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Silhouette “Secret” to Working with an Uncolored Design

Have you ever opened up a design file and it was not filled with color or did not look like the thumbnail image of the design?

Today I’m sharing a quick video tutorial on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel on how you can easily work with these types of files and why they may open like this.

Check it out HERE

I hope you are getting crafty today!

Share below what projects you are working on currently!

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

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy !

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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Silhouette Design Tab PDF Diagram

Just dropping in for a quick refresher on the PDF Diagram of the Design Tab in the Silhouette Studio software.

Download this to your computer and open it.
Then click on the blue links to be taken to more in-depth information on each of the tools or features.

Print it for a visual reference while working in the software too!

Grab the free PDF file HERE or click the image below.

Diagram illustrating the Design Tab in Silhouette Studio software, featuring various tools and panels for user reference.

I have had many comment with feedback that this is very helpful to them when getting familiar with the Silhouette Studio v4 software.
All of the information provided is part of the “Let’s Explore v4 series” on the blog HERE.

We love seeing what you are creating with your Silhouette machines or software.
Feel free to post photos or questions on my Facebook group at 
Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo.jpg

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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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Triple Mat Card with Silhouette

I love being able to recreate just about anything in the Silhouette Studio software!

I’ve seen the triple mat technique in the stamping community for many, many years and even created cards with stamps using this same effect. Today we are going to take a look at how we can easily recreate this look with any pattern in the Silhouette Studio software.

First, a great big Thank You to Teresa P. for inspiring and helping with this tutorial.

I also have a video tutorial on my YouTube channel HERE.

Blue words in this tutorial are linked to more information on that particular topic. Click on the word and it will open a new window with a tutorial on that subject.

Creating a Triple Mat Card with Silhouette Studio

Open Silhouette Studio and set up the Page Setup Panel.
Select Letter size media or the size page you will be printing on.
Select Portrait Orientation.
I have the best results with print and cut on Portrait orientation.

I will be using a standard U.S. card size in the tutorial, however, you can adjust this to your desired card size. Create along with me for the technique and then play around with the sizes you normally create a card in.

Using the Drawing Tools on the left side, draw a rectangle any size.

Using the Scale Tools in Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) or
under the Transform Panel – Tab 2, resize the rectangle to 5.5″ W x 4.25″ H.
Hit enter after typing in the number for the design to adjust.

Make a copy of the rectangle.
There are about 10 different ways (or more) to copy and paste in the Silhouette Studio software. A couple are Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V, right click choose copy & paste, or right click and choose duplicate.
My favorite shortcut is to hold down the Alt key (Option on a MAC) then move the mouse over the red cut line and the cursor changes to a +. Left click on the mouse and drag a copy away.

Resize the 2nd rectangle to 5.25″ W x 4″ H.

Do this 4 more times and resize each rectangle as shown below.

Rectangle Copy 3 – 4.5″ W x 3.25″ H
Rectangle Copy 4 – 4.25″ W x 3″ H
Rectangle Copy 5 – 3.5″ W x 2.25″ H
Rectangle Copy 6 – 3.25″ W x 2″ H

You should end up with 6 rectangles all at different sizes that will make up the stacked technique.

Select Rectangle #1, hold the Shift key down and click Rectangle #3 & #5 to select them all at once. Move those off the design mat area to the gray holding area.
Next, with all 3 selected, fill those with black using the Fill Color in the QAT or the Fill Color Panel on the right side. These are the mats that will be cut out of black cardstock or any other color you desire.

Select the 3 rectangles on the design mat and choose the Center option in the top QAT Toolbar or use the Transform Panel – Align Tools and Center.

With the 3 rectangles centered and selected, right click and choose
Make Compound Path.
Compound paths are one of the most difficult concepts for a Silhouette user to understand. However, in this case, we are using the Compound Path option in a little bit different way. Check it out below.

Next, click on the Show/Hide Library option in the bottom left corner.

This opens up a split screen of the Library and the Design tab.

Click on the Patterns folder in the library.

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

With the design selected, choose a pattern.
I am using Vintage Pink Rose and French Ephemera Collage Pattern by Traci Vanover – Design #401636

Now, it may look a bit odd right now, but hang tight and you’ll see the magic happen on the screen.

Click the Show/Hide library button to close the split screen library.

Now, we can adjust the pattern a bit before we move on.
Open the Fill Color Panel and click on the 3rd tab at the top.
Then click on the Advanced section to open up more options.

Under the Advanced section, you can Scale the pattern up and also Pan the pattern around. Just be careful to watch for white lines to appear as the pattern is “tiled”. The white lines indicate the edge of the pattern page. If you see those on the screen, it will print that way as well.

Adjust the settings to your liking.

Now, are you ready for the magic?

Right click on the rectangles and choose Release Compound Path.

Ta-da! Move the rectangles away and you can see that the pattern fill is now in all 3 rectangles in the exact location that it was when it was stacked together.

What a nifty little trick!

Now that we have our card design, it’s time to set up the print and cut.

Open the Page Setup Panel & make sure the page is setup properly if needed.
Choose Letter size (or the size you are printing on).
Choose Portrait Orientation.

Then click on the Tab 3 at the top of the Page Setup Panel for the Registration Marks.
Choose On.
Click the Restore Defaults button.
*This is an important step if you have ever had issues with print and cut or are just getting started. The default registration marks are where the machine can read the most accurately.

Arrange the designs on the page within the red cut border and stay away from the cross-hatched area.
If needed, use the Transform Panel – Rotate Tab to rotate the design to fit within the red cut border of the print and cut page.

The cross-hatched area is very, very important in the success of the accuracy in the print and cut! The optical eye is a laser eye that turns on when registration marks are on the project. This eye searches for those black registration marks and any part of the design that is in the cross-hatched area can interfere with an accurate reading.
It may look like it read the marks, but if it picked up part of the design instead of the edge of the registration mark, it can affect where it cuts.
Dark colors in, near, or between the cross-hatched areas can interfere with the reading.
If you have every had an issue, look at where your design is placed and are you using the defaults to give the machine the best chance to read?

Some users can successfully adjust the print and cut boundaries, but NOT ALL! The most accurate results with print and cut are with the default registration marks. Once you have established a baseline with the defaults, then you can start changing things and see what works. It does NOT work for all users to adjust.

Print and Cut is an amazing feature on the Silhouette software!
Here are some tips on how to set up a basic print and cut
Let’s Explore v4 – Print and Cut Basics
Starting with the basics will give you the most accurate print and cut results.

Once your page is ready, send it to print using File > Print.

Printed on a Canon TS9521C Craft Printer

I am often asked what printer to buy for print and cut.
Any good quality printer will work.
Start with the one you have and start with the Basics of Print and Cut, test it and see how it does.

Place the printed page on the cutting mat, exactly as it shows on the Silhouette Design screen in the top left corner and covering the grid lines on the mat.

Using a Silhouette cutting mat will also be the greatest chance of an accurate print and cut. Other 3rd party cutting mats are not the same dimensions and can affect the accuracy of a print and cut project.

Load the cutting mat in the Silhouette machine. On a Cameo, the left edge of the cutting mat should be next to the line on the left and not over top of it.
Hold the cutting mat flat as it registers the marks for best results.

Click on the Send tab in the top right corner.
Select the material type and adjust the cut settings as needed for your material.
Click the Send button in the bottom right corner when ready to cut.

For additional tips on Cut Settings check out this post
Perfect Cut Settings in Silhouette HERE

After it’s cut, unload the cutting mat, flip the mat over and carefully peel the mat away from the cardstock.

Add the black cardstock (or other color) to the cutting mat.
Click on the Design tab again in Silhouette Studio.
Select all 3 of the black rectangles, copy and paste to a new design mat and arrange to cut.

Send to cut.

After it’s cut, unload the cutting mat, flip the mat over and carefully peel the mat away from the cardstock.

Now that the pieces are cut, gather the supplies for assembly.

Supplies used:
Recollections White & Black Cardstock from Michaels – https://bit.ly/3bkIlS5 affil
Scrapbook Adhesives Tape Runner 3L – https://shrsl.com/3aeol affil
Foam Tape – https://amzn.to/3b9gHHu affil
Check out how to make your own card base HERE and size it as needed

Start by using the tape runner to secure the pattern to the black cardstock mat.

Secure the largest piece to the front of the card base using the tape runner.

Then add foam tape on the backside of the black cardstock mats to give it dimension.

Line up the pieces on top of the large rectangle, lining it up as you designed it. In this case, we centered the stacked mats.

And you have created a triple matted card using the Silhouette Studio software and pattern fill.

As you get familiar with it, you can start experimenting with different designs, patterns, and placement.

Patterns used:
Vintage Pink Rose and French Ephemera Collage Pattern by Traci Vanover – Design #401636
Wildflower Watercolor Pattern by Angie Makes – Design #187189
Carte Postal Bird by Glitz Design – Design #33715
Golden and Blue Abstract Pattern by Nilmara Quintela – Design #318594

It is hard to see in this photo, but I added a bit of detail with a gold pen to this pattern.

Carte Postal Bird by Glitz Design – Design #33715

And since you are already setting up a print and cut, you can also add a sentiment that could either be added directly to the pattern area or create your own shape as well. Print it right along with your pattern pieces.

I hope you get a chance to get into the Silhouette Studio software and create today!

Check out the full video tutorial on my YouTube channel HERE too!

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

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy !

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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New Silhouette video tutorial

Just a quick note to let you know I released a new Silhouette video tutorial this week.

Check out how to create this triple mat stacked look in Silhouette Studio on
my YouTube channel

HERE

Check out the description on the video for links to the supplies used in the video and more information on each Silhouette Studio tool used to create this project.

Watch for the written tutorial coming on Sunday.

Hope you have a fabulous day!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy !

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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New feature – Export individual files

Quick post today sharing a new feature!
I had previously shared this in a post about getting a new computer- find that HERE.
But, I feel it also needs it’s own blog post as well.

Export User Designs from Silhouette Library – New Feature!

If you have downloaded the current version or a version higher than v4.4.552, there is now a new feature that allows you to export all User Designs from the library as individual files.

Click on your name in the top left corner of the library tab and choose Export User Created Designs.

While I do NOT recommend storing your personal files in the Silhouette library, there are times that it is handy when you are accessing files on multiple computers or using Pattern Fills in the Silhouette software.

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

One big thing to note

when exporting these User Designs, is that it will export the entire library folder structure.
However, any designs from the Silhouette Design Store, the folders will be empty.
Only the user created designs will be exported.
This is due to the proprietary nature of the .studio files and to protect the designers of those files from theft.

I would HIGHLY recommend using this export feature when you update to the software of v4.4.552 or higher because it is a really nice feature.
However, as a general note, I do not recommend that all users update to this version or higher. There are many factors that I consider before advising a user on whether they should update. It really comes down to the user’s choice, however, before I make a recommendation I do ask for more information.
If you would like to know what I’d recommend for your situation, feel free to post on the
Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae Facebook group and we can take a look at the factors.

If you are on an older software prior to v4.4.552 or before you plan to update the software, I would recommend making a backup of your library. Check out Tip #1 in this post for how to do a library backup in the older software versions of v4
5 Silhouette Studio Secrets HERE

Keep in mind that the Silhouette library is not designed as an all inclusive storage area but as a syncing device. This is one reason the Silhouette cloud storage is limited in size. All users get 1 GB of storage space, but if you are a Silhouette Club Member or a Silhouette Design Store Subscriber*, you get 5 GB of storage.
*no longer a benefit of a SDS subscription effective sometime in 2024? (updated 3/28/25)

Hope this tip helps!
This is an awesome new feature!

Update 3/2023: new video on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE showing how to Export Individual Files

We love seeing what you are creating with your Silhouette machines or software.
Feel free to post photos or questions on my Facebook group at 
Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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Home Decor with Silhouette

Using the Silhouette Software to Help Design Home Décor

I always have my eye out for things that I can use in creating with my Silhouette machine. Target had these little wooden houses available in their Dollar section.

After debating with my inner self, I finally picked up a set.
I always have this inner dialog on – can I make that? Will I make that?
Yes, I can cut the wood, but when will I get it done?
Right now, in the process of moving, our wood shop is not set up, so I did it.
I bought wood shapes.

If you have access to a saw, you could create your own shapes. This tutorial is not limited to these little house shapes, but think about the supplies you have on hand and you can use this same technique for any blanks you use.

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

Next, gather the rest of the supplies.
– Paint
– Foam brush
– Paint palette or small dish
– Sponge
– Painters Tape
– Adhesive Vinyl
– Transfer Tape
– Squeegee
– Weeding tool

Tape off any sections needed with the painters tape. In this case, each house has a metal chimney.

Paint the houses any color you want.
I chose to paint a solid color of gray, light blue, or dark gray as the first coat and then used the white chalk paint with the sponge on top of that to give it a distressed look.

Let the wood blanks dry completely.

Next, measure the space of each blank and write that down.

This is just a rough draft and does not have to be perfect or to scale.

Using the information from your measurements and drawing, draw shapes in the Silhouette software to design use as “design templates”.

For these houses I started by using a rectangle under the Drawing Tool on the left side and then used the Edit Points to pull up a point in the roof.

Check out this video tutorial showing the full process of drawing the shapes in Silhouette Studio.

Find this video on YouTube HERE

Once you have the template shapes, then you can decide on the designs to fill those shapes. Some designs will work better in the shapes than others.

I used the following designs on my double sided houses:
Home Sweet Home by Angele Camp – Design #233239
Hello Fall by Lilium Pixel SVG – Design #300125
Home Sweet Home by Diva Watts Designs – Design #346001
Home Sweet Home by Diva Watts Designs – Design #347923
Home Sweet Home by Design Hooked – Design #354446
Fall Bouquet by Tanya Batrak – Design #159397

Once all the designs are sized how you want them to cut, move the designs around on the virtual mat to cut out each color vinyl you want them in.

Then send to the Silhouette machine to cut all the adhesive vinyl pieces. I cut everything from Oracal 651 adhesive vinyl.
I have been having an issue with the vinyl cutting too deep into the backing using the preset settings, so I am using the settings of:
Blade depth – 2
Force – 5
Speed – 5
With a Silhouette Autoblade and it is cutting, weeding, and transferring beautifully.

Cut settings depend on many variables and test cuts will be the way to find out what is going to work best with your material and blade. For more tips on cut settings check out this post – Perfect Cut Setting in Silhouette.

Carefully weed the excess vinyl from around the designs.

This takes practice and the cut settings can make a big difference in the ease of weeding.
Do not rip it off like a bandaid.

After all the weeding is done, apply vinyl to blanks

Here is a quick real time video of the application process on one of the wood blanks.

In the above video, I reference a recent tutorial on the Smart Snapping lines. This can be a very helpful tool as shown in the video.
Check out the Let’s Explore v4 – Smart Snapping post HERE

And now you have some seasonal or year round décor.

Double sided means that they can pull double duty in your seasonal decorations.

And if I were to ever want to change the designs out, I would just carefully remove the vinyl. Sand it if needed and repaint, then cut and place new vinyl designs on them.

Keep in mind that you can use these tips & techniques for any blanks you might have!

I’d love see what you create & how you use the tools in Silhouette Studio
Feel free to post on the
Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook Group.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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New quick video up on YouTube

This week I put up a new quick video tip on my YouTube channel, but had some of my Facebook members wonder why YouTube didn’t notify them. It was requested that I also put it out on the blog so it would notify more people of the new content.

This is just a quick “Silhouette Secret” that can either be fun or for some users, helpful if they are using multiple machines.

Did you know you can name your Silhouette machines in the Silhouette Studio software?

Check out this quick video tip to see how

View this on my YouTube channel HERE

I would love to hear if you’ve given your machines new names!
Comment below, on the YouTube video or on my Silhouette Secrets+ with EllyMae FB group to let us know!

If you’d like to be notified when new blog posts are published, make sure to subscribe to the blog. On a computer, you’ll find this on the right side and on a mobile device you will need to scroll to the bottom of the page to subscribe.
I had several reports from followers that YouTube did not notify them of new content and of course Facebook is hit or miss on that one too.
Signing up for notifications in more than one place is a great way to make sure you might see the new tips, tricks, tutorials, and classes when they are released.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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DXF or SVG for Silhouette

The Silhouette software can open many different file types.
Which file type depends on what upgrade of the software you have.

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

Here is how it is broken out by upgrade:

Silhouette Studio Basic (free at Silhouette America)
– gsd
– dxf
– jpeg
– png
– bmp

Silhouette Studio – Designer Edition upgrade
all of the above and
– svg
– pdf

Silhouette Studio – Designer Edition Plus
all of the above and
– Embroidery files (PES, DST, EXP, JEF, and XXX)

Silhouette Studio – Business Edition
all of the above and
– Ai/CDR/EPS Files

Silhouette Studio Upgrades can be found at several authorized retailers:
The Vinyl Spectrum, Swing Design, or Silhouette America.

Today we are going to explore the difference between a dxf and svg file.

So let’s first look at the definition of each.

DXF files are a file type that was created in 1982 for AutoCad program. Which just means computer assisted design. So basically a computer drawing program.
It really wasn’t designed as a “cut” file.

SVG files are scalable vector graphics. These are vector files that can be resized without losing image quality. These are “cut” files. They were created in 1999.

When you compare the 2 file types, there can be a BIG difference in the quality of a cut. While you can open DXF files with the Basic software, it can also be a big headache to cut a file. Because of the way DXF files are create, they can have massive amounts of edit points. Edit points are the data points that the Silhouette reads to complete a cut.

All these little gray dots are edit points that the Silhouette has to read to connect the dots.
For more on edit points, check out this post here – Let’s Explore v4 – Edit Points.

Here are a couple things you may experience when opening and cutting a DXF file:

It may take a lot longer to open
Let’s take a look at an example of opening a dxf file vs a svg file.
This video shows opening the above mandala file in dxf format versus svg format.
The dxf file took 38 seconds versus the svg file took just a couple seconds.
This will also vary depending on the user’s computer and the dxf file.
I have a higher than normal spec gaming computer that is used in the video below.

The software may crash or lock up when trying to open a dxf since it’s such a large data file.
Due to the data size of a dxf file versus a svg file, the software may just crash as it’s working to try to open the dxf file. This will vary by dxf file and computer.

Software is slow to respond and the computer is “thinking” more with dxf files.
Since it is a data heavy file it may take longer to make edits, resize, or work with the file in general.

A design takes forever to cut.
Since it has massive amounts of edit points, the Silhouette has to hit every single one of those to complete the cut.

The machine sounds odd cutting, like it’s stuttering.
This is because it is making short movements to connect the dots between those edit points.

The cut not completing cleanly because it has open edit points (red dots) and not complete lines
If you double click on a design, no matter the file type and you see red dots in it, there is a problem.
This means that the cut lines are not complete and it is a broken line.
This will affect how it cuts and in turn how it weeds.
I have drawn a simple rectangle below as an example- the red dot is a broken point.
The cut line does not completely connect to complete a cut.

Those broken edit points will need to be connected in order to close the shape. If the points are close together, double clicking on the red dot can close it, but if they are not, then you will need to connect the dots to close that cut line.

Shapes that have broken edit points cannot be filled with color as they really are not a “shape” but a line since it is not completely closed.

More on edit points on a dxf file

Since a dxf may have massive amounts of edit points, let’s take a look at what happens to those edit points when you scale the design down.

M

Here is what the file looks like when it’s originally opened & edit points are activated.
It opens at 9.528″ wide

Now if we scale that down, all of those edit points get squished closer together. They are still there but now you’ve taken those data points and squished them into a smaller space of 4.163″ wide.
Since there was already more edit points than necessary in a small space, you’ve now crowded them in even more.

In most cases, cutting this dxf file will just result in a mess of your material.

In the Edit Points Panel, there is the option to “Simplify” and you can try that, but it doesn’t always work or it may change the shape of the actual design.

Each file will be different in how it responds and reacts because they are created differently and are made up of different data.
Let’s compare another dxf file and svg file side by side.

On the left is the dxf file and the right is the svg file.
In this example, the edit points are not too crazy, however, you can still tell a noticeable difference between the dxf and the svg. The svg file is a much cleaner cut file.
Depending on the size you were to cut this file at, you may or may not notice a difference.

I highly recommend at least the Designer Edition upgrade to all Silhouette users and this is just one of the reasons why.
The upgrade will save you time, headache, and frustration in the long run.

For more information on my favorite reasons for each upgrade, check out this post
Software Upgrades My Favorite Features

I hope this has made the differences between working with dxf and svg files a little bit clearer. In my experience, the svg file is almost always the cleaner cut file to use.

We would love to see what you are working on!
Feel free post on the
Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook Group.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is logo.jpg

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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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New Silhouette Class – Text in Silhouette Studio

Let’s Explore v4 – Text in Silhouette Studio

New Silhouette course released on my Teachable site today!

Click HERE to go to the class directly.

This is a 50 minute Silhouette Studio v4 software class all about Text.
We will explore all about text to get you started in the Silhouette Studio v4 software including:

Text tool
Text Style Panel
How to get accurate text sizing
Resizing text
Font families
Welding
Script fonts
Offsetting text
Tracing text
Installing fonts, and
Glyphs

Expand your skills in the Silhouette software by learning all about text in Silhouette Studio in this 50 minute video course.

Check out all the Silhouette course available HERE on my Teachable site!

I love to see what you are creating with your Silhouette machines!
Feel free post on the
Silhouette Secrets+ Facebook Group.

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.
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Software Upgrades My Favorite Features

Let’s Explore v4
Silhouette Studio Software Upgrades

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

I am seeing a bunch of new Silhouette user’s join us and there is so much information out there.
Today let’s talk about software upgrades.
I highly recommend this.
Don’t be overwhelmed by all the options though!
You do not have to learn it all at once, but if you upgrade it will be ready for you when you are ready to learn about it.

What is an upgrade?

A software upgrade is an code you purchase that unlocks additional features in the software.
It is a one time fee that can be active on up to 3 computers per code.

I highly recommend at least the Designer Edition upgrade for all of my students.
It makes life easier and saves you time and headache.
Just being able to open a svg file and cut is well worth it.

But I LOVE the Business Edition upgrade because it unlocks it ALL and I never have to question if some tool/feature is available to me.
Both are well worth the investment!

Don’t let the name “Business” edition fool you though – you do not have to have a business to use it or have it be useful. There are just some features that are helpful to those that run a business such as using multiple machines.

If you have the basic (free) software, you would want to purchase 1 of 3 options depending on what upgrade you want to go to:
Option 1 – Silhouette Studio to Designer Edition (highly recommend at least this)
Option 2 – Silhouette Studio to Designer Plus (unlocks a few more features – see below)
In all honesty, if you are upgrading to Designer Edition Plus, you might as well go all the way and unlock it all
Option 3 – Silhouette Studio to Business Edition (unlocks it all)

Now here is the important part, if you already have an upgrade, you only need to purchase the step up to the next level you want.

For instance, if you already have the Designer Edition upgrade but you want to go to Business Edition, you want to buy the Designer Edition to Business Edition upgrade. You do not need to buy the full upgrade. You would purchase the level that you need to go from to the level you want to be at.

Now, keep in mind, if you purchase the upgrades in steps it is no different than purchasing the upgrade all together, except that you will need to enter the codes in that same order if you install it on another computer or have to re-enter your codes for any reason.

What does each level of upgrade do?

Here are a few of my favorite features and the ones I find most might use in the software:

Designer Edition unlocks:
– Ability to open svg and pdf file directly in the software
Rulers and guides can now be activated
– Additional Knife tools
– Additional Line Effects
Trace by Color
Magnet Trace
Glyphs Panel
– Ability to create Rhinestone designs
Warp Templates
And more…..

Designer Edition Plus unlocks all of the above and …..
Flexishapes
– Ability to open some embroidery file types (PES, DST, EXP, JEF, and XXX)
Puzzle Generator
Conical Warp
And more…..

Business Edition unlocks all of the above and …..
– Import Ai/CDR/EPS Files
Weed Line Feature
Multi-cutter Support (I use this one all the time)
– Multiple Undo/Redo (one of my favorites)
– Export SVG, PDF, JPG
– Edition Toggle (this is great for those of us who teach, so we can see exactly what the students see in their version)
And more…..

Now, the list above is not the extensive list of all the features unlocked with each upgrade.
However, it is a list of the features I find the most useful in each upgrade.
For the complete comparison chart click HERE to go look at Silhouette America.

I want you to be successful and use your Silhouette software to the fullest!
The Vinyl Spectrum has the upgrades to Designer Edition, Business Edition and from Designer to Business at a great price.
These are digital codes, so are emailed directly to you after purchase.
Check them out HERE.
If you are in need of extra supplies too, I have been impressed with their super fast shipping too!

How to activate the upgrade

In the Silhouette software, click on Help in the top left menu. Then choose Upgrade and a pop up window will show up. Enter the information in the window and type the upgrade code exactly as you received it.
Make sure you are entering the codes in the order that you purchased them in.

Help Upgrade copy

For example, if you ordered Designer Edition and then the Business Edition upgrade later.
To activate it on a computer, you would need to enter it in that order.
First the Designer Edition code and then the Business Edition code.

If you purchased the Silhouette Studio to Business Edition code right off the bat, then you only have 1 code to enter.

If for some reason the digital codes are “out of stock” at one retailer, you can buy the upgrades from another retailer.
See my list of recommended retailers and sites HERE.
Yes! Digital codes do go out of stock too because it is all an inventory item.
The retailer has to purchase the codes from Silhouette America, just like any other product. So it’s not uncommon to see things go in and out of stock as more people buy it.

If you have question about an upgrade just let me know.
Comment below or post on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.
I would love to see what you creating with your Silhouette machine!

Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.

Enjoy!

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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.

Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.

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**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.