silhouette basics....cutting fabric....

day number two: cutting with fabric!

(make sure you have read the basics yesterday ... so none of the lingo i'm going to drop is confusing!!!!)

today we are cutting some fabric
i tried a few different ways...first...this is just basic regular cotton. (no interfacing...) just placed on the mat....

and i'm just doing a basic circle..so once i have the design on my page ready to go

 you push the send to silhouette it comes up with a cutting screen...you can choose to adjust the settings...which takes you to this page.....

(i also choose to adjust to make sure it's right)

you can click on whatever medium you are using...(and if you are using something that isn't up there..you can click on custom media)

the second arrow tells you where to adjust your blade.....

the red line below the number shows you what number it's on....then you put it in your gray thingamobob(not the official title) and turn it to the proper depth.

then you put the blade back in and and tighten it (make sure it's super de duper tight.) (that blue thing you see)

NOW..on the same screen..it has a test cut button....

it just cuts a little square with an x through it. (and you can use the arrows to position it where you want to make sure it doesn't get in the way of your design...)

this is great if you are cutting somethind you haven't done before...!

and let's say it didn't cut through the fabric all the way...

same screen

bright pink arrow....it's called the double cut. i clicked it and  it just goes around the design twice to make sure it's cut. (it's handy)

then you just send to your silhouette......

 ah...so easy!!!! (i actually didn't use the double cut on the basic cotton...and it cut fine!)

next up..i tried to cut some flannel...

it wasn't a super success..i cut it..(double cut) and it didn't cut all the way through.

more like scored it...

but i could easily see the lines and cut it out using my scissors....

so i definitely wouldn't recommend cutting intricate stuff with fabric....

but it did make it so much easier to just cut around the c without having to measure or make a stencil!

see how cute it is on the blanket i made?

silhouette sells interfacing....

(and you can actually buy right here on the expressions website for cheaper)

but  i wanted to see if regular interfacing worked.....

i bought the thinnest kind

and ironed it on the fabric and put it on the mat...

and it wasn't really a success.

when i went to peel it off it left a residue (the little fuzz that is on it)

the silhouette interfacing it a clear plasticy surface....so it's probably worth the investment if you are doing some small cuts. (or more intriciate...cause then you can just iron it on and it will stay put while you sew or stitch around it!!!

also. i think the fabric dulled my blade a little bit. i now have to adjust the blade deeper than recommended to get a good cut. (so if it says 3...i adjust to a 4 or 5) (and fuzz can get up in there so if you have a can air you will want to make sure to clean it out!)

someone on my facebook page recommended buying two blades...one for fabrics...and one for paper and vinyl..and it sounds like a great idea!!!!

(and you can also buy blades at expressions website too! go here)

alrighty....last post i got so many great comments (and keep them coming if you have questions!) and i will answer them all (or at least try too!) but i'm breaking them up as not to overwhelm you!!!

first up is:

brenda asked: I have heard that the Cameo wouldn’t cut the full 12×12. Close but not the full 12×12. Is there a trick to this? 

 i tried it out..i put a 12 x 12 piece of paper and made my image overlap the edge...and

yup..you were right. it stopped about 1/4 a centimeter to the edge......

i know with the cricut..it was bigger than that....with sure cuts alot it added a 1/2 inch border around the edge...and my mat was a 6x 12 and with the cartridges it cuts no bigger than 5 1/2.  so i'm going to guess that it's just the way cutters work. it has to stop before the edge to make sure when it's coming back to cut it doesn't grab the paper and smoosh it up instead of cutting!!!
(just a guess though)

alright..so are you guys making sure that you are going in each week to get your free shape from the silhouette library?

(even if you haven't got your silhouette yet, download the software and start uploading the free ones!)

I got this great comment on my last post:

If you go to the on line store and put in 'Original 50' you can get 40 designs for free.

i love free!

so go get some cute free designs!!!!

alright--tomorrow is cutting vinyl and cutting bigger than 12 in x 12 in.

so if you haven't gotten some vinyl....go buy some..cause once you know how you are going to be slapping vinyl on just about everything!!!