If you have a Cameo 3 or Portrait 2 machine, or are looking with longing at the new models coming in the fall (more on that in an upcoming post), you have the option to use the AutoBlade. While it's nice that the machine adjusts the blade for you, … [Read more...]
Planning and executing large projects: Phase 1 — Planning and Set-up
I've been working on a VERY large project lately -- a forest of trees and animals for the children's wing at our church. We're going up 10 feet on the wall and it's 45 feet wide. Plus we're working around the entrance doors. How do you do something … [Read more...]
How’d they do that? Shattered technique
Have you ever seen a design and wondered, "How did they do that?" That happens to me all the time, and I usually don't rest until I've figured it out. If you can understand the techniques someone used, you can use on other designs. Today in our How'd … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 24 — Dealing with difficulties after the cut
We've made it to the end of our series. Your cuts should be all healed now! But today's visit is a follow up appointment where we go over things like post-operative complications. Specifically, we're going to talk about problems with weeding and … [Read more...]
Hack for aligning HTV when layering
I made a shirt last weekend to cheer on my Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Final Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball Championships. They made it to the final game -- HURRAH! They didn't win, but it was a great game that went to overtime. Wreck 'Em Tech! … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 23 — Bad cuts part 3
I spent most of last year dealing with health issues. It seemed like we'd NEVER find the cause or the cure. The day we did was the best day ever! Now I feel back to my normal self. I feel like today will be the same for many of you, because we're … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 23 — Bad cuts part 2
Have you ever send a cut job to your machine, watched it work and away, then removed the material and realized it didn't cut the material at all or cut it all the way through? Yes, I see every hand going up! We've all had this happen at one time or … [Read more...]
Flawed design from the Silhouette Design Store: how to get the corrected version
Last week I shared several ways to alter a design to fit your project, and I used the Silhouette Design Store's free weekly design as a sample. I pointed out several problems with a design and showed how to fix them. You can find that post here. I … [Read more...]
Modifying this week’s Free Design to fit your project (and fixing some mistakes in it)
This week's Free Design in the Silhouette Design Store is a great one to teach you some concepts about how to modify a design to fit your project. It also is a teaching tool for how to fix messed up designs. I want to point out the mistakes and show … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 23 — Bad cuts part 1
Welcome back to the Cut Doctor's office! We've been learning to diagnose cutting issues and prescribing remedies. So far we've looked at things that can happen before or during the cut. Today, we're moving into the realm of looking at a completed cut … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 22 — Problems with incomplete cuts or at the end of the cut
Some diseases you get as a baby, some as an adult, some as a senior. Basically, you can get sick throughout your entire life. In the same way, you can run into cutting woes at any point in the process. Today, we're going to focus on problems that … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 21 — Problems with the mat or material during the cut
We're delving deep into the body of the cut job here in our troubleshooting portion of the Cut Doctor series. Our topic this time is reasons why your mat or material might act up during a cut. For example, the material lifts from the mat, vinyl gets … [Read more...]
How to use a roll feeder
I'm currently working on a HUGE vinyl project for my church. We're creating a forest scene with animals on a wall 45 feet long and 10 feet high. This is the perfect time to use a roll feeder, since the pieces are really large. Note: This post may … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 20 — Noises and what they indicate
Picture this: It's a dark night and the wind is shrieking. You're driving on a deserted road when you hear the familiar thump of a flat tire. You pull over, tires kicking up the gravel. There's a faint light in the distance and you walk toward it, … [Read more...]
Cut Doctor: Lesson 19 — When your cut starts well but then the machine goes crazy
Yes, I believe you! Sometimes it seems that your Silhouette machine is possessed. It starts great, then for some unknown reason seems to go completely crazy. It starts fine but then cuts in the wrong place, goes way too slowly, the blade doesn't go … [Read more...]