How to Open and Use Alphabet Sets in Silhouette Studio

Alphabet sets look like fonts, but they act like PNG or SVG files in Silhouette Studio. 

They're easy and fun to use and give you a lot of flexibility, but can be time consuming to open in Silhouette Studio.  But..oh they're so worth it!  

Read on for my tips on opening and using Alphabet SVG sets in Silhouette Studio.

Turn an SVG into a Wood Inlay Design in 3 Easy Steps (Video Included)

You can turn any one-dimensional SVG file into a wood inlay design perfect for laser cutting. 

It only takes a few quick clicks in Silhouette Studio to turn an ordinary SVG file into a three dimensional file! 

How to Save as SVG in Silhouette Studio (and JPEG and PDF too)

It's now possible to export as an SVG directly from Silhouette Studio.

In order to save as an SVG, JPEG, or PDF from Silhouette Studio, you must have both Silhouette Studio 4.1 or higher and Business Edition.

What Is the Best File Type for Silhouette Studio?

Silhouette Studio support a wide range of file formats and picking the best one can have a significant impact on design process and saving and exporting the designs.

Read on to learn how to pick the best file type for your next Silhouette project. 

How to Use the Knife Tool in Silhouette Studio to Separate a Design

When you've found the perfect SVG design, and want to cut different parts of it into different colors of HTV or vinyl - you may need to separate the design to do so. 

If the design is connected, the Silhouette Studio knife tool will help you separate it.

Silhouette Studio File Types: Avoiding the Silhouette Studio File Not Supported Error

There are at least a dozen different file types you can import into Silhouette Studio - but not all files types are supported in all versions of Silhouette Studio.   If you've ever gotten the error "Silhouette Studio File Not Supported" it's because you are attempting to import a file that the version of Silhouette Studio you are using can't open. 

This Silhouette Studio tutorial provides an easy break down and list of file types Silhouette Studio supports...and therefore which can be cut with your Silhouette CAMEO, Portrait, and Curio.

How to Turn Drawings into SVG File

You can turn your drawing into SVG files pretty easily using Silhouette Studio. 

The best part is you don't even need a Silhouette cutting machine to do it!  Follow along to learn how to convert a drawing into an SVG. 

When to Use SVG or PNG files for Making Shirts with HTV

Have you ever opened a file in Silhouette Studio and it didn't have the cut lines you were expecting - or have you downloaded a big design bundle that has both PNG and SVG files? Keep reading for the difference between PNG and SVG files so you know which is going to be best for your HTV project!

SVG Designs: Why They're the Best Cut File Type for Crafters

SVG designs are extremely versatile as far as how they can be used and in which software programs and  machines they can be used with.  The same SVG design can be used to make everything from stencils to stickers to laser cut projects to sublimation transfers and vinyl decals

For this reason Scalable Vector Graphics, or SVGs, are my favorite cut file type. It also means when you add new equipment to your craft room or invest in your small business you don't need to start all over with your designs.  Check out all these different ways you can use the same SVG designs

How to Change SVG Size in Silhouette Studio to Fit Project

When you've found the perfect SVG design for your project, but you need to change the SVG size, it's easy to do in Silhouette Studio. 

You might need to modify an SVG file for any number of reasons including changing the SVG color or it's layout.  This tutorial will show you how to change SVG size and layout so the design perfectly fits. 

Best File Type for Silhouette When You Don't Have Designer Edition

If you're using the basic free version of Silhouette Studio you are somewhat limited in the file types you can use - specifically from outside sources.

That leaves a lot of users wondering what the best file type is to import when the .Studio3 file is not an option.

How to Create Roland Contour Cut Lines FREE Without Any Paid Software (Free Practice File)

Did you know you can add Roland Versaworks contour cut lines for free...in other words without Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, Affinity Designer? You can do it right in Roland Versaworks!! 

Roland quietly added a new feature in Roland Versaworks 6.13 (and higher) that allows users to create contour cut lines on an SVG directly in Versaworks and without any paid software program.  There's just one caveat - the PDF has to come into Versaworks with vector data.  Don't worry if you have no idea what that means I'm going to explain...every step and you won't be paying a cent to add Roland Contour Cut Lines to your SVG files! 

How to Combine SVG Files into One File in Silhouette Studio

If you ever wanted to combine SVGs into one file in Silhouette Studio - it's easy to do. 

In this Silhouette Studio tutorial we'll show you how to quickly combine SVG files into one design in Silhouette Studio!

How to Use Silhouette Studio Business Edition (ONLY!) to Create Roland Contour Cut Lines (Video, Too)

If you are a Silhouette Studio Business Edition user and have a Roland BN-20A or BN-20...this is a game changer. 

By combining the power of the one-time paid Silhouette Studio upgrade to Business Edition and the free Roland Versaworks you can create Roland Contour Cut lines without any other software programs including Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer, Corel Draw, or Flexi.  

This is hands down the cheapest way to create Roland Versaworks Contour Cut Lines and will significantly cut down the learning curve for those already comfortable in Silhouette Studio...and even if you're not a Silhouette user - listen up because you don't even need a Silhouette machine to use the Silhouette Studio software!

How to Fill an SVG with a Photograph in Silhouette Studio

There's no better way to customize your projects than using your own photographs! 

In this tutorial, we'll show you how to fill an SVG design with a photograph in Silhouette Studio.

Organizing Silhouette Designs: How to Set Up a File System

Creating a system to store and organize your designs for Silhouette can be overwhelming - especially if you haven't started from the beginning.

Most of us don't have the forethought to create a Silhouette file organization system from the beginning because lets face it: we don't realize how many designs we're going to start collecting. This Silhouette tutorial will hopefully give you some ideas for keeping your Silhouette cut files and designs organized.

How to Make Single Line SVG Files Cuttable with Silhouette CAMEO

You can make single line SVG files cuttable with your Silhouette CAMEO or Portrait machine. 

This is an easy process that works for single line fonts and designs that you want to cut instead of sketch or draw. 

How to Create a Contour Cut with White Edge in Silhouette Studio

There are many reasons you may want to put a solid white edge around a design in Silhouette Studio. 

A white border on stickers gives a clean, polished, and professional look.  Adding a white edge around your design in Silhouette Studio is fast and easy using the offset tool.  

This post is part 2 of my Five Part Series on Creating and Working with Contour Cut Lines in Silhouette Studio. If you haven't followed Part 1: How to Create Cut Lines around your JPEG or PNG by Tracing you'll want to do that before you go any further.  

If you'd rather NOT have a white edge on you design, but would instead like to create a full color bleed, check out Part 3 of this series. 

How to Create a Contour Cut Line in Silhouette Studio by Tracing (and Convert JPEG or PNG to SVG)

The Silhouette Studio trace tool is one of the best features of the software and definitely a step above the tracing tools in even some of the more "elite" (and expensive) graphic design software programs.  

You can use Silhouette Studio to create contour cut lines around images quickly and easily.  This is also how you can vectorize JPEG and PNG files before exporting as SVG from Silhouette Studio. 

Learning to trace to create cut lines in Silhouette Studio is hugely important because it is a fundamental skill that is necessary for other design functions including adding a bleed, an offset, a border and vectorizing or converting PNG and JPEG.  It's also hugely helpful for creating cut lines that other programs - including Adobe Illustrator and Affinity Designer - can also recognize. If you have added a Roland BN-20 print and cut machine, for example, creating the contour cut lines in Silhouette Studio is a breeze.

I have designed this Silhouette Studio beginner tracing tutorial as just the first in a five part series on creating contour cut lines in Silhouette Studio. Each part builds on the previous tutorials in the series so I highly suggest you go through them in order.  

Even if you don't have a Silhouette cutting machine or aren't using it for your current job, the trace tool is extremely helpful. It's one of the many reason why I suggest that even if you don't have a Silhouette cutting machine, you consider using Silhouette Studio! 

Creating Contour Cut Lines in Silhouette Studio: Five Part Series 

1. How to Create a Contour Cut Line in Silhouette Studio by Tracing 
2. How to Create a White Border Around a Design or Text in Silhouette Studio 
3. How to Create a Bleed in Silhouette Studio to Avoid White Edges When Printing and Cutting
4. How to Use Silhouette Studio Cut Lines to Add Roland VersaWorks Contour Cut Lines in Illustrator
5. How to Add Roland VersaWorks Contour Cut Lines: Affinity Designer and Silhouette Studio

How to Easily Crop Photos in Silhouette Studio

Did you know you can crop photos right in Silhouette Studio?! 

It's nothing more than a few clicks which means it's super easy and fast. This Silhouette Studio tutorial will show you exactly how to crop photos in the Silhouette software.