14 Silhouette Tutorials (not just for Beginners) - April Wrap Up

Another one in the books...April was a huge month for Silhouette School.  Spring has sprung and it's created a whole new inspiration for Silhouette projects.  With projects come questions and we're happy to help answer yours here on Silhouette School.

This month we wrote tutorials based on many of your frequently asked questions and we hope that they've helped make your projects go a little smoother.  We also launched our first series - the Sketch Pens Series - which has been very popular.  It will continue with at least three more installments in May.

In case you missed any lessons, here's a quick link guide to 14 Silhouette tutorials we shared in Silhouette School in April.

• Silhouette Trace: Double Line Headaches and the Easy Fix
• How to Cut Out a Sketched Design
• How to Restick a Silhouette Mat (Tutorial)
• How to Turn Any JPEG Into a Silhouette Print and Cut
• Trick to Cutting Thin Fonts Without Tearing
• Silhouette 'Subtract' & 'Subtract All' Tool Tutorial
• Silhouette Sketch Pens 101 (Tutorial for Beginners)
• 'Spring' and Flowers Paper Banner
• Multi Color Heat Transfer Vinyl Silhouette Tutorial
• Silhouette Heat Transfer Vinyl Tips for Beginners
• $1 DIY (Silhouette) Sketch Pen and Holder 
• How to Cut Fabric with Silhouette
• Silhouette Studio Compound Paths Tutorial: Welding into a Frame
• Silhouette Transfer Tape Substitute: Painter's Tape as a Substitute

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I received a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine! 

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

10 Tips for Silhouette Studio V3 Newbies

Alright my friends, here goes nothing...as I warned last week on the Silhouette School Facebook page, from here on out we're using the new version of Silhouette Studio.   I downloaded V3 from the Silhouette America homepage last week and after only about 5 minutes, the new free software upgrade was up and running on my Mac.

As most of you know the initial release of V3 was not very well received. There were a lot of bugs, advanced options, and changes to the program which didn't make it as (beginner) user-friendly as the old version.  I understand why that has many of you apprehensive to now download and install the now updated and new and improved version of Studio V3...but I'm encouraging you to take the plunge.  Silhouette America has really taken user feedback to heart to fix the bugs and leave the advanced options to the advanced user, while making sure beginners can jump right in.

As I always try to do, I'm here to hold your hand, help you find the tools, buttons, and options you're used to using, and of course answer your questions.  I'm not going to tell you V3 isn't going to take some getting used to because it definitely is...but I think you'll find that after working through your first project you'll feel much more comfortable and confident.

Since my first project was a little clunky - because I was searching for buttons, options, and for goodness sake the 'Cut Style' button - I thought I'd help you all out and give you a head start by sharing 10 things V3 newbies need to know!

Cutting Washi Tape with Silhouette

Have you guys noticed that Pick Your Plum has some really awesome items that can be used with the Silhouette?  I've gotten vinyl there and there are often tumblers and other items that can be accessorized using the Silhouette. A few weeks back I picked up a 9-roll combo pack of Washi Tape from PYP. It's perfect for making cards, decorating, and pretty much um, everything. Did you also know the Silhouette can cut it? I'm not even kidding - it's so awesome!

Since I had 9 new rolls I needed a place to store my stash and a plain old jar would not do. Why would it?  When the Washi and Silhouette gods get together - magic happens. Just you watch.

You can cut your washi tape design one of two ways - you can stick the washi tape directly onto your Silhouette cutting mat and cut that way or you can do what I did and stick it to a piece of paper and the put the paper on the mat to cut.

Silhouette Trace: Double Line Headaches and the Easy Fix

Today's lesson is on tracing and how to avoid the dreaded double line trace in Silhouette Studio. Did you ever try to trace an image only to get a double cut line ? Of course you have...the default settings in Silhouette Studio are essentially set up that way which, in my honest opinion, makes no sense.

This easy fix will first show you why you're getting the double line and then take you through the one simple step to fix it so you only get the single cut line when you trace.

Silhouette Sketch Pen Tutorial: How to Cut Out a Sketched Design

I'm back with the third part in our Silhouette Sketch Pen series.  Today I'm going to show you how to cut out a design you've sketched.  Since we started the 101 series with the bicycle let's continue from there.  If you haven't reviewed the basics tutorial on how to use sketch pens, I suggest you start there since this tutorial will assume you know the basics. Go on...

Back already?  Let's get moving.  Start by opening Silhouette Studio > navigate to the library > double click the bike or whatever design you want to use to bring it into the work area.

How to Turn Any JPEG Into a Silhouette Print and Cut (also works for PNG files)

We've shared the basics on Silhouette's Print and Cut feature and even how to modify and customize print and cut designs that can be purchased in the Silhouette Online Store.  But today I'm going to go one step further and show you how to turn a PNG or JPG into a Print and Cut.

{More} FREE Spring & Easter Shapes from the Silhouette Online Store

Silhouette is doing it again - they're giving away free shapes!  The current Spring and Easter design sale in the Silhouette Online Store is working similar to the one that took place about a month ago.

From now through April 20 all Easter, Springtime and Plants & Animal designs (that's more than 10,000 designs) are 25% off.  In addition, the Silhouette Online Store will offer one free shape a day - that's in addition to the regular free shape of the week.  This cute little birdhouse is the first free shape being offered.

My suggestion is always to download free designs even if you can't see yourself using it anytime soon. You never know when you might need it - or elements of it.



To find the free designs in the Silhouette Online Store follow these simple steps:

• Go to www.silhouetteonlinestore.com
• Click 'Browse All Designs' from the blue tab bar at the top 
• In the drop down menu, select Sort By 'Price: Low to High'

Now it's time to download the designs.  To do so and then find them in your Silhouette Library follow these steps:

• Click on the design you want to download
• Click the gray 'Add to Cart' button
• Your cart (in the upper right hand corner) will now change to say 'Cart: 1 Item ($Price)'
• If you are ready to check out, click the cart icon
• The contents of your shopping cart will now display and you can click 'Checkout'
• You will be prompted to type your password. Click 'submit'
• Open up Silhouette Studio
• A window with your pending downloads will pop up.  Click 'Download'
• The new designs can be found in the 'Recently Downloaded' folder of your Silhouette library.

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

Handwriting Fonts and Silhouette Sketch Pens to sign Easter Bunny (and Santa) Notes

My daughter is at the age where she is starting to recognize my handwriting.  She's also at the age where her belief in Santa and the Easter Bunny is unshakable.  Unless...but why..? That looks like..? No it can't be, could it?  YIKES!

To avoid the dead giveaway that we are in fact one in the same...and so I didn't have to ask the aunts, uncles, or neighbors to forge this year's notes....I used my sketch pens to sign notes from the Easter bunny to put in my kids' Easter baskets.   

Silhouette Sketch Pens Tutorial for Beginners

4/29 Update:  Be sure to read to the bottom of the post if you are using Studio V3 as the upgraded version slightly changes the location of the sketch pen option. 

Our Sketch Pen Series continues today with the very basics on how to use Silhouette Sketch Pens. This lesson covers how to sketch (aka draw) a single design (or font) with a single color pen

The basic rule of thumb in Sketch Pens 101 is you're going to design in Silhouette Studio like you would for a regular cut line, but when you go to cut it you'll just draw it instead.  For this example, let's use one of free designs that comes in the Silhouette library - the bicycle. 

Open Silhouette Studio > navigate to the library > double click the bike or whatever design you want to use to bring it into the work area.

Pottery Barn Knockoff Easter Bunny Banner (Made Easy with Silhouette)

Guess what...we have another substitute teacher in the class today!  I'm thrilled to have Bren from Bren Did blog with us to share one of my all time favorites...a Pottery Barn knockoff.  If you follow our sister site, Two It Yourself, at all you know that I could be promoted to PB knockoff queen any day now.

But back to business...Bren created this adorable cotton tail and paper bunny banner by cutting out the bunnies on her Silhouette.  Are they not spot on to Pottery Barn's (top) or what? I honestly had a tough time figuring out which one was Bren's version when I first check out her awesome project.

This bunny bunting takes no time at all which makes it the perfect addition to your Easter decor...even now just a few days before Easter.   Hope on over to Bren Did for the full tutorial and to get the FREE cut file and see Bren's trick for making those oh-so-addorable cotton tails.

If you'd like to get your project in front of the class, apply to substitute teach at Silhouette School by clicking the button below.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I received a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine! 

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

'Spring' and Flowers Paper Banner

Was the weekend weather a-maz-ing where you are? Here in Delaware we had two gorgeous spring days. They were much needed after the brutal winter we were handed, I might add. So in honor of all things spring I am sharing a tutorial on putting together a fun spring banner, today.  But that's not all...I also have 39 other awesome spring Silhouette projects from some of my blogging buddies further down in the post.

Multi Color Heat Transfer Vinyl Silhouette Tutorial (and How to Layer)

Back by popular demand we're talking heat transfer vinyl again today.   This is a follow up lesson to our beginner lesson on using Silhouette HTV.  I had a lot of questions about how to use multiple colors of heat transfer vinyl, so today I'm going to share with you how to make a design using several colors and how to layer them.

I'll be using the same design as I did in the original tutorial. If you haven't read through the basic 101 lesson on HTV, I highly suggest you do that before going any further. This tutorial will assume you know the basics. Go on...I'll wait.

Back already? Great, let's go!

Okay so once you've laid out your design in Silhouette Studio you want to decide which pieces of the design will be which color.  You can see that in my example the face and the hand were cut on pink heat transfer and the snowflakes and bracelet were teal.

$1 DIY (Silhouette) Sketch Pen and Holder

A few days ago I asked our Silhouette School Facebook fans if anyone would be interested in learning about sketch pens...the answer was an overwhelming 'YES!'   When I say 'overwhelming' I mean the post was liked and commented on more times than any.other.post.ever on our FB page.  Okay then...I must give the people what they want.

And so without further ado today, Silhouette School is launching a Silhouette Sketch Pen series.

Now because I know some of you probably couldn't care less about sketch pens - after all you bought this machine to cut, not draw gosh darn it - this series will be presented over the course of the next few weeks rather than during consecutive days.  No need to make foes by posting about one subject for a straight week, right!?

After looking at your questions about sketch pens I am breaking the series down like this (not necessarily in this order):

How to Cut Fabric with Silhouette

I'm not always happy when my kindergartner has a sub, but I'm thrilled when we have a substitute teacher here at Silhouette School.  Today I'm super happy to welcome Daniela from the blog Put a Bird On It. Awesome blog name, right?

Daneila is sharing a basic beginner-level tutorial with us on how to cut fabric.  She's all about taking the intimidation out of it so if you haven't tried cutting fabric with your Silhouette, yet, now you have no excuses.

Daniela cut some mini flags for a wreath bunting, but her step by step tutorial - including tips on using interfacing - can be applied to any fabric project.

So, are you ready to learn how to cut fabric with your Silhouette? Head on over to Put a Bird On It and get cutting!

You can find more beginner level Silhouette tutorials here

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!