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October 16, 2017 by Karen Jensen, MLS

Silhouette Cameo 101: The Manual It Doesn’t Come With, But Should (MakerSpace)

October 16, 2017 by Karen Jensen, MLS   4 comments

makerspacelogo1

I have spent the last couple of weeks trying to figure out how to use and evaluating the Silhouette Cameo for our Teen Makerspace at The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County (OH). You can read my initial thoughts here:

MakerSpace Mondays: The Silhouette Cameo – a review

MakerSpace Mondays: The Silhouette Cameo – Vinyl 101

I’m just beginning to tap the surface of how to use the Silhouette Cameo and what types of things we can do with it. The biggest drawback for me has been the lack of a manual or handbook, so I’m in the process of putting one together for myself. I’ve collected and organized a variety of links which I am sharing with you below.

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Silhouette Cameo 101

Using you’re Silhouette Cameo comes in 3 steps.

1. Designing your project

2. Cutting your project

3. Finishing your project, which involves applying your vinyl to some type of surface

We will discuss the Silhouette Cameo focusing on these three steps. But first, an introduction to the Silhouette Cameo and what you do with it once you get it out of the box. We’ll end with some hacks, project ideas and instructions, and an additional resource guide including free files and great blogs to consult for additional information.

What Can You Do with a Silhouette

Silhouette America – What Can You Make?

20 Things I’ve Made Using My Silhouette Machine

I got a Silhouette. Now what? Cameo Help, Tips, Tricks, Project Ideas

Silhouette Terms to Know

 silhouetteexample7

Getting Started Out of the Box

Silhouette 101: How to Set Up Your Silhouette CAMEO

Downloading And Installing Your Silhouette Software

How To Use Silhouette Cameo 3: A Beginner’s Guide

silhouetteexample5

Step 1: Designing Your Project

Images

10 Genius Ways to Use Clip Art with your Silhouette

Silhouette 102: How to Make Print & Cut Files, From Scratch!

See all using the Trace Tool below

Trace Tool

Using The Trace Tool In Silhouette Studio

Transforming Image Files Into the Correct Format

The Silhouette Cameo requires a specific file format known as an SVG.

How to Turn Any JPEG Into a Silhouette Print and Cut

 

Working with Text

All Things Text Tool | Silhouette Studio® Tutorial

How To Use the Text Tool in Silhouette Studio

How to Make Text Curve in Silhouette Studio

Silhouette Studio Word Art Tutorial

Silhouette Studio Word Art: How to Have Text Form a Shape

How to Use Font Glyphs in Silhouette Studio

2 Ways to Thicken Fonts in Silhouette Studio

How to Create “Outlined” Text with Silhouette Studio (Underlay)

How to Turn the Shape of a Letter or Word into Script in Silhouette studio

 

Using Specific Tools and Functions

Every Silhouette Tool: WHAT it is & HOW you use it!

Grouping and Compound Paths

What are Compound Paths and Grouping

Silhouette Studio Compound Paths: Explained! – Silhouette School

Divide Tool

How to use Divide in Silhouette Studio

Make Any Design a Split Design in Silhouette Studio

Knife Tool

Silhouette Studio Knife Tool: How to Use It To Its Full Potential

Silhouette Studio Knife Tool: How to Change the Thickness

Weld

Silhouette: How to weld (joining letters and numbers)

Text Won’t Weld Correctly in Silhouette Studio? Here’s The Fix

 

Step 2: Cutting Your Project

Silhouette Blades…Which Blade to Use When, Why, How?

The Silhouette Cameo Mat: All You Need to Know (and more)

Making the First Cut with your Silhouette CAMEO

Using the Print & Cut Feature Successfully

4 Easy Steps to Cutting on the Silhouette

11 Reasons Your Silhouette Is Not Cutting

Cheat Sheet: Settings for cutting various materials on the silhouette

Silhouette 101: All About the Blades

silhouetteexample9

Step 3: Finishing Your Project

Applying the Vinyl

Applying Vinyl to the Back of a Surface

How to Put Vinyl On Painted Wood Signs

Applying Heat Transfer Vinyl on Glass

How to Use Vinyl Transfer Paper (Vinyl Transfer Tape)

Hack: Use Contact Paper to Transfer Vinyl

Layering

Silhouette Layering Vinyl Tutorial (The No-Fail Method)

Vinyl Layering 101 | A Silhouette Tutorial

T-Shirt Information

Please note: When you send a project to cut you must specify what type of material you are using. If you are using heat transfer vinyl it will ask you if you want to mirror your image and you should choose mirrored.

Chart re sizing of decals for shirts

HTV Shirt Decal Placement and Size Tips and Resources

How to Align and Size Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) Designs

What Size of HTV Do You Need For a Shirt?

Heat Printing Placement Tips | Stahls’

A Beginner’s Guide to Using Heat Transfer to Create T-Shirts

 

Additional Information and Resources

Using PixScan

Silhouette America – What is PixScan™ Technology?

Silhouette PixScan Tutorial for Beginners: Part 1 of 2

Beyond Cutting: Using Your Silhouette Cameo to Draw

Your Silhouette Cameo can be used for more than cutting and it has special markers that you can purchase. Here is some information on that.

How To Use A Silhouette Cameo: Silhouette Sketch Pens

Silhouette Sketch Pens Tutorial for Beginners

DIY Art Print {Silhouette Pen Holder Tutorial}

Hacks

12 Silhouette Hacks You Shouldn’t Craft Without

Doodlecraft: Dollar Store Hacks: Silhouette Cutting Mats and DIY

Tips and Hacks for Saving Money on Cricut, Cameo, and Silhouette

Genius Freezer Paper Hack for HTV Design Placement!

Simple Silhouette Hack for Saving HTV or Vinyl

Heat Press Hacks for Silhouette Users

Project Ideas and Instructions

Silhouette media you didn’t know existed (and fun projects to do with it)

Engraving with Silhouette: 7 Tips to the Perfect Engraving

How to Host a Christmas Ornament Making Party

Secret to Easily Designing Subway Art in Silhouette Studio

How to Screen Print Using Vinyl: Silhouette Tutorial

How to Create a Simple Vinyl Monogram

How to Put Vinyl on Cups and Tumblers So It’s Straight

Silhouette Vinyl on Canvas: 6 Tips to Success!

DIY Stickers Using a Silhouette Cameo/Portrait

DIY Temporary Tattoos: Silhouette Tutorial

Cutting Cardstock with Silhouette CAMEO

 

Resources

Free Font Resources

DaFont – Download fonts

Most Popular Free Fonts – FontSpace

Free .SVG Files

Free SVG Files for Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette Studio Designer

Free SVG Files & SVG Images For All Cricut Projects

10 Places to Find Free Cut Files (more of a tutorial then a listing of sites)

All Encompassing Silhouette Cameo Blogs

The Official Silhouette Blog

Silhouette School Blog

The Pinning Mama

Please note: This is just the tip of the ice berg, there is a lot more out there. This machine is very complex can can do a lot of things. I mean, a lot. This is just to get your started with the basics. Having said all of that, please share your favorite posts, tips, project ideas and resources with me in the comments.

Filed under: Makerspace

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About Karen Jensen, MLS

Karen Jensen has been a Teen Services Librarian for almost 30 years. She created TLT in 2011 and is the co-editor of The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services with Heather Booth (ALA Editions, 2014).

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandra says

    May 16, 2018 at 9:02 am

    This is a lot of good information all compiled into one nice page. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. I’ve had my SC for a couple of years now and due to lack of time, I never really got into it. I recently had a a project I was working on and took the time to study it better. I learned you have to have patience and go slow. The project turned out VERY nice It’s much easier when you have the time to go slow and really read the blogs and view all the great YouTube videos out there. My next similar project will be much easier to make! Thanks again, for sharing!

  2. Susan says

    August 13, 2018 at 12:08 pm

    Thank you for this. I just recently bought a Silhouette Cameo 3 and was totally blindsided by no actual instructions coming with it. You have helped calm my fears immensely. Thank you again for taking the time to do this for all of us.

    • Karen Jensen, TLT says

      August 14, 2018 at 10:13 am

      Susan, congrats on your Silhouette machine. I’m a big fan of mine. Like you, I was surprised that it didn’t come with better instructions. Glad you found this post. I organized the manual that I wanted for me, and am glad to know that others might find it useful as well.

  3. Kimberly Peppers says

    October 17, 2019 at 2:21 pm

    I just got my SC3 and I’m stumped. this is very informative. Is there a PDF format where I can print this manual?

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