Looking for a fast and easy way to jump into designing with Silhouette Studio? In this quick tutorial, I’ll show you how to create a custom design in under 1 minute! Whether you are brand new to Silhouette or just short on time, this step-by-step guide is perfect for beginners and seasoned crafters alike. From shape tools to compound paths, you’ll learn how to make a project-ready design in no time—ideal for faux leather, fabric, vinyl, HTV, paper crafts, and more. Let’s get designing in 60 seconds or less!
Quick Design in Silhouette Studio
Open Silhouette Studio and grab the teardrop shape from the Flexishapes menu on the left side of Silhouette Studio.
Left click on the design mat and drag down to create the teardrop shape to create approximately a 2″ tall shape. It does not have to be perfect. Then right click and choose Convert to Path.
With the tear drop selected, in the top QAT (Quick Access Toolbar), highlight the numbers in the H box and change it to 2″. Press Enter.
Double click on the tear drop shape to activate the Edit Points. Click on the edit point at the top of the tear drop and 2 blue nodes will appear.
Grab the blue node on the left and drag it out so it is even with the red cut line on the left side.
Grab the blue node on the right side and move it to the right so it’s even with the red cut line.
Ta-da! Ok. It probably took longer than a minute to read the steps and follow them, but you can do this again and could design this shape in less than a minute. But you don’t have to! It’s not a speed test.
If you want to create the hole for the top of the earrings. Grab the Draw Ellipse tool on the left side, hold the Shift key down to draw a perfect circle. Let the mouse button go before you let the Shift key up and you will have a perfect circle. Decide what size you would like and adjust as needed. Place the circle at the top, select both the circle and the tear drop and Align Center.
With both the circle and the tear drop selected, right click and choose Make Compound Path. Fill the design with color and you will see the hole is “punched out” of the tear drop shape.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
Looking for a creative way to level up your handmade jewelry packaging? In this DIY tutorial, I’ll show you how to create custom earring cards using Silhouette Sketching and vibrant Sakura Gelly Roll pens. These unique earring display cards not only showcase your earrings beautifully but also add a professional, artistic touch to your small business or handmade gifts. Using Silhouette Studio software and your Silhouette cutting machine, you can sketch intricate designs, logos, or text with ease. Whether you’re selling on Etsy, prepping for a craft fair, or making gifts for friends, these handmade earring cards are the perfect finishing touch!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Have you ever made custom earring cards with Silhouette? How about sketched with your Silhouette machine? Why not combine the two and create custom earring cards? I created the projects shown in this post to send with a gift to a friend.
Customize your designs for your specific project, a gift, or just because!
Keep in mind the software and machines are designed as cutting machines, so the red “cut” lines on the screen are exactly how a sketch pen will sketch out. It will sketch the outer lines of a “cut” file. If a design or font is not filled in, the sketch pen will not magically fill things in unless it’s told to.
If you want a design or font to be filled in by a pen, you can use the Sketch Panel/Line Effects Panel to add a fill. Keep in mind that the sketch fill pattern will affect the time to sketch the design. When a design or font is filled in with a small sketch fill pattern, that pen is going over and over an area just like if you were filling in a design or font by hand with a pen. That can mean that it cements the paper to the cutting mat, so be careful removing the materials from the mat.
Sketch designs, fonts, or single line fonts can work better for sketching without having to do much to alter the designs.
However, not all sketch designs or fonts are truly designed for sketching. The file name may simply include sketch, so it’s always good to click on the Send tab and take a closer look to see where the pen may travel to get an idea of what it will turn out like.
Install the pen in the Silhouette machine and test.
The Silhouette pen holders allow for a wide variety of pens to be used in the machines. The installation process is the same no matter if using the Silhouette Type A, Type B, or Type C Pen Holders. Find the collar that fits the best for the size pen you are using and make sure it’s secure.
Did you know that the cap on the Silhouette pen holder has a purpose? Keep the cap! Place the cap on the pen holder when you install the pen and when the tip of the pen touches the cap, that is your pen depth. This should work for most pen types and all Silhouette pen holders.
If needed, you can also use a popsicle or craft stick placed underneath the pen tip when you insert the pen holder in the machine. This will show you if the pen is too far down in the adapter or installed at the correct height. Pens installed too low in the adapter have a greater chance of drawing drag marks.
Silhouette Cameo 3 with Type A Pen Holder
If the pen is too low, simply remove it and lift it up in the pen holder a bit before tightening the collars. Proper setup and testing will save you frustration and drag lines across your project.
If you are working on a project with specific materials such as envelopes, etc. Test on cardstock first to save your more expensive materials.
Sketching a Designwith Silhouette
If sketching and cutting a project, set up the design to Cut by Line Color. I use red lines for the cut lines and blue lines for sketch lines.
I recommend sketching first and then cutting, so there is less chance that the design will move. Do NOT unload the cutting mat after the design has sketched.
Uncheck the sketch lines and check the box next to the cut color, install a blade, and send the job to cut.
Just get started! Set it up to sketch and just start selecting designs and sketching. It is so much fun to just play around with it, even if you do not have a specific project or purpose in mind. Grab some cardstock and set up the machine to sketch and just play!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
If you’ve ever created a design in Silhouette Studio and wanted to use it outside the software—whether for DTF (Direct to Film) printing, sublimation, print-and-cut, or any high-quality print project—this guide is for you! With just a few simple steps, you can save your design as a transparent PNG file directly from Silhouette Studio. This method is perfect for uploading to services like Siser®’s Easy® Transfers for vibrant, press-ready DTF prints, but it’s also a great option for any project that needs a clean, high-resolution image. In the video below, I’ll walk you through how to export your design as a PNG and show you exactly how to upload it to the Siser Easy Transfers site to order custom DTF transfers—plus, you’ll get tips to ensure your file is properly formatted for print success. You’ll also find written step-by-step instructions below the video in this post to make it even easier to follow along.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
In the video linked above, I show how I created the design featured. I am going to skip right to the steps of saving as a PNG from Silhouette Studio Business Edition. If you would like to see how I create the design, check it out in the video HERE.
When creating your own designs, make sure you are starting with high resolution images. Photos and digital files that are 72 dpi are designed for internet quality images and you want 300 dpi for print quality.
Note: if you are on a MAC, the screenshots below may look a bit different as I am using a Windows computer, however, the process is the same.
Select all parts of the design to be saved. This can be done by left clicking and dragging across the entire design to “rubber band” select everything the mouse moves across.
In the top left corner of Silhouette Studio, select File > Save Selection > Save to Hard Drive.
Using this method will save the design at the size created and not the entire art board. I explain and show a demonstration of why I recommend this method in the video tutorial HERE.
Choose the location you want the file to be saved, name the file, and change the Save as type at the bottom to PNG (or whatever other file type you’d like to save as).
Silhouette has a default DPI (Dots per inch), this is NOT print quality. Highlight the number and change it to 300, then press the Enter key. You will notice that the Pixels for both Width and Height increase. Pixel size is directly related to DPI.
Check the box next to Transparent background if you want a transparent background.
PNG and JPEG files are rectangle shaped files. If a PNG was not designed with a transparent background, it will show as a white rectangle behind the design. JPEG files do not have transparent backgrounds.
The maximum pixel size that can be saved for either width or height in Silhouette Studio is 10,000 pixels.
Make sure to press Enter after changing the DPI or the change will not take effect.
Click the Save button to save the file as a PNG.
Check the file in the saved location to make sure it saved as you want. On a Windows computer, in the Windows folder, move the mouse over the image and it will tell you the pixel size.
To change how you view files in the Windows Folder, select View at the top and select how you want to see those files in the folder.
When using those steps, the design should be saved at 300 DPI from Silhouette Studio.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
The Silhouette Studio software allows you to print directly from the program to any printer that is setup on your computer. This action can be performed easily by going to File > Print and selecting the printer you are using once the design is ready to print. However, the colors you see on the computer screen may not be the actual results that print out from your printer.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Factors That Can Affect Printed Colors
A computer monitor is not calibrated to print colors. Each brand of computer monitor can vary in the visual representative that you see. If you were sitting next to someone else using the exact same Silhouette Studio software version, your colors may not appear the same on screen as that person next to you simply because you are using different computers.
Computer monitors display in RGB (Red Green Blue) versus printers that are CYMK (Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, black) – this can affect the actual printed results versus what is seen on the screen.
There are many different brands and models of printers out there on the market being used worldwide. Different brands and models of printers can yield different results.
Printer ink can vary by brand and yield different results.
The material being printed on can affect the colors. Different materials absorb the ink and the final color you see can vary depending on the material. For instance, plain cardstock will absorb more ink into the paper versus a glossy photo paper. This can make the color appear muted on the cardstock versus a more vibrant print on a shiny gloss of photo paper.
The printer settings selected when printing can affect color outcome. Each printer model has different settings it can print at and what you select for the print job sent can affect the final outcome of colors. For example, draft settings versus normal versus photo quality.
Printer drivers can affect the outcome of colors and other options available, such as print page size, etc. For best results, install the full printer drivers direct from the printer manufacturer’s website for your specific printer model. Simply plugging in a printer or connecting it to your computer does not usually install the full printer drivers. While it may print, it may not have all the options of the full print driver as it’s using a default driver that’s in the computer operating system to perform basic print functions.
Computer operating systems (OS) and updates. Print quality can vary by Windows versus MAC and also by the OS updates on those computer systems. We have seen print color output change overnight with a computer OS update.
Different software programs can have different print color results.
Now that we’ve covered a few things that can make the difference, how can you test what colors you see versus what colors you get when printing?
Silhouette Studio: Color Test Print
Draw out 1-inch squares (or larger if needed) and replicate to fill the page
Open the Fill Color Panel and fill each square with a color that you want to test print.
The full Fill Color Panel on the right side of the Silhouette software has several options for adding colors. Use the preset colors, add your own custom color, or add in colors by HEX, HSL, or RGB codes. Create your own custom color palettes too for easy access on future projects.
I used the Color Cubes by Sarah Renae Clark to fill in a page of color combinations that I want to test print. The color cards give 5 colors with the HEX code for each color and also have shades of that color shown on the card.
In the Silhouette Studio software, at the bottom of the Fill Color Panel, you can adjust the color to another shade easily by moving the custom color dot around on the color palette.
Once page is filled as desired, then select File > Print in top left corner.
Verify on the Print Preview that everything will be printed as desired. The print preview is where you can catch errors before you waste ink printing. For instance, if the design is not showing completely and is cut off, that can indicate the wrong printer is selected or the page size is incorrect. There is still time to make changes before you commit to printing and using ink. If you are doing a print and cut project, verify that all 3 registration marks show as printing completely on the page before you click print.
When ready, click Print. The printer menu will pop up and you can select what options you would like to print at and where to print from. I use the rear tray on my printer when printing any specialty materials or cardstock.
If you make any changes such as the actual printer being used or the page size, you will need to apply those changes and then cancel out to the main design screen to reset those settings completely.
Once printed, you can see how the colors will print on that particular material. It’s always best to test on the actual material you will be using to know for sure.
I printed this on higher quality copy paper using the regular print settings from my printer. I was also notified that one ink cartridge was low on ink, so I know that will affect the colors that are printed as well.
Additional Tips for Printing:
Objects or designs need to be filled with color to print.
Silhouette Studio is designed as a cutting software. That means the red lines you see on the design mat are cut lines for a Silhouette machine to follow. When a shape is drawn or text typed out, it is generally not filled with any color and the software sees it as empty. Which is exactly how it will print to a printer if sent. This is one great thing about utilizing print preview, you can catch issues before you’ve actually tried to print the project.
Cut lines do not print unless told to do so.
There are 2 options if you want the line of an object to print.
1 – Increase line thickness above 0. Any line thickness above 0 will print on the material.
Here is what the text above will show on the Print Preview when the top text line is set to 0 line width and the bottom is set to 1.75.
2 – Select the objects you want the lines to print on and check the Print Lines of Selected Shapes box on the bottom of the Line Style Panel.
Here is what the text above will show on the Print Preview when the top text has the print lines of selected shapes chosen.
There is also an italic note stating: This will display your 0 pt cut lines as 0.1 pt lines in prints and in SVG and PDF exports.
Sublimation prints need to be pressed to show true color.
If you are printing using sublimation inks, the true colors will not show until the design has been pressed. A sublimation print will always look dull or muted prior to pressing. For best results and the most accurate colors, press onto 100% polyester. This will show the final colors
New equipment may not function the same as old equipment.
Getting a new, updated printer model can be a great thing! However, users can be quickly frustrated when things do not work the same or the new printer doesn’t print the same colors the same as the old one did. It can take some getting used to for all new equipment.
Low ink of any cartridge or tank can affect the color outcome.
Most home printers have a set of color cartridges or tanks, for instance, my Canon TS9521C has 3 colors and 2 black cartridges. To make up the colors you are asking it to print, the printer combines those inks in order to make the color output. If a color cartridge or tank is low on ink, it may not yield the desired results.
The results that each user sees and has when printed can vary simply because we all have different equipment we are using.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
Under the new Specialty Tools Panel on Tab 4 in Silhouette Studio, is the Heat Pen Panel.
This tutorial was written in Silhouette Studio version 4.5.770.
The Specialty Tools Panel was released in v4.5+ software versions. If you don’t see it on the right side of the Silhouette Studio, your software version may be older than v4.5.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Here is a look at the details of the Heat Pen Panel in Silhouette Studio.
1 – Heat Pen Fill Patterns – choose from None, Lined, Concentric, Cross-hatched, and Spiral
All designs will vary in how the pattern fills in the area. I used Hi by Diva Watts Design – Design #399489 and at the size shown, there isn’t much inside the Concentric Pattern fill at a 0.079 spacing. Testing is the only way to know what fill pattern and spacing will look good on the finished project.
2 – Spacing– Increase or decrease the grid spacing between the lines of the pattern. A spacing of 0.004″ will fill in the design more, but depending on the pattern chosen, there can still be some bare spots.
In this example, the Concentric fill pattern at a 0.004″ spacing fills in most areas, but there are still some white spaces in certain areas. Zoom in on your designs so you can see the tight fills and how each pattern fills in the designs.
These spaces may or may not affect the outcome of the final project. Testing is the the only way to know what will work and all designs will vary.
This is another area where you are changing a lot of data at one time, so be patient with your computer if it is thinking.
3 – Angle – Change the angle of the fill pattern.
4 – Release Heat Pen Fill – selecting this option will take the fill from an editable fill pattern and makes it a vector design.
When using this feature, be aware that once the fill has been released and file saved and closed, it is a permanent change to that file. If the design needs to be adjusted, you would need to start over.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
Under the new Specialty Tools Panel on Tab 3 in Silhouette Studio, is the Power Engraver Panel.
This tutorial was written in Silhouette Studio version 4.5.770. The Specialty Tools Panel was released in v4.5+ software versions. If you don’t see it on the right side of the Silhouette Studio, your software version may be older than v4.5.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Power Engraver is specific to the Silhouette Curio 2 and is one of the new powered tools that was announced and released in September 2023.
The backside of the Power Engraver features a power plug that sits in the Carriage 2 housing and powers the device through the Silhouette Curio 2 machine. The end of the tool is a router tip that spins to perform the engrave process. It functions like a Dremel tool and sounds like one too. The sound changes depending on the materials being used.
And I’ll just say – I love it!
Specialty Tools Panel – Power Engraver – Tab 3
Here is a look at the details of the Power Engraver Panel in Silhouette Studio.
1 – Power Engraver Etch Fill Patterns – choose from None, Lined, Concentric, Cross-hatched, and Spiral
2 – Spacing– Increase or decrease the grid spacing between the lines of the pattern. The dark red star shows a 0.004″ spacing – a really tight etch fill
This is another area where you are changing a lot of data at one time, so be patient with your computer if it is thinking.
3 – Angle – Change the angle of the etch pattern.
4 – Release Engraving Fill – selecting this option will take the fill from an editable fill pattern and makes it a vector design.
This can be helpful if you are trying to stack multiple layers of etch for engraving on harder materials. It is not necessary to do this with simple etch designs or softer materials such as acrylic.
When using this feature, be aware that once the fill has been released and file saved and closed, it is a permanent change to that file. If the design needs to be adjusted, you would need to start over.
Find the Silhouette Curio 2, Power Engraver Tool, and the Curio Debris Tray at either CrafterCuts, Silhouette America, or Amazon. CrafterCuts has free shipping on orders over $35 and use code SECRETS to save 10% on supplies & accessories (not valid on machines). Silhouette America has free shipping on orders over $50 if you are a Silhouette Club member.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
Under the new Specialty Tools Panel on Tab 2 in Silhouette Studio, is the Score & Emboss Panel.
This tutorial was written in Silhouette Studio version 4.5.770. The Specialty Tools Panel was released in v4.5+ software versions. If you don’t see it on the right side of the Silhouette Studio, your software version may be older than v4.5.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The score & emboss process is designed to cut a shallow line before embossing, intending to deepen the embossing.
This option is available to Silhouette Curio 1, Silhouette Curio 2, and Silhouette Cameo 5 model owners. If one of these machines is not plugged in and recognized, the panel will gray out, and you may not be able to select the options.
Specialty Tools Panel – Score & Emboss – Tab 2
Here is a look at the details of the Score & Emboss Panel.
1 – Tool Selection – Choose either the Fine or Wide Embossing tool according to what you are using.
Fine Embossing tool is a 1 mm tip and designated by a light blue/green top. Wide Embossing tool is a 3 mm tip and designated by a darker blue top.
2 – Passes – choose the number of passes for the tool to complete from 1 – 10 3 – Fill – check this to add a fill to the object selected. 4 – Apply Score & Emboss Lines – selecting this confirms to the software that you want to apply both these actions to the selected object
Score & Emboss on the Send Tab in Silhouette
Once you apply the Score & Emboss, clicking on the Send tab will display both a red cut line and a blue emboss line around the design.
Carriage 1 performs the red cut line with a blade installed, and Carriage 2 performs the blue emboss line with the embossing tool.
To be honest, I tested both with and without the Score line and it did not make a difference that I could tell with my cardstock, except that scoring increased the time & caused more debris. All cardstock will vary and testing is the only way to know what will work best with your brand and thickness of cardstock.
Here is a look at the Score & Emboss results. I noticed that it created debris and separation in some areas where it scored and embossed.
Results may vary depending on the actual cardstock being used. Silhouette does have a Score & Emboss paper that they recommend for this method. However, you can test with any cardstock and simply select the Score & Emboss Paper as the material on the Send tab.
Tips to Keep in Mind with Score & Emboss
When using the Score & Emboss feature, keep in mind that it increases the time for the project to complete because you have 2 tools working consecutively. Depending on what you tell the software to do, it can be a lot of data to process, so be patient with your computer if it is thinking.
Embossing is available on the following Silhouette model machines: Curio 1, Curio 2, Cameo 5.
At the time of publishing this post, a bug persists in the Silhouette software for the Silhouette Cameo 5 causing it not to emboss where it shows on the screen. I will not release a tutorial until this bug is fixed, as I don’t want users to ruin their $30 embossing mat, as I did on the first try.
If you do attempt to do this with the Silhouette Cameo 5, I would highly recommend that you use a full 12″ x 12″ sheet of cardstock to protect the entire emboss mat surface.
Cutting completely through a material on top of the Silhouette Embossing mat is not recommended as it can damage the embossing pad and tear it up.
As new information is released and the bugs are fixed, I will add additional resources for embossing.
Silhouette Cameo 5 additional resources found HERE
Silhouette Curio 2 additional resources found HERE
Silhouette Studio Specialty Tools Panel Tabs (coming soon)
Specialty Tools Panel – Tab 3 – Power Engraver – details HERE
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
In this Let’s Explore v4 tutorial, we will cover the Silhouette Cut by Fill option. The Silhouette Studio software, has 4 options on the Send Tab on how to send the design to be cut – in the top right corner of the Send tab you will find the options Simple, Line, Fill, and Layers.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Silhouette Cut by Fill option allows you to cut a project by fill color. The Silhouette software generates the list shown under the Fill option based on the colors that you (or the designer) has filled the design with.
In this example using the Mardi Gras Mask file by Cut Files Makers, the file is already filled with color. If a design is not, you would need to select the pieces you want to fill and then select the color you want designated for that piece from the Fill Color Panel on the right or the Fill Color icon in the QAT in the top left of the Silhouette Studio software.
In this Send – Fill option, you have each fill color separated out in it’s own line and you can adjust the settings accordingly.
If you see an option that has a crosshatched pattern in it, that means there is no fill color for that cut line. This can happen when shapes haven’t been filled with a color or there is an image such as a png or jpeg on the file.
Details of the Silhouette Cut by Fill Color
Let’s take a look at what the actions are at the top of the Send tab in Silhouette for Cut by Fill Color.
Tool No. Choose whether you will be using Tool 1 or Tool 2, also called Carriage 1 and Carriage 2
On/Off Checked = Cut lines On Unchecked = Cut lines Off
Bold color lines will be around the design that the cut lines are turned ON for. Notice the purple and yellow lines are not bold since they are turned OFF. Some colors are more difficult to see the bold edge, such as white.
Weld The outer edge of overlapping objects of the color selected will be cut. Welding typically combines objects, but in this instance, the objects remain separate and the Cut Edge is activated.
Fill Color The same colors of the fill that were set up on the Design Tab, should all show in the list under Fill Color. Different shades of a color will show up as different options.
Material Choose the Material type you are using for each color. Each fill color will need to be changed separately if you did not select the material on the Simple tab before clicking on the Cut by Fill Color option.
Action Choose what action you will want to perform.
Tool/Carriage Choose what tool you will be using to perform the action.
If you were to keep all of the colors checked and have the cut lines ON, the order in which they appear in the list is the order in which the action will be done. For instance in my photo that would mean, the green would cut first, then the yellow, and then the purple.
You can rearrange the order by clicking and grabbing a color and move it up or down in the list as shown in the video below demonstrating with the line color option.
Moving down the right side of the Send tab – Fill Option, you will see that the cut settings are expanded further down to show what the settings are for each option you have chosen.
The color that is highlighted (selected) at the top of the panel will be the settings that you see at the bottom. In my photo, the green color is highlighted, so it shows the settings for the green lines in the bottom.
Here is where you can adjust the settings as needed. The key here is to make sure that the color you want to change is the one highlighted at the top AND the color shows on the bottom. We are seeing many users changing the settings for the wrong color.
You can also add a Pause in between the difference color actions if you would like to do that versus unchecking the box to turn the cut lines off. Each user is going to vary in what they prefer to do. I prefer to check and uncheck the boxes as needed, just in case I have to step away from my machine. But you can test out which way works best for you. See a quick demo of Adding a Pause HERE.
Now, the rest of this panel is the same as when using the Simple tab. Check out the in-depth tutorial on the Send Tab – Simple Option HERE for all those details.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
Have you ever wondered what tools are compatible with the Silhouette Curio 2? The Silhouette Curio 2 flatbed cutting machine can use a few additional tools that are not designed for the Silhouette Cameo 5 models. Let’s take a look at those today!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I have created a free PDF chart of all the tools that can be used in the Silhouette Curio 2 . This chart is available as a free download exclusively for confirmed newsletter subscribers.
I always recommend stocking up on extra blades and cutting mats to have on hand. It can be very frustrating to be in the middle of a project with a dull blade or and adhesive mat that is no longer sticky. It is also one of the fastest ways to rule out a cutting issue you might have.
For some of the specialty tools listed below I’ve also included links for tutorials and more information on their usage as well.
Silhouette Blades
Silhouette Autoblade – Type B Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick Available at Silhouette America or Crafter Cuts *This is the blade I use most often. Most cut issues occurring with this blade can be fixed by following the steps in this video HERE – Troubleshooting Cut Issues
Silhouette 1 mm Manual Blade Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Manual Blade Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, Craft Foam, and select specialty materials. Materials under 2 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Kraft Blade – Type B Carriage 1 Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 2 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette Tool Adapter Set Carriage 1 Adapters are color coded for specific blades/tools Black adapter = Silhouette blade (ratchet) & Premium blade White adapter = 2 mm Kraft blade Gray adapter = Deep Cut blade Blue adapter = Silhouette Sketch pens
Silhouette Blade – often referred to as a “ratchet” blade but the official name is Silhouette blade Carriage 1 with black adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette Premium Blade Carriage 1 with black adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette Deep Cut Blade Carriage 1 with gray adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, Craft Foam, and select specialty materials. Materials under 2 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Kraft Blade Carriage 1 with white adapter Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 2 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette 3 mm Kraft Blade Carriage 2 Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 3 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette Rotary blade Carriage 2 Used for fabrics, crepe paper, felt, wool, and select specialty materials *Rotary Blade TutorialHERE
Additional Silhouette Tools
Silhouette Pen Holder Type B Carriage 1 Use with a variety of pen styles to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. *Step-by-step Sketching ClassHERE **More tutorials on sketchingHERE
Silhouette Punch Tool Carriage 2 Used with adhesive vinyl or HTV to punch a hole to designate where to weed the material out. Also used with the Cameo 5 for etching on Silhouette metal sheets. *12+ Tips for Etching with the Silhouette Cameo 5HERE
Silhouette black bodied sketch pens Carriage 1 with blue adapter Used to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. *Step-by-step Sketching ClassHERE **More tutorials on sketchingHERE
Silhouette Pen Holder – Type C Carriage 2 Use with a variety of pen styles to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. Type C Pen Holder has a broader barrel on the end so you can use wider bodied pens and markers
Silhouette Heat Pen Set – Powered Tool Carriage 2 Applies foil transfer material to surfaces of many materials such as cardstock, faux leather, etc. Cordless design and powered by the Cameo 5 Tool 2 housing *Heat Pen Setup & Foiling tutorials HERE
Silhouette Heat Pen Super-Fine Carriage 2 Applies foil transfer material to surfaces of many materials such as cardstock, faux leather, etc. Cordless design and powered by the Cameo 5 Tool 2 housing 0.5 mm Super Fine Tip
Silhouette Power Engraver Carriage 2 Surface engraves on materials such as metal sheets, acrylic, etc. To be used with the Silhouette Curio Debris Tray *Beginner Acrylic Etching Class with Power EngraverHERE **Additional Silhouette Curio 2 InformationHERE
Grab the free PDF chart of all the Silhouette Curio 2 tools for future reference when you subscribe to the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter. *chart is the current tools available for the Silhouette Curio 2January 2024
Find even more information on the Silhouette Curio 2 HERE including an unboxing, setup, first cuts, and the Electrostatic Bed.
Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
Let’s talk tools. Tools for the Silhouette Cameo 5 and Cameo 5 Plus model machines specifically in this post.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
With the release of the Silhouette Cameo 5, a couple new tools were released that can be used with the new machines. These include the Embossing tools, Heat Pen Set, and Pen Holder Type C.
I’ve created a free PDF chart listing all the tools compatible with the Silhouette Cameo 5 and Cameo 5 Plus. This chart is available as a free download exclusively for confirmed newsletter subscribers.
I always recommend stocking up on extra blades and cutting mats to have on hand. It can be very frustrating to be in the middle of a project with a dull blade or and adhesive mat that is no longer sticky. It is also one of the fastest ways to rule out a cutting issue you might have.
Let’s take a look at all the blades and tools that can be used in the Silhouette Cameo 5. For some of the specialty tools listed below I have also included links for tutorials and more information on their usage as well.
Silhouette Blades
Silhouette Autoblade – Type B Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick Available at Silhouette America or Crafter Cuts *This is the blade I use most often. Most cut issues occurring with this blade can be fixed by following the steps in this video HERE – Troubleshooting Cut Issues
Silhouette 1 mm Manual Blade Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Manual Blade Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, Craft Foam, and select specialty materials. Materials under 2 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Kraft Blade – Type B Carriage 1 Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 2 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette Tool Adapter Set Carriage 1 Adapters are color coded for specific blades/tools Black adapter = Silhouette blade (ratchet) & Premium blade White adapter = 2 mm Kraft blade Gray adapter = Deep Cut blade Blue adapter = Silhouette Sketch pens
Silhouette Blade – often referred to as a “ratchet” blade but the official name is Silhouette blade Carriage 1 with black adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette Premium Blade Carriage 1 with black adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette Deep Cut Blade Carriage 1 with gray adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, Craft Foam, and select specialty materials. Materials under 2 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Kraft Blade Carriage 1 with white adapter Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 2 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette 3 mm Kraft Blade Carriage 2 Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 3 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette Rotary blade Carriage 2 Used for fabrics, crepe paper, felt, wool, and select specialty materials *Rotary Blade TutorialHERE
Additional Silhouette Tools
Silhouette Pen Holder Type B Carriage 1 Use with a variety of pen styles to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. *Step-by-step Sketching ClassHERE **More tutorials on sketchingHERE
Silhouette Punch Tool Carriage 2 Used with adhesive vinyl or HTV to punch a hole to designate where to weed the material out. Also used with the Cameo 5 for etching on Silhouette metal sheets. *12+ Tips for Etching with the Silhouette Cameo 5HERE
Silhouette black bodied sketch pens Carriage 1 with blue adapter Used to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. *Step-by-step Sketching ClassHERE **More tutorials on sketchingHERE
Silhouette Pen Holder – Type C Carriage 2 Use with a variety of pen styles to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. Type C Pen Holder has a broader barrel on the end so you can use wider bodied pens and markers
Silhouette Embossing Tool Set – Type C Carriage 2 Embosses onto materials such as cardstock, embossable foil, etc. Set includes a fine and wide tip.
Silhouette Heat Pen Set – Powered Tool Carriage 2 Applies foil transfer material to surfaces of many materials such as cardstock, faux leather, etc. Cordless design and powered by the Cameo 5 Tool 2 housing – 1 mm & 2.5 mm tip *Heat Pen Setup & Foiling tutorials HERE
Silhouette Heat Pen Super-Fine Carriage 2 Applies foil transfer material to surfaces of many materials such as cardstock, faux leather, etc. Cordless design and powered by the Cameo 5 Tool 2 housing 0.5 mm Super Fine Tip
Additional Supplies
There are a few additional supplies for use with some of the specialty tools listed above.
Silhouette 12″ x 12″ Embossing Mat For use with the Silhouette Embossing Tools
Silhouette Heat Transfer Foil – Gold & Silver For use with the Silhouette Heat Pen Set 2 heat foil rolls (3 in x 33 feet) *Heat Pen Setup & Foiling tutorials HERE
Silhouette Electrostatic Bed Uses static electricity to hold materials in place while being cut with the Cameo 5 models *Tips for using the Silhouette Electrostatic BedHERE
Silhouette Electrostatic Protection Sheet 12″ x 12″ – 2 per pack Protects the Electrostatic Bed from damage.
There are a lot of options now available with the Silhouette Cameo 5 and Cameo 5 Plus.
Grab the free PDF chart of all Silhouette Cameo 5 tools for future reference when you subscribe to the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter. *chart is the current tools available for the Cameo 5 and Cameo 5 Plus January 2024
Find even more information on the Silhouette Cameo 5 HERE including an unboxing, setup, first cuts, and the Electrostatic Bed.
Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
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.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**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.
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click the link to buy a coffee. Every little bit helps in the cost of running the site.
