Hello, and thank you for monitoring this community.  (If I missed the mark on categorization, Let me know).   So far I've spent three days watching youtube and playing around in Inkscape (Reverse engineering).svg I have at hand, and have a couple of questions still outstanding:
1.  Is there any way I can use a custom settings file for US measurements enhancing my ability to get right into the tasks?  I'm thinking someone has a default settings file, maybe *.xml that can get me running faster?   I'll be needing to work in inches and need a ruler/grid across the top (I found grid lines, but need to do that every time I re-start, or start a new document. I need a way to quickly reference what is in my hand with my ruler (something I sketched, tried, or created that I now need to plot out to cut or draw on Cricut (so also 12"x12" mat instead of 8.5x11)
2.  I found some great videos on Inkscape (Thank you youtube), but I'd like to tell Inkscape where to cut/vs where to draw/print
3.  Is there a place for the community of designers for Inkscape as it relates to Cricut or other cutters/plotters?  
4.  Correct Method - Am I on the right track? Chipboard size shape I need to cut for my artist grandchildren, I'm trying to cut a large rectangle from Chipboard the exact size attached, and also the 16 square holes on the left for the wire-bound bits. I'm using a ruler to verify size vs Inscapes grid in inches to verify the shapes I draw are correct. (Still, looking for how I tell the SVG to cut on those shapes I made?)   

Thank you,
Newbie 

Moved this topic to address question #3.

I would love to know your answers for the above questions but have no idea how to find your answer. please tell me how to get to it or post the answer here please.

1. I guess templates will help you. Just create a file with the document properties you want and save it as a template.

2. I do not have a Cricut, I have a Silhouette, but the cut/plot settings I need to tell the cutting software, not Inkscape (unless you have succeeded in cutting/plotting directly from Inkscape?). In Silhouette Studio I can select cut settings based on line color so when I design files for both cutting and plotting or scoring I will set the same line-color for the parts that should have the same settings. Maybe something similar will work for Cricut?

3. I do not know of any forums currently, but there are a facebook group that often have this kind of questions (Inkscape for Crafters)

4. I'm not sure what you are asking. If I would cut such a design I would just draw those rectangles, open the file in the cutter software and tell the cutter software the cutting settings. Years ago I used to cut directly from inkscape through a printer selection, but that do not work for me no more in Windows 10. Thinking about testing Inkcut for Inkscape, but I do not think that work for Cricut? Anyway I would need to tell the cutting settings and I don't think that can be saved along with the svg file. So as far as I know there is no way to tell Inkscape about the cut-settings.