Posted on January 28, 2020December 15, 2020 by silhouettesecretsplus — 37 Comments

Let’s Explore v4 – Print & Cut Basics

With the v4.3 software released, the Registration Marks panel had a small change as well. For software version of v4.3+, there is now an On or Off on the Registration Marks Panel – find the full details on the panel HERE. If you are using a software version prior to v4.3, then you will see it a little bit different and for almost all users, you would choose Type 1 registration marks – find the full details on that HERE.

No matter what version of v4 software you are using, the Basics of setting up a print and cut project are the same.

I follow the exact same steps each time and have great success with each print and cut project.

Print and Cut Basics

This tutorial is written using the v4.3.356 Silhouette studio software. For versions prior to v4.3 you may see a few differences in the software, the steps will be the same. However, you may find this Print and Cut Part 1 tutorial to be helpful too.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

First, you want to start out by setting the design page up.

Step 1 – Open the Page Setup Panel – Tab 1
Step 2 – Choose the correct machine & cutting mat.
Note: users prior to v4.3 will notice the Page Setup Panel is a little different too. Find out more on that HERE.
Step 3 – Choose the Media size. I choose “Printer” as the option when using letter size paper. You will find it at the bottom of the drop down box for Media Size.
*NOTE: for users with software v4.4.450 or higher – choose Letter size – there is a change in the software with “media” size I have found as of 12/15/20. I have reported it and will update the post as I know more information in the future
Step 4 – Move transparency to 0%. This will help you see the page size better.
Step 5 – Choose the Portrait Orientation. This is the orientation I recommend as I see the least amount of issues with it.
Step 6 – Check the boxes next to Show Print Border and Show Cut border. This will show you the boundaries you have to work with.

Next, open the design onto the cutting mat by either right clicking on the file in the Silhouette library and choosing merge or using File > Merge.
This will merge the design directly onto the page you have just set up.

Next, click on the Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks and choose On.
Then click the Restore Defaults button.

Penguin in Snowball Fight by Stinkin’ Cute Paper Piecings – Design #117611

As with any new project, I would recommend doing a test first. This is why I start with all the default settings. A test print can save you a lot of headache and frustration just like a test cut when you are cutting new materials or a new design.

With a print and cut, design placement is very important. The design cannot be in the cross-hatched areas of the design screen or over the cut border that is shown on the screen. This is why I turn the Show Cut border on first on the Page Setup Panel.

Make sure the design is away from the cross-hatched area. This is the area that the optical eye on the Cameo needs to read the registration marks accurately in order to find the design on the page. Making this area smaller or placing a design in it, can result in either a registration marks error message or an inaccurate cut.

Now it is ready to print.

There are 2 ways to do this.

Click on the Printer icon in the top left corner. This will send the print job directly to the printer that is set as the default printer connected to your computer.

In the top left corner, choose File > Print and you will get a pop up of Printer options. (Ctrl + P)

The options vary by the printer you have connected to your computer.

Choose the printer to send the job to.

Tip: If you have a Preferences button, click on that and look for a “Preview before Printing” option. This is a great feature to see if it is going to print how you want it to before actually committing to the print job.

Check the Preview before Printing box.

Then click OK.

And choose Print.

A Printer menu will pop up and the design can be previewed before committing to printing.

Note: this will be dependent on the printer and what the printer setup settings are. Not every user will have this and it can vary, but never hurts to look for it.

Tip: Check to make sure that the bottom left registration mark will print completely. I see a lot of print and cut issues and one is the registration marks were outside the users printer margins and did not print. This means you will either get a registration error or it will cut inaccurately because it doesn’t have all the information to read it correctly.

Once you’ve verified the settings are correct, click on Print and it will send it to the current default printer.

Grab it off the printer. I am using a Canon TS9521C Craft Printer and I love it. This printer has great quality and I love having the option to print on a 12″ x 12″ sheet of cardstock with it.

Place it on the Silhouette cutting mat exactly as it shows on the virtual design screen, in the top left corner of the cutting mat. Make sure that the page is covering the grid lines on the cutting mat, or the Cameo may try to read the black lines when it goes to register.

Load the left edge of the cutting mat next to the line on the left side of the machine.

Click on the Send tab in the top right corner and then choose the Material type you are cutting.

Once all the settings are correct, then choose the Send button in the bottom right corner.

Note: a test cut using the Test option in the software will result in part of the upper left registration mark being cut out and can interfere with reading the marks correctly. I would suggest doing a test cut on a spare piece of material or moving the test cut out of the top left corner.

I love print and cut!

I do the same steps every time when setting up the print & cut and rarely have an issue.

I find that in troubleshooting most print and cut issues, it is something in how it is set up or how the design printed. I recommend for all my students and those interested in print & cut, to start with all the default settings to establish a baseline before they start changing things up.

Now that we have a successful print and cut, let’s try another design.

Print and Cut Planner Stickers

Follow the same setup steps listed in the beginning of this tutorial for the Page Setup.

Use File Merge and open the design on the screen.

Open the Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks and turn the marks on. Click Restore Defaults.

Doughnut Planner Stickers Set by Jennifer Wambach – Design #100816

In the photo above, I have highlighted a few trouble areas of this design. On the left and right edge, the design is over the Cut border and in the bottom left corner, the design is in the cross-hatched area.

To fix this, I select the entire design & cut lines and then use the bounding box in the corner and scale it down just a bit to fit within the borders of my print and cut page. Then move the design to the center of the page.

Once it is all setup the same way, follow the same steps as listed above for printing and loading it in the machine. Click on the Send tab and choose the material type. I am using sticker paper for this set and Send it to the Cameo to cut.

I used the Silhouette White Sticker paper for this one, as that is what was in my stash. But, I’ve also used the Staples brand sticker paper and I like both.

There are so many options that you can do. The Cameo 4 Autoblade cut beautifully using the Sticker Paper – White setting.

The best thing to do is to start with the basics. Set it up with the defaults, do a test print, and then keep on playing.

If you are still needing help, check out the Print and Cut video class on my Teachable site HERE.

This includes 2.5 hours of step-by-step set-up, discussing different file types to print and cut, and troubleshooting tips as well.

Don’t forget to save this for later by pinning the image below – it will work time and time again.

I would love to see what you create on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.

Having print and cut issues? Feel free to post on the group and we will troubleshoot it with you.

Enjoy!

**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.

Posted on January 21, 2020January 19, 2020 by silhouettesecretsplus — 9 Comments

Let’s Explore – Registration Marks v4.3

If you are using a v4.3 software version, you may have noticed that there are a few changes in the software panels from prior versions.

One of those panels is the Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks, so let’s take a look at the difference.

If you are using version 4.0 to version 4.2, then the Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 will look like the one on the left side in the photo above – check out this post HERE for details on that.
If you are using version 4.3, then the Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks will look like the one on the right.

As you can see the Registration Marks Style section has changed to an On or Off position now in version 4.3. While this is the only change you can see in this panel, when you are looking at videos or older tutorials, it will show the step to choose Type 1. This is great to know if you are new user to Silhouette or for someone just updating to the version 4.3 software.

But, while we are here, let’s review the Registration Marks Panel and explain what it all means.

The Registration Marks Panel is the 3rd tab in the Page Setup Panel, which is the top right icon.

The print and cut registration marks can also be toggled on by the keyboard shortcut letter ‘M’. I see this happen often when a user is typing with text and then clicks off of the text, but still tries to type letters. This can activate keyboard shortcuts and the marks will toggle on and off.

Now, first before we go into the details of this panel, let’s first set up the page for the print and cut. I follow the same steps every single time I set up a print and cut project and I rarely have any issues. We will go through them here briefly, but check out this Print and Cut – Part 1 tutorial for more details – HERE. Keep in mind that this tutorial was written in a software version before the On and Off change in this panel.

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post.

Setting up a Print and Cut Page

Step 1 – Open the Page Setup Panel – Tab 1
Step 2 – Choose the correct machine & cutting mat.
Step 3 – Choose the Media size. I choose “Printer” as the option when using letter size paper. You will find it at the bottom of the drop down box for Media Size.
Step 4 – Move transparency to 0%. This will help you see the page size better.
Step 5 – Choose the Portrait Orientation. This is the orientation I recommend as I see the least amount of issues with it.
Step 6 – Check the boxes next to Show Print Border and Show Cut border. This will show you the boundaries you have to work with.

Colorful Sloth – Stickers by Sandi Idleman – Design #312256

Now, that the page is set up, let’s move to the registration tab and turn the
Registration Marks On.

Some things to point out here.

When the Show Cut border box is checked on the Page Setup Panel – Tab 1, you will notice that the red cut boundary moves when you turn the registration marks On. Notice that the cut boundary is lined up with the registration marks that appeared on the page.

There is a cross-hatched area that shows up on the design screen. This does not print on your page. However, having a design, cut border, or background in this cross-hatched area can interfere with the optical eye reading the registration marks accurately. This can cause mis-cuts. Make sure that the design is away from the cross-hatched areas on the page.

Notice on the left and right side, I have circled and highlighted 2 problem areas. These would result in those 2 things not being cut completely, if there were no other errors because they are outside of the cut border.

I mentioned above, that I do the same exact steps every time I set up a print and cut project. The next step I do is click the Restore Defaults button.

And I am ready to print. This Colorful Sloth – Stickers by Sandi Idleman – Design #312256 is set up as a print and cut design, so the cut lines are already there.
If you are creating your own cut file, you may need to trace or fill with color. Check out these posts on Print & Cut – Part 2 – Text and Print & Cut – Part 3 – Images for exactly how to do that.

I go to File > Print in the top left and make sure the printer is set up with the correct page settings for the printer I am using. If the Printer Setup has a Preview option, I would highly recommend using it to make sure that all of the registration marks will print correctly.

But, what about all the other options on the Registration Marks Panel?

Yes, there are more options. However, I would highly recommend for a beginner with print and cut, if you’ve ever had problems with print and cut, or if you have a new printer to start with the defaults and establish a baseline.
This will eliminate so many things that could be an issue that gives you a registration error or mis-cut.

It printed beautifully on the Silhouette white sticker paper! Make sure to place the printed page in the top left corner of the cutting mat exactly as the page shows on the design screen. Place the page on top of the grid lines on the cutting mat or the Cameo may try to read the grid lines instead of the registration marks.

The left edge of the mat, should line up with the line on the left on the Cameo that the 2 arrows point to.

Now, something I noticed after it printed was that the designer of the file had increased the line thickness of the cut lines, so when it printed the red lines printed too. This is not always desired, so make sure you double check the file before printing it out.

I love print and cut and I rarely have an issue with it registering or mis-cutting. This is why I want to stress the importance of using the defaults at least the first time to set you up for the best chance of success.

Registration Marks Panel Options

Once you have established a baseline with print and cut and have had success with the default settings, then I you can venture into testing the limits.

I often see users who have maxed out the registration marks to try to gain more space on their page and they end up with it not registering at all or if it does, the cut is far from accurate. While you can move the registration marks, each printer will vary in how far you can move those and still get an accurate cut.
This will take testing on your part to know what the limits are for your printer!
I rarely move my registration marks because I know at the defaults it cuts great every time. However, on the occasion I am feeling daring, I have moved them but tell myself the entire time that if it doesn’t cut, I will know why. While I’ve still been successful in moving the marks and getting accurate cuts, that is not what I see with the majority of users. So, just keep that in mind.

1 – On or Off – Turn the registration marks used for print and cut on or off by clicking the box next to each option.

2 – Length & Thickness – Adjust the length of the registration marks or the thickness of the marks.

3 – Inset – Adjust all 3 of the registration marks at the same time. The higher the number, the closer to the middle they move.

4 – Advanced Options – Click on the arrow and it expands with more options to adjust the individual insets of the print and cut area.

5 – Restore Defaults – This will reset the registration marks to the default settings.
This is the #1 thing that I feel can make all the difference in getting an accurate cut. I highly recommend starting with the defaults first and then as you feel more comfortable, you can start changing things up. Especially on a file that you have purchased that is set up as a print and cut file. It may not have been saved with the default settings for the Silhouette. The designer may have been able to print it with their printer at those marks, but yours may not be the same. Or you could encounter someone who has just designed it but never printed it to test it.

6 – Orientation – Default vs Inverted – This changed the direction of the registration marks on the mat. Notice the direction of the arrow on the cutting mat. Inverted placed it on the opposite corner of the mat & moves the registration marks on the page.

7 –Barcode – This adds a barcode to the side of your page and it stores all of the cut settings data in the bar code that the Cameo 3 will read. This is a Business Edition feature only. There is also the option to save the information to the cloud account that is associated with the email address used to log in.

I troubleshoot a lot on many platforms for print and cut and most often it is something that needs to be tweaked with the way the file is set up. Starting with those defaults will save you a lot of headache in the long run.

Don’t forget to Pin this image below to save these tips for the future!

I would love to see the projects you have created feel free to post on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.

Posted on June 18, 2019October 21, 2020 by silhouettesecretsplus — 4 Comments

Print and Cut with Heat Transfer Paper

Print and Cut with Heat Transfer Paper

*This post may contain Affiliate links.

For the June 2019 All Things Silhouette Conference, I taught a class called “Let’s Explore Print & Cut with Printable Heat Transfer”. I had so much fun creating this class and want to share that with all of you. While I cannot pass around all the demos I made like I did in class, I hope a photo blog post will do.

First, I set up the Print & Cut design using the Summer Flowers bundle by Echo Park – Design #186925 from the Silhouette Design Store.

When setting up a Print & Cut project, I follow the same steps each time. In this post – Print & Cut – Part 3 – Images, I go through every step I take to set up the file for the best success.
This is what I would also recommend for a beginner who is doing this for the first time or for anyone who is having issues with the Print and Cut not registering or not cutting accurately.
While you can adjust several things on a Print & Cut file, I find most users get the best results and have less headache if they first start with a baseline
For more troubleshooting tips, see this post – Print & Cut – Part 1.

This is exactly what I walked through in class step by step.

Now to the fun part, Show & Tell!

This class was sponsored by Specialty Materials and I used a product called Colorjet III Light and Dark Heat Transfer Paper. ColorJet III comes in packages of either 8-1/2″ x 11″ or 11″ x 17″ sheets. I loved the 11″ x 17″ sheets with my Canon TS9521C large format printer, then I could fit several print and cut projects on one page and do larger designs as well.
You can request a free sample on the website HERE.

First, I started with a few shirts.

As soon as this shirt came off the press, it was my 6 year old daughter’s favorite shirt.
I had to go searching for it in order to take it to the ATS Conference with me.
I used Colorject III Dark on this shirt with a design that is part of a print & cut sticker file called ML Unicorn Cute Stickers by MiniLou – Design #285420 from the Silhouette Design Store.

Now, if you read the directions on the Colorjet III it says “Care – Hand wash and air dry. Do not dry clean. No bleach or aggressive detergents” (Specialty Materials) but, I have 3 kids and “hand wash” does not really happen in my house. But, I am happy to report that it has been through the washer & dryer at least 3 times since I made it and it still looks great. And I brought it with me to Conference to show everyone how it held up.
What do I recommend? You have to test it yourself! The manufacturer gives you care instructions and for best results, I’d recommend those to get the most life out of it.
Me….. well, you guessed it. I throw everything in the washer & dryer with the thought that I can always remake it if I need to. That is probably not the best advice for everyone.

I used the Colorjet III Dark on this blue shirt with a design called Justice League by DC Justice League – Design #201137.
*This is an older design that is no longer in the Silhouette Design Store.

For this shirt, I used the Colorject III Light with designs Painted Purple Bouquet by Loni Harris – Design #139067 and the words are cut with Siser Easyweed HTV using the Live Life in Full Bloom by Silhouette – Design #129071.

And then I moved on to other objects and things I could find that wouldn’t necessarily need to be washed often.

This one is using the Colorjet III Light pressed onto a Canvas panel & framed. Created with Enjoy Today Painted Floral by Loni Harris – Design #134285 from the Silhouette Design Store.

Here is another one created with Colorjet III Light then pressed onto a Canvas panel & framed. Created with Floral Monogram K by Angie Makes – Design #173599 from the Silhouette Design Store.

This time, I used a framed canvas and the Colorject III Light. In order to get a good pressure on the framed canvas, I had a wood board cut to fit in the back side of the frame and placed it inside when I pressed the design. I’ve been eyeing these watercolor designs and love that I’ve found a way to use them. This was created with Multicolored Prism Heart by Rhonna Farrer – Design #248413 from the Silhouette Design Store.

This is using Colorjet III Light on a zippered cotton canvas bag from Craft Chameleon. It was created with Watercolor Heart by Rhonna Farrer – Design #248434 from the Silhouette Design Store.

I used Colorjet III Dark on this garden flag from Craft Chameleon for the American Flag of United States by Echo Park – Design #269732 (Silhouette Design Store). The words are cut with HTV and I used a design by BasicGrey called Home of the Free Because of the Brave – Design #204727.

And now some of my favorites – photos!

This one should be hung on my wall for many years to come, memorializing that I managed to get all 3 of them smiling together without some crazy face.

I used the Colorjet III Light printed through the Silhouette software on a canvas panel, which I then put in a 8″ x 10″ frame. While these are not UV treated like others you get at a professional photo shop, you can change the photo out each year or several times a year if you like for a lot less expense. I love having options!

Another photo on a canvas panel using Colorjet III Dark.

And what about a one of a kind gift?

I used Colorjet III Light to add my favorite photo to a canvas tote bag from Craft Chameleon.

Now, did all of my test projects turn out? No, they did not. And that is what comes when developing a class for an event. There will be things that work and things that don’t. But, even the things that don’t turn out are all learning experiences.

Here are a couple of projects that didn’t turn out quite as I expected them to. I always recommend reading the instructions for any brand of product you are using. In those instructions for the Colorjet III it states “Be advised that dye migration has occurred with low energy dyes in polyester and poly-blend fabrics.” What does this mean?
This means to test it and that not all fabrics may work as you want them to. Not because of the product but because you cannot always predict how the dye in a material is going to react. For instance, if you have white HTV and press it on a red shirt, the white HTV may look pink. This is dye migration.

In the case of the apron and the sleeping mask above, the color of the fabric came through the Colorjet III Dark, even though I used the correct material. I tried, it didn’t work. I moved on to another project.

The zippered canvas bag on the right side, is an example of using the Colorjet III Light on a dark fabric. Complete user error on this one as I just wasn’t thinking when I grabbed my blank to press it on to. My daughter still loves it and now it’s her “money bag” she says.

I hope this post has given you some new ideas to use in your creations with Heat Transfer paper. It’s not just for shirts anymore!

A big thank you to Specialty Materials for sponsoring my class at the June 2019 All Things Silhouette Conference! For more information on future check out Terri Johnson Creates blog and click on the Events tab.

I would love to see what you create – feel free to post on my Facebook group at
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.

Posted on February 5, 2019July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — 12 Comments

Print and Cut – Part 3 – Images

Print and cut with the Silhouette software has so many options available. The past 2 weeks we have explored using a print and cut file (Part 1) and creating text (Part 2) to use in print and cut. This week we will explore creating a print and cut file from a jpeg or png image.

Print and Cut with Images

Open the jpeg or png file.

A jpeg may have a white background around the image and a png file can have a transparent background. These file types are both flattened graphic images, so they are no cut files.

For more information on file types, check out this post –
Understanding File Type Extensions in Silhouette Studio
by Lycia Evanoff with Caught by Design.

Here I have opened both files to show the difference, but the same steps would be used for either file type.

Open the Trace Panel.

Step 1 – Click on Select Trace Area and draw a rectangle around the entire design.

Step 2 – Increase the Threshold up until the entire design has turned yellow.

Step 3 – Click on Trace and Detach. The image will be detached from the background and there will now be cut lines around the image and you have . As long as you make sure your design is as yellow as possible, it will trace around the edge.

Keep in mind that each design will vary in how it reacts.

Step 4 – Delete the extra portion of design background, as it’s no longer needed.

Set up the file as a Print and Cut

Step 1 – Move the file onto the Silhouette virtual mat. I used

Step 2 – Open the Page Setup Panel.

Step 3 – Choose:
Page Size – Current Printer
Orientation – Portrait
Check the Show Print Border box
Check the Show Cut Border box

Step 4 – Click on the Page Setup Panel – Registration Marks tab.

Step 5 – Choose Type 1 Registration Marks for the Cameo, Portrait or Curio machine.

Step 6 – Click on the Restore Defaults button.
This will reset the registration marks and I would suggest using this as the starting point to get an accurate cut.

Step 7 – Move the design on the mat so it is not in the cross-hatched areas of the page. The optical eye on the Silhouette machine needs the cross-hatched area to read the registration marks accurately.
While the registration marks can be moved, I suggest for a new user to keep them on the defaults before it is sent to print. If the marks are moved, then I would suggest doing some test print and cuts on copy paper to make sure the cut is still accurate.
Check out more troubleshooting tips HERE on Part 1 of Print and Cut.
For more information on the Registration marks panel, check out the “Let’s Explore v4 – Registration marks” post HERE.

Step 8 – Next, click on the printer icon in the top left corner.

or
File > Print from the Menu

For more information on the Print Preview – check out Print and Cut – Part 1.

Step 9 – Double check that the page looks correct and that all 3 of the registration marks have printed.

Step 10 – Place the printed page on the cutting mat exactly as it shows on the screen, in the top left corner.

Step 11 – Click on the Send tab in the top right corner.

Step 12 – Click on the image to select it and choose Cut. The bold red cut lines should appear around the design.

Step 13 – Load the Silhouette mat in the machine and choose Send.

Perfect print and cut!

For more information on print and cut, check out these posts:
Print and Cut – Part 1 – pre-designed Print and cut files
Troubleshooting Tips
Print and Cut – Part 2 – Text

I would love to see what you create – feel free to post on my Facebook group at
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

Posted on January 29, 2019October 21, 2020 by silhouettesecretsplus — 7 Comments

Print and Cut – Part 2 – Text

Let’s Explore v4 – Print & Cut – Part 2

In Print and Cut – Part 1, I showed how to create a print and cut project from an already existing file that was set up for print and cut. In today’s post, we will create our own text and turn it into a print and cut file.

Print and Cut with Text

First, let’s go through how to set up a Print and Cut Project with text.

Set up the Page Size on the Page Setup Panel to “Current Printer”.
Choose Portrait Orientation.
Check Show Print Border – a gray box turns on around the maximum print edge. This is set by the current printer that your computer recognizes.
Show Cut Border – a red line turns on around the maximum cut edge of the page size. Anything outside this border will not cut.* Note: I choose the Portrait Orientation for Print and Cut projects because I troubleshoot many users with the issue of the registration marks not reading accurately when printed in Landscape Orientation. I believe this varies by the printer it is printed with and how the paper is pulled in to the printer. I suggest printing in the Portrait Orientation for best results.
Click the Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks.
Choose Type 1 Registration marks if you have a Cameo, Portrait or Curio machine.
Click Restore Defaults. This will reset the registration marks to the default location.
I recommend starting your print and cut projects here, especially for a beginner or if you have a new printer.*While the registration marks can be moved out (Registration Marks – Advanced Options), you will need to test how far you can move those and still get an accurate cut. I know may want to increase the area and squeeze as many designs into the print and cut area that they can, but it can come with some frustration. Do some test printing and then cut to see if the accuracy is affected on copy paper before using the more expensive materials. You will find out what the limits of your printer and Silhouette are.
Type out the text using the Text tool on the left side. Weld the text if necessary. *Make a copy of the original text if you do and move it to the side, just in case you need to make changes to the design later.
For more information on text and how it works, check out the Let’s Explore v4 – Text Style Panel post here.
Fill the text with color using the Fill Color Panel.
Choose the font type from the Text Style Panel on the right side of Silhouette Studio.
Change the Line Style color of the text using the Line Style – Tab 2 – Line Color, so it is the same color as the filled text.
The default line color is red. Since, this text will be printed the line color may show in the printed page. In the photo above, there is a faint red line around the black text, this can show if printed like this.
Choose how you want the text to cut. Do you want just the text cut out or do you want it to have an outline?
To create an outline around the text, use the Offset Panel and adjust the spacing to get the desired effect, then Click Apply.After the Apply button is selected, any overlapping pieces of the offset created, will weld together.
Click on the Send tab to see how this will cut.The bold red lines indicate cut lines.
If this was sent to cut, the top text would cut out around the text and the bottom text would cut both around the text and the Offset.
For the example today, I only want the Offset to cut.

On the Send tab, Select the text cut line and then choose “No cut”, this will turn the bold red cut lines off.

*The key here is that the object you are turning the cut lines on or off for has to be selected. That means you have to click on it and a gray selection box will appear around it. If there is no object selected, the software has nothing to turn on or off.
Click back on the Design tab. Select the entire design and move it to the location on the page you want it to print. The design cannot be in the cross- hatched area of the page. The Cameo optical eye needs the cross-hatched area of the page to read the registration marks accurately. If the design is in the cross-hatched area, you may get a registration error or an inaccurate cut.
Do any final adjustments to the text before you send it to print. Once the page is printed, you cannot move anything on the page or you will have either registration errors or get an inaccurate cut.On the Design tab, I selected the Offset, right clicked and chose Release Compound Path.Then deleted the small inside pieces of the Offset that I didn’t need to cut.
Once the file is ready to go. Click on the Printer icon in the top left or File > Print.
For tips on Print Preview – check out the Print and Cut – Part 1 post here.
*Remember – do not move anything on the design mat after the page is printed.
Click on the Send tab. Select the Material.
Load the printed page on the Silhouette cutting mat exactly as it shows on the virtual design mat – in the top left corner.
You will notice that I added several other items to my page. These are other print and cut images that I know will be used, so I added them to fill up the sticker paper area.
Load the cutting mat next to the blue arrow on the left side of the Cameo machine.
Click on the Send button at the bottom of the Send tab.

Perfect print and cut!

I hope that helps get you started on your Print and Cut projects that use text.
Because there are so many details and ways you can use the print and cut feature, I am breaking it up in to several posts.

Print & Cut – Part 1 – Print and Cut with a pre-designed Print and Cut image
Includes Troubleshooting steps
Print & Cut – Part 2 – Print and Cut with Text
Print & Cut – Part 3 – Images

Troubles with print and cut?
Check out my tips for Troubleshooting in Print and Cut – Part 1 here.

I would love to see what you create – feel free to post on my Facebook group at
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Have a suggestion on possible Silhouette topic you would like covered? Add it to this Facebook post on my Silhouette Secrets by EllyMae group HERE or email it to me at silhouettesecretsplus@gmail.com

Enjoy!

Posted on January 22, 2019March 8, 2020 by silhouettesecretsplus — 21 Comments

Print and Cut – Part 1

Let’s Explore v4 – Print & Cut – Part 1

I love the print and cut option on the Silhouette software!

I’ve used it for many years and in this 2 part series I will share some tips with you for getting a successful print and cut.

A few weeks back I made up special Chemo day gift bags for a friend of mine who is a Planner gal. I found a few print and cut files that I knew she would like on the Silhouette Design Store and then set up to print them all out in the Silhouette software, then I let the Cameo machine do it’s work and cut out around them. I will say that every single one turned out perfectly!

I was asked so many questions, I thought I’d show you how I did it. I am going to break this up into 3 parts so you get the most out of it.
Part 1 – Setting up a pre-designed Print and Cut project
Part 2 – Print and Cut – Text
Part 3 – Print and Cut – Images

Pre-Designed Print and Cut Project

First, find a Print and Cut design that you like. I am using the ML Panda Love Stickers from the Silhouette Design Store (this file is no longer available in the store).
This can be used for any print and cut file available – click HERE to see more Print & Cut designs.
Search by file type and narrow the search down in the Filter on the left side.
For instance, in the photo below, I searched Print & Cut Design Type & Planner for the keyword.

Open it in the Silhouette software.
Every file you open will be different in what it looks like when you open it and is based off how the Designer saved it.

Next, on the Page Setup Panel, adjust the Page Size to Current Printer. Also, check the boxes next to the Show Print Border and Show Cut Border. These are guides that will help in lining things up so they print on the page and are not outside of the cut area.
With the Reveal set at 0% you will see a white page that is the size of the Page Size you have chosen.

Now, in order for the Cameo to read where the design is on the printed page, we need to add Registration marks. Click on the Page Setup Panel – 3rd tab – Registration Marks.

Then choose Type 1 Registration marks if you have a Cameo, Portrait or Curio.
If you have an older model machine before the Cameo 1, then you would use the Type 2 marks.

You will notice 3 marks appear on the Page. A square in the top left corner, a corner bracket in the top right corner and bottom left corner (this is with the Portrait Orientation – Page Setup chosen – this is the Orientation I recommend).

Tip for a beginner or for print and cut issues.

Click on the Restore Defaults button. This will reset the Registration marks to the default and this is where I suggest you start from.
While the registration marks can be moved, each printer will vary in how far they can be moved and still get an accurate cut. I suggest starting with the default registration marks and then you can test from there once you are familiar with the print and cut process.

Next, make sure that your Print and Cut design is inside of the Cut border. Notice that the Cut border has now moved in line with the 3 registration marks. Anything outside of that border will not cut and may interfere with the reading of the registration marks.

In the photo above, I need to move the design to the left because it is too close to the right cut line.

And the design cannot be in the cross hatched area of the print and cut. The optical eye of the Cameo needs this area to read those registration marks correctly. If the design is in the cross hatched areas, it can interfere with the optical eye reading and either give you an error or an inaccurate cut.

The cross hatched areas are across the top and the bottom left corner.

As I mentioned above, each file you open will be different. With this file, there are 2 parts to the print and cut design. One part is the graphic of the pandas and the second is the cut lines. If the design needs to be moved, make sure to select & move both parts together.

Once my design is moved away from the cut border and the cross hatched areas, it is ready to send to the printer.

There are 2 ways to do this.

Click on the Printer icon in the top left corner. This will send the print job directly to the printer that is set as the default printer connected to your computer.

In the top left corner, choose File > Print and you will get a pop up of Printer options. (Ctrl + P)

The options vary by the printer you have connected to your computer.

Tip: If you have a Preferences button, click on that and look for a “Preview before Printing” option. This is a great feature to see if it is going to print how you want it to before actually committing to the print job.

Check the Preview before Printing box.

Then click OK.

And choose Print.

A Printer menu will pop up and the design can be previewed before committing to printing.

Again, this will be dependent on the printer and what the printer setup settings are. Not every user will have this and it can vary, but never hurts to look for it.

Once you’ve verified the settings are correct, click on Print and it will send it to the current default printer.

Grab it off the printer.

Place it on the Silhouette cutting mat exactly as it shows on the virtual design screen, in the top left corner of the cutting mat.

Then load the cutting mat next to the line on the left that the arrows point to.

Click on the Send tab in the top right corner of the Silhouette software.

Choose the Material type.
I am using the Staples brand Sticker Paper and the preset for Sticker Paper – White works well for me.

Tip: If cutting a new material, use the test cut feature to test that material before you send the entire project. This can save you lots of headache on mis-cuts.

Once you click on the Send button on the bottom of the screen, the Cameo will then read the registration marks and begin the cut.

Perfect print and cut!

Save this to Pinterest for future reference

Troubleshooting Print and Cut

Did it not cut accurately or did you get a registration error? Here are a few things to check when you do run into an issue.

Do you have the correct registration marks chosen? Type 1 should be used for the Cameo, Portrait or Curio machines.
Did the registration marks print on the page? Make sure on the Page Setup Panel – 3rd tab – Registration marks that they are turned on.
Did the registration marks print completely? I often see the bottom left registration mark did not print completely because it was outside of the printer margins. Check to make sure it printed completely and if not, then either move the registration mark slightly up or increase the Printer margins under the Printer Setup.
Is the design in the cross-hatched areas of the print and cut? This will interfere with the optical eye and can either result in a registration error or inaccurate cut around the design. Move the design away from the cross hatched area and reprint on copy paper until you get an accurate cut.
Did the registration marks get moved? Each printer will vary in how far out the registration marks can be moved and still read accurately. Click the Restore to Defaults and use those as a test to get an accurate cut. As you become more familiar with the process and your printer capabilities, you can move them out and test how far the limit is.
Were changes made to the file after the design was printed? This will result in inaccurate cuts because the design is no longer in the same place it was when it was printed. Re-print and do not move the design after printing.
Did the printer feed multiple pages through at a time? Or did you print more than one copy at a time? For best results, I suggest feeding one sheet of material in the printer at a time. Multiple copies printed can result in the paper being pulled in too quickly and then the print is off on the page and not accurate.
Is the printer low on ink? Ink quality can interfere with the optical eye reading the registration marks accurately.
Was it printed at high quality? Printing at a low quality can also affect how the optical eye reads the registration marks.
Still getting a registration error? Start over on a new design mat and go through each step again. Then print a test print on copy paper.

I hope these tips help you have a successful print and cut experience.

Pin this image to Pinterest to save for future reference

Want to know more on Print and Cut?
Check out Part 2 – Print and Cut – Text & Part 3 – Print and Cut – Images

I would love to see what you create – feel free to post on my Facebook group at
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae.

Enjoy!

Posted on November 3, 2018July 14, 2019 by silhouettesecretsplus — 2 Comments

Silhouette Showcase

This year I am honored to be teaching several classes at the 2018 All Things Silhouette Conference hosted by Terri Johnson Creates. An option at the conference is participating in the Silhouette Showcase. This is a chance to show off things that you have made using your Silhouette machines or software and is open for all levels of users. Each person who enters gets an extra ticket to a prize drawing and while the staff is excluded from winning, we can display items in the hopes of inspiring others and showing all the possibilities with Silhouette.

I was so excited to be able to make up a few things to display during this event and wanted to share those with you.

Silhouette Showcase

Not sure what you start your day with, but mine is coffee.
So I started with this coffee inspired collection.

Metal serving tray with Oracal 651 vinyl.
This design was created with Lori Whitlock’s Fresh Eggs font – Design #263759 and Coffee Dingbats Font – Design #223050 using the Warp Feature in the Silhouette software. I use Oracal transfer tape for all my vinyl decal applications. Acrylic

Glass etched coffee mugs.
These glass mugs were purchased from Target and work well for etching. I used Oracal 651 vinyl for my etching stencil and Etchall cream for a great etch every time. For the mug on the left, I used Yay Coffee by Dawn Nicole Designs – Design #188578 and Coffee Pulse by Sophie Gallo – Design #149882. For the mug on the right, I used You Can Do This – Coffee by Jillibean Soup – Design #218802.

Acrylic coasters etched with the Silhouette Curio machine.
I used the emboss panel in the Silhouette software to create the etched design.
These acrylic coasters can be found at Craft Chameleon and I would recommend purchasing the Curio template as well.
The designs used to create the coasters are:
Yes. Coffee by Kolette Hall – Design #171334
But First Coffee by Lilium Pixel SVG – Design #242962
Life Begins After Coffee Arrow Quote by Sarah Hurley – Design #258161
Relax and Enjoy the Coffee by Silhouette Secrets+ using History font by JumboDesign – Design #268580 and The Memories Sans Font Duo by Nursery Art – Design #276602.

If you have followed me in my “Let’s Explore v4” series or on my Facebook page or group, you may know that I enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day.
So of course, a wine collection set is right up my alley.

Acrylic wine bottle caddy etched with the Silhouette Curio and the large Curio base.
This acrylic wine bottle caddy can be found at Craft Chameleon and the design file is included with the purchase of the acrylic blank. I would suggest the Curio large base template as well, it makes etching this blank so easy.

Glass etched wine glasses.
For the etching stencil, I once again used the Oracal 651 vinyl and Etchall etching cream. The Monogram Wreath Font by Kristen Magee – Design #260225 was used to create these personalized glasses.

Wine cork collector.
This glass block was found in a craft store and Siser Easy PSV Merlot & black and Oracal 651 gray vinyl applied to the front.
The design is I Saved Some Wine Today Phrase by Kolette Hall – Design #131228 from the Silhouette Design Store.

Acrylic wine charms etched with the Silhouette Curio.
These wine charms are 15/16″ clear acrylic circles and wine charm rings from Craft Chameleon.
Designs used to create the wine charms are:
Pour Me…. More Wine by Sophie Gallo – Design #203872
Live Love Wine by Kolette Hall – Design #158086
Drinks Well With Others by Kelly Lollar Design from SoFontsy
Screw It design – Freebie from Silhouette School
Got Wine design – created using the Buddy Mac font by Missy Meyer from SoFontsy

Acrylic coaster etched with the Silhouette Curio machine.
These acrylic coasters from Craft Chameleon are a great way to personalize any gift.
The designs used on the coasters are:
Mom’s Fidget Spinner by Sweet Afton – Design #202772
Today’s Forecast 90% Chance of Wine by Jillibean Soup – Design #212800
Uncork and Unwind Arrow Quote by Sarah Hurley – Design #236620
Add More Wine by Megan Hardy Designs – Design #124514

For the Silhouette Showcase, a recipe is included with each display item.

I used the Silhouette Print and Cut feature to create recipes.

Don’t forget when doing a print and cut, to select all the objects that you do not want to cut out and then choose the No Cut option on the Send Tab.
For instance, all I want is the outside edge to cut, so all the Cut lines except the outside edge need to be turned off.

I started my Silhouette journey with paper crafting and continue to have a passion for it as well as all the other neat things you can do with it such as vinyl, glass etching & acrylic with the Curio, etc.

I could have just left it at that, but of course, I didn’t. I added a little detail to the back that makes it stand up even more.

This easel adds the perfect touch to my recipe, so I am easily able to transport it on the plane and display it at the Silhouette Showcase.
This is a file by Lori Whitlock called Easel for Back of Card – Design #76159 and I have used it many times when creating paper crafts.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing the projects I created using my Silhouette software and machines for the Silhouette Showcase at the 2018 All Things Silhouette Conference.

Enjoy!

I love seeing what you are creating with your Silhouette machines!
Feel free to post on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.

Posted on July 31, 2018April 27, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — Leave a comment

Let’s Explore v 4 Recap

We are half-way through 2018 – can you believe that?

So it’s the perfect time to recap what the “Let’s Explore v4” series has covered so far since January.

Let’s Explore v 4 series

Page Setup Panel – Tab 1 – Page Size & Cutting Mat

Page Setup Panel – Tab 2 – Grid Options & Spacing

Page Setup Panel – Tab 3 – Registration Marks – Print & Cut

Fill Color Panel

Line Style Panel

Trace Panel – Tab 1 – Basic Trace

Trace Panel – Tab 2 – Trace By Color (Designer Edition feature)

Trace Panel – Tab 3 – Magnet Trace (Designer Edition feature)

Pixscan Panel

Text Style Panel – Tab 1 – Text Style

Text Style Panel – Glyphs and Spell check

Transform Panel – Tab 1 – Align Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 2 – Scale Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 3 – Rotate Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 4 – Move by Tab

Transform Panel – Tab 5 – Shear (Designer Edition feature)

Replicate Panel – Tab 1 & 2 – Replicate & Number of Copies

Replicate Panel – Tab 3 – Object to Path

Modify Panel – Part 1

Modify Panel – Part 2 – Compound Paths

Offset Panel

Pop Up Panel (Designer Edition feature)

Stipple Panel (Curio option only)

Nesting Panel (Designer Edition feature)

There are so many things that the Silhouette Studio program can do. It is really an amazing program and I hope that you have learned something throughout the series. There is still so much more to explore!

Please let me know what is one thing you have learned that you did not know before by leaving a comment here or on my Facebook group.

Enjoy !

THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.

Looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

Posted on January 16, 2018April 26, 2023 by silhouettesecretsplus — 28 Comments

Let’s Explore v4 – Registration Marks

Welcome back! Today we are talking something that I love to do – Print & Cut.

We have explored Tab 1 – Page Setting and Tab 2 – Grid setting the last two weeks and now it’s time to talk Tab 3 – Registration Marks. On the Page Setting Panel, the 3rd tab over is your Registration marks tab and you only use these when doing a Print and Cut project.

Tutorial written in v4.1.206

For software version v4.3+ check out this post HERE for updated information.

Registration Marks

Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

First you will need to set your page size. If you have a printer that will only print Letter Size, then you need to change your Page Size to “Current Printer” (check out the Page Settings post on changing Page Size). This will adjust your page size down to the exact area that you can print. Turn your Orientation to the Portrait Orientation and it also helps to check the box next to ‘Show Print border’ and ‘Show Cut Border’.

Now, we are ready to click on the 3rd tab on the Page Setup Panel.

I first want to start out with a warning. While you can change a lot of the options on the Print and Cut, I highly recommend that you try cutting at the Default settings first and get to know the Print and Cut features before you go changing too many things.
I have great success with just the default settings and find I don’t have to change them, even though it is possible.

1 – Style – Under Style you have 3 options: Off, Type 1 & Type 2. Almost all users will choose the Type 1 option. Type 2 is only used for the Original or SD machines which are rare, they do still exist and are still going strong, but only a few users.
Choose Type 1 – Cameo, Portrait, Curio.

2 – Length & Thickness – You can change the length and thickness of the Registration marks. Below I have shown 2 examples of changing the measurements and you can see the marks in the bottom left & top right change.

3 – Inset – Here you can change the placement of the Registration marks. The higher the number, the closer it moves to the Center of your page.

4 – Advanced Options – If you click on this, it will open up more options for you to change the Inset dimensions.

5 – Restore Defaults – This is probably my favorite. This will reset anything you have changed to the Defaults of the original Print and Cut. Length at 0.787 in, Thickness at 0.50 in and Inset at 0.625 in. So if you get a wild hair to change things, you can always go back to basics and click on ‘Restore Defaults’ to change it back.

6 – Default vs Inverted – This will change the direction of where the Print and Cut is placed on your mat. Notice the direction of the arrow on the cutting mat, Inverted places it on the opposite corner of the mat & moves the registration marks on the page.

7 – Enable Barcode on this Design – This adds a barcode to the side of your page and it stores all of the cut settings data in the bar code that the Cameo 3 will read.
This is a Business Edition upgrade feature only.

8 – Add Barcode file to the following Cloud account – Check this and the information will be saved to your Cloud account.

9 – Email address – this is the cloud account email address that the file will be saved to when you print it.

Some tips for Print and Cut:

Start with the default settings and print the file from there first.

The design cannot be in any of the cross hatched areas of the Print and Cut screen. This is the area that the Optical scanner needs to read on the paper and if the design is in that area, then you may get a registration error.

You only need the Registration marks on if you are doing a true Print and Cut project, by printing first through your printer and then cutting the image with your Cameo.

The ‘M’ key on the keyboard toggles the Registration marks on and off. You can turn them on very easily without realizing it.

Feed the paper into the printer one sheet at a time.
If you have a tray or feed multiple sheets into the printer and print multiple copies of the page at once, the printer can pull it in too early or too late compared to the first print and this can affect where the print is on the page. This can give you a registration mark error.

So let’s check out my example. This is a design I purchased from the Silhouette store called Wine Themed Planner Stickers by Sandi Idleman Design #205613.

I can tell right away that if I sent this to print there will be issues.

I opened the file and know that I have to turn my registration marks on.
As you can see the alignment is off. There are areas of the design that are in the cross-hatched areas of my print and cut and the entire design is a bit too large for my print and cut area. So I will need to Select All and resize everything.

I have some Silhouette Clear Sticker paper so I’m going to load that in my printer and then click on the Printer icon in the top left tool bar.

Here is my printed page.

And I am ready to place my design on my mat and click on the Send tab. When you place your printed image on the cutting mat, you want to make sure that you place it in the exact same location that you have it on your Design screen, in the top left corner.
Choose Sticker paper – Clear in my Cut settings & double check that all my cut lines are how I want them. And then load my mat, do a test cut to make sure my settings are correct and then click Send.