assembly Tutorial

Now for the fun part — putting it all together! 🎄

With your pieces cut, follow along with my Heirloom Christmas Tree Assembly Tutorial video. I’ll guide you step by step as we glue everything together and bring the tree to life.

FAQ (Quick Answers for Beginners)

Do I need a Cricut machine?
Yes, you’ll need a Cricut, Silhouette, or ScanNCut to cut the pieces.

What kind of paper works best?
Medium-weight cardstock (65–80 lb).

How long does it take?
Most crafters finish in about 2–3 hours the first time.

Is it hard to make?
Not at all — most people say it’s much easier than it looks once they see the process.

Ready to Make Yours?

Get the Heirloom Christmas Tree SVG here and start crafting your own magical holiday centerpiece!