Welding Text in Silhouette – Create a Card – Silhouette Secrets+ by Swift Creek Customs

Last week I wrote a blog post and video tutorial on how to weld text to a shape to create a decal – that can be found HERE
Welding Text to a Shape in Silhouette Studio.

This week we are using that same technique to create a card from scratch. Follow along below in the written tutorial and find the link for the video tutorial at the end.

Welding Text to a Shape – Creating a Card in Silhouette

Draw a rectangle using the Drawing Tools on the left to draw a rectangle.
The size does not have to be specific because we can change it to the exact dimension needed.

Open the Transform Panel – Scale Tab or use the Scale tools in the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) to adjust the size exactly as needed.
Change the width to 5.5″ and height to 4.25″.

Open the Offset Panel and choose an Internal Offset.
Adjust the distance as desired. I used a distance of 0.350″.

Select both the shapes and make sure they are centered together using either the QAT or Transform Panel – Align Tab.
Then right click, and choose Make Compound Path.

Now we have our frame. Making this Compound Path is the important step to be able to weld to a shape. When you weld you are combining 2 shapes together to make one or make one continuous cut. If only 1 shape drawn and then you try to weld to that, it merges the 2 designs together.

Fill the shape with color and you will see the compound path that was created.

Click on the Text Tool on the left side, then click on the design mat, and start typing.

Click off of the text to deselect it, then back on the text one time to select it.
Open the Text Style Panel on the right side and choose a Font Style.

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I again used the font called ZP Xiphoid Script Oblique by Illustration Ink – Design #167413

Adjust the text as desired. I grabbed a corner bounding box and increased the text a bit larger to work with it.

Each font style is going to vary in what you may need to do. In this case, I increased the character spacing just a bit. Then made a copy of the word and moved it off to the left side so I have an original. Then I right clicked and chose Ungroup and moved the letters individually so that they all formed smoother transitions as a script font.
Note: when text is changed in any way such as ungrouping, welding, convert to path, etc. it is no longer editable text. This is the main reason to make a copy of the original before changing it.

Tip: Move the text in smaller increments by using your keyboard arrow keys with the Snap to Grid turned off.

Once the letters are positioned how you like; select all of the letters, right click and choose Weld.
Overlapping text will then be welded together and form one continuous cut.
Note: keep in mind that all font styles will vary and there is no perfect or one click button to modify all text styles.

Fill the text with color to see it better and move it up into the shape drawn previously.
Using the corner bounding boxes, scale the text to a size that fits within the shape and overlaps on the edges. Use the Center – Align tool as needed and adjust as desired.

Select both the frame & text, make a copy, and pull it off to the side.
Then select both the frame & the text on the design mat, right click, and choose Weld.
Any overlapping parts will then be welded together.

Tip: Always make a copy of your design before welding it together because once you save and close the file, you cannot undo a weld.

Click on the Send tab and see where the cut lines are to make sure it welded properly and it will cut where you want.

Click back on the Design Tab.
Using the Drawing tools again on the left side, draw a rectangle.
Open the Transform Panel – Scale Tab or use the Scale tools in the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) to adjust the size exactly as needed.
Change the width to 5.5″ and height to 8.5″.

Using the Line Drawing Tool on the left side, hold the Shift key down, and draw a straight line.
Use the Transform Panel – Scale tab to change the width of the line to 5.5″.

Open the Line Style Panel and change the Style to a perforated line for the Score line.

Select both the card base rectangle and the line, use the Align tools to center the line in the middle of the card base. Adjust the score line to a bit smaller so it does not cut the edge of the card. Then use the Align Tools again to make sure it’s centered.
In the video linked below, I also show an alternate way to center the score line using a combination of the Align Tool and the Move By Tool.

With both the card base rectangle and the score line selected, right click, and choose Group.

Now, you have a card base and the card front to cut out of any color cardstock you choose. Use the Fill Color Panel on the right or in the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) to add color to your base and card front to see how it will look.

I cut the card pieces with Recollections cardstock from Michaels using the Textured Cardstock setting. Do a test cut with your cardstock first to make sure your settings will work.
Check the cut before unloading the mat just in case it didn’t cut through the first time.

Check out the full video tutorial on my YouTube channel HERE.
I also share how I cut multiple colors of cardstock on one pass through the machine in the video.

I’d love to see your creations!
Feel free post on the
Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook Group.

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