From the Garage
How to Cut a 50-Star Wood Flag Stencil with a Cricut or Laser
If you've got a Cricut, Silhouette, or laser cutter, you're holding the fastest way to a perfect star field: cut yourself a reusable 50-star stencil once, and every flag after that gets clean, evenly-spaced stars in a couple of minutes. Here's how to do it right.
The whole trick is starting from a correctly-drawn SVG at true size. Get the file right and your machine does the hard part. Get the file wrong — off-size, wrong spacing, warped by scaling — and no amount of good cutting saves it.
Cutting it on a Cricut (Design Space)
- Upload the SVG. New project → Upload → Upload Image → pick the star-field SVG → Add to Canvas.
- Check the size. It should come in at true scale — for a 3-foot flag, about 14.8 in wide by 10.5 in tall. If it doesn't, type those exact numbers into the size box with the lock on.
- Rotate for the mat. A 3-foot layout is wider than a 12-inch mat, so rotate it 90° and cut on a 12x24 mat. A 17-inch flag's field fits a standard mat fine.
- Attach, then Make It. Select everything → Attach (this keeps the 50 stars in their exact layout instead of nesting them) → Make It.
- Blade + material: fine-point blade for stencil vinyl; deep-point blade for 10-mil mylar.
Cutting it on a laser (LightBurn or similar)
- Import the SVG. File → Import → pick the file. Confirm the overall size matches the numbers above — LightBurn reads the inch units automatically.
- Set the layer to LINE (cut). If the file has a border rectangle marking the edge of the blue field, either cut it too (handy for lining up) or drop that layer.
- Test on scrap. For manufacturer-confirmed laser-compatible material only, follow the machine instructions and test a small sample before the whole sheet. Check the exact material with the machine manufacturer before cutting; discard a damaged stencil.
Get the Cut File — Sized to Your Flag
Enter your flag size and preview your exact 50-star layout free. The template — a clean SVG cut file plus a print-ready PDF — is $25, drawn to your dimensions so it cuts at true size. Any problem, I fix it or refund it.
Preview My Star Field →Building a standard 3-foot or 17-inch flag? Skip the sizing — the $12 SVG cut-file pack has both layouts ready to drop into Design Space or LightBurn.
Using the stencil once it's cut
Tape the stencil over your stained blue field, line the edges up square, and paint the stars through it with a stencil brush or light spray coats. Less paint is more — two light passes beat one heavy coat that bleeds under the edges. Lift it straight up while the paint's wet, wipe it clean, and it's ready for the next flag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cut a wood flag star stencil on a Cricut?
Yes. Upload the SVG, confirm it's at true size, Attach so the layout stays exact, then cut onto stencil vinyl or 10-mil mylar. A 3-foot layout is wider than a 12-inch mat, so rotate it onto a 12x24 mat.
What material should I cut it from?
Stencil vinyl with a fine-point blade for a quick stencil; manufacturer-approved reusable stencil film with the matching cutter and settings. Never laser PVC/vinyl; confirm laser compatibility separately. Reuse a stencil only while it remains flat and undamaged; check material compatibility first.
Where do I get the SVG cut file?
Standard 3-foot and 17-inch SVGs are in the $12 pack. For any other size, a custom template drawn to your dimensions comes as an SVG plus a print-ready PDF — preview it free first.
Why not cut it by eye?
Fifty stars sit in a precise 9-row offset pattern at an exact size. A machine-cut stencil from a correctly-drawn file keeps every star identical and evenly spaced — the difference between a flag that looks right and one that looks off.
Keep Building
More free guides and tools in the Build Shop — including how to build a wood American flag, the 50-star template, and the free build plan. Or, if you'd rather I build the whole flag by hand, see the handcrafted flags.