Are you ready for your final beginner project? If you haven’t gone through the Software Basics series and the other Successful Beginner Projects yet, I recommend you do those first because we will build on the skills already taught. In this project, … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #14
So you’ve followed all my tips and are now a pro and cutting without the mat. There are still 2 more things to keep in mind after your successful cut. To start with tip #1, go here. Tip #14: What to do after the cut Don’t forget to reset the roller … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind: Tip #13
Even if you follow every tip and have given yourself the best chance for success, sometimes things just go wrong when you’re cutting without the mat. You can often save your project or at least some of it by keeping a cool head and following some … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind: Tip #12
I told you in tip #10 that it’s difficult to load materials like vinyl and HTV because they are floppy. I also said I’d let you know another reason they are tricky. That’s today’s tip. Because these materials are often on a roll, they become curled … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #11
Today, I’m going to show you how, before you even start the cut, you can tell if your machine is going to keep a grip on the material throughout the whole cut. You can actually roll the material all the way through the machine by using the arrow … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #10
This tip is probably one of the most important to remember when cutting without the mat, and it’s one many folks don’t ever recognize as causing an issue with their vinyl shifting. It’s all about getting things started straight so the material stays … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind: Tip #8
Today’s tip on cutting without the mat is all about another small thing that can make a HUGE difference. It happens even before you start cutting and has to do with how you load your material. In order for the material to stay under the rollers, you … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind: Tip #7
Okay, so you’ve read tips 1-6 on cutting without the mat and you’ve got all that down. (If you haven’t you can find #1 here). You’re excited about testing your new skills. BUT — before you load your material and start cutting, you need to check the … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #6
This tip on cutting without the mat is one MANY folks miss when they first use a Cameo. When you cut without the mat, you must move the right white roller on the roller bar. This tip does not pertain to the Portrait or older machines. The rollers are … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #5
I hope you’re learning some good tricks to help you cut without the mat. To start with tip#1, go here. Today’s tip is one you won’t need all the time, but it’s critical to understand it when it pops up. It’s about orientation — which edge of your … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #4
Today’s tip on cutting without the mat has to do with the size of your material, specifically its width. To start with the first post in this series, go here. Tip #4: Your material must be the right width Many companies manufacture craft vinyl in 9” … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #3
Today’s tip has to do with the cut border — the outer edge of where the machine can cut. The usable area is different when you cut without the mat. If you don’t understand this, it will cause all sorts of problems. So let’s learn about the margins … [Read more...]
Cutting without the mat without losing your mind — Tip #2
You need to tell the Silhouette software that you are cutting without the mat, as your choice has several implications. In this case, we’re going to actually choose None. We’ll talk about that here and in the next post in this series. To start with … [Read more...]
Using vinyl as a watercolor stencil
I LOVE the look of watercolor paintings -- the way the colors blend, the casual feel. I've always wanted to take a watercolor class but it hasn't happened so far. Every now and then I bust out the paints and play around. The hardest part for me is … [Read more...]