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Tracing Tips & Tricks — #5 Simple multi-color images

October 30, 2020 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

Welcome back! If you haven't started with Lesson 1 of this series on tracing, you'll find it here.  So far we've covered when you need to trace, selecting images, what's in the trace panel and how to trace simple, solid shapes of 1 color. Today, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: Compound Path, raster, simplify, trace, trace by color, tracing

What in the world??? — No points to edit on a design

September 1, 2020 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

In this series, we're uncovering the mysteries of the universe. Well, at least the Silhouette universe. I'm covering topics that can really stump you no matter how long you've been using Silhouette machines. Today, we're going to talk about what's … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Silhouette Studio Software, Tips Tagged With: Compound Path, edit, group, point editing, points, Text, ungroup

Tuesday quick tip: what to do when text on a path messes up as you mirror

June 2, 2020 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

mirroring text

The day I learned about placing text around a circle was a great day! I had been doing it manually before that. LOL! And then my mind was completely blown when I found out you could put text around ANY shape. (If you don't know how this works, you'll … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Silhouette Studio Software, Tips Tagged With: Compound Path, flip horizontally, htv, mirror, Text, text on path, text to path

When not to use a compound path

May 20, 2020 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

If you've read many of my tutorials, you know I love compound paths. Maybe it's because when I explain them, I use a donut as an illustration. LOL! Understanding compound paths and how they differ from groupings is KEY to designing and altering … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: Compound Path, designing, grouping, modify, subtract, weld

Mask with printable fabric

April 24, 2020 By Cindy Eckhoff 3 Comments

printed fabric beard mask

So, yes, I'm still sewing masks. I had finished those for my extended family when my daughter let me know her boyfriend didn't have one. We talked over some ideas, and because she's a TOTAL goofball we wanted to do something fun. He's been growing a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing, Projects Tagged With: Compound Path, fabric, mask, print, Print and Cut, printable fabric, trace, tracing

How’d they do that? Adding spacing between elements

January 7, 2020 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

spacing gap knockout

Today's tutorial is helpful for those of us, me definitely included, who have trouble lining things up perfectly. By creating an intentional spacing gap between different elements, you give yourself some wiggle room. This is helpful for any material, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing Tagged With: Compound Path, Fill, htv, knockout, modify, offset, outline, spacing, subtract, subtract all, Text, transparency, vinyl

Dispelling Text Myths in Silhouette Studio: 30 misconceptions about words, letters and fonts (Part 6)

August 31, 2018 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

broken fonts in silhouette

Here we are in our last post about misunderstanding folks have when working with wording in Silhouette Studio. If you need to start back at the beginning, you can find Part 1 here. Today's 5 myths cover some miscellaneous topics about working with a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: Compound Path, cursive, font, fonts, grouping, letters, myths, offset, print, spell, spellcheck, spellchecking, spelling, Text, weld, word, words

Point Editing: taming all those little black dots (Lesson 6 Part 1)

June 15, 2018 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

silhouette point editing breaking paths

Today we're digging even deeper into the world of Point Editing in Silhouette Studio. We're going to look at the concept of breaking and joining paths. We'll talk about when you need to use these techniques, plus what open shapes are and how to close … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: break, close, closed, Compound Path, edit points, Fill, grouping, join, open, paths, point editing, points, red dots

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Version 4 Send Area: #5 — Action by: Line, Fill or Layer

March 2, 2018 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

silhouette cut by fill color

Now that you know the basics of the Send area, it's time to get into advanced options with Action by: Line, Fill or Layer (Advanced Cut Mode in version 3). In these modes, you choose your cut settings for each shape based on its line color, its fill … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cutting, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: action, action by, auto weld, color, Compound Path, cut, cut preview, cut settings, cut view, Designer Edition, Fill, Fill Color, gradient, grouping, layer, layers, line, line color, no cut, pattern, send, Sketch, Sketch pen, tool, weld

Pancakes and Donuts: the key to understanding the difference between a grouping and a compound path

February 27, 2018 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

silhouette pancakes and donuts

To truly understand using and creating designs in Silhouette Studio software, you need to have a good understanding of Groupings and Compound Paths -- how they are the same, how they are different and how they respond differently to modifications. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: Compound Path, convert to path, craftsy, donuts, Fill, font, grouping, modify, pancakes, pattern, point editing, Print and Cut, scale, Text, trace, tracing, ungroup

Successful Beginner Projects: #4 Christmas Tree Gift Tag

November 10, 2017 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

silhouette tag

We’re going to create another gift tag today. I mean, I can never have too many Christmas gift tags in my house come holiday time ????. In this project, we’ll learn to draw another type of shape, use control points, resize disproportionately, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Materials, Projects Tagged With: Align, cardstock, christmas, Compound Path, control point, cut, cut edge, cut settings, gift, grouping, rounded rectangle, tag, transform

Successful Beginner Projects: #3 Initial Gift Tag

November 7, 2017 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

beginner cameo project

In today’s Successful Beginner Project, we’ll learn to add text, draw a simple shape, create an offset and a compound path, use more scale and align features, and cut by fill color. This tag is great for any time, but especially Christmas. By putting … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cutting, Designing, Materials, Projects, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: action by fill, Align, beginner, cardstock, christmas, circle, Compound Path, cut by color, cut preview, cut settings, draw, font, group, letter size, lock aspect ratio, material, offset, order, scale, send, tag, Text

Software basics (version 4) — Lesson 12: Adding shapes to the page and basic manipulation

September 22, 2017 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

silhouette add shape

You’ve got your free shapes in your library and you’ve learned how to get around in the Silhouette Studio software. Let’s learn how you put those images on the page and start working with them. (If you need to start with Lesson 1 of the Software … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: Basic, beginner, color, Compound Path, cut line, Fill, grouping, order, resize, scale, select, ungroup

Why I never weld cursive text (& why you shouldn’t either)

June 24, 2017 By Cindy Eckhoff 4 Comments

Did that title surprise you? It sounds insane, right? I mean, we hear all the time from other users that if we don't weld text the letters won't all be connected and you'll get little tiny pieces at the overlaps. It's true that you need to do … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cutting, Silhouette Studio Software Tagged With: autoweld, Compound Path, cursive, cut edge, donuts, grouping, pancakes, script, Text, weld

Faux inlaid wood tag

February 14, 2017 By Cindy Eckhoff Leave a Comment

silhouette inlaid wood

It’s time to show you the table centerpieces for my daughter’s wedding. Her rustic theme fit great with our taste & budget. I read a wise article that said the best decorations are already in your home because those are the things you love. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Designing, Materials, Projects Tagged With: Align, Compound Path, Drawing Tools, Fill Color, PicScan, PixScan, Resizing, table decoration, tag, Text, wedding, wood tag

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