Make the Cut v2.2.1- Create Clouds Tutorial
This is just a short tutorial showing you that you can use some of the basic features. We created the cloud from overlapping circles and welding the get the final result. The technique is fairly easy and should yield great results! Especially since you made it all on your own... Just like in nature there never any two clouds alike...
For more information on this software visit: http://www.scrappydew.com/make-the-cut/
Make the Cut v2.2.1 Blackouts
This is a very basic tutorial to show you how to create Blackouts of shapes and text using the built in features of Make the Cut (MTC). You can also use this technique to create "Shadow Blackouts" to give your design some depth when you layer it on top of each other.
The SVG file that was used in this video was from: http://mycricutscrapbooking.com/2009/09/17/a-pretty-women-svg/
Make the Cut v.2.2 Scalloped Border
This is just a video tutorial demonstrating how to create these basic borders. It is intended for the beginner and will go though the custom shapes involved in creating this project.
After you see how easy it is to weld these simple shapes you can see the possibilities that could result from using your imagination.
Good luck and enjoy the video!
For some Inspiration you may want to check out http://thehobbylady.blogspot.com/
Photo created by http://thehobbylady.blogspot.com/
They have downloadable files if you wish to have these sets.
Make the Cut v2.2 - Layers
With the release of MTC Version 2.0.3 beta, I decided to put out a guide in explaining on what each button does and how to possibly use the layers function. Having this function is a great addon and it is very easy to use.
If there is something that doesn't make sense send us an email and we'll try to correct the Tutorial!
Make the Cut Software: Lattice or Cookie Cutter Effect
This video tutorial will show you how to create the Lattice Effect using ONLY the Make the Cut Software (MTC). This tutorial uses the Boolean Feature that is new in the 1.3 version.
(This Above Photo is what we will be creating in the MTC program)
For More information about this program or tutorials visit
http://www.scrappydew.com/make-the-cut/
Make The Cut Software - Video Tutorial (Break, Split, & Layer)
Alright so in the Make the Cut Software there are 3 features that may cause confusion on when to use them and what they do. Those three features are Split, Layer, and Break.
BREAK
When you break a shape, every inner shape becomes its own entity allowing you to move, size, remove or reuse any part of a shape you want.
LAYER
When you layer a shape, you end up with two separate entities: the background and the foreground. This is useful if you want to take a single shape and turn it into two separate colors giving the shape more depth. You can break, layer and split the resulting layers.
SPLIT
When you split a shape, every shape that isn't inside another shape becomes its own entity. This is useful when you want to split apart text. You can break, layer and split the resulting entities.
StackyScraps.com Tutorial - PDF in MTC
Using the Print Screen/Screenshot Method to use an image
from a PDF in MTC
Note: The PDF file type is not currently supported in the Make the Cut Software. This tutorial is designed to allow you to prepare a PDF file to be traced in the Make the Cut Software.
In this tutorial Stacy from www.StackyScrap.com will demonstrate how to get a PDF file into the Make the Cut Software.
Make-the-Cut: Using Your Library
This is just a short video tutorial showing you how you can utilize your Library function that is built right in. You can put anything from Simple Shapes to complex objects. Basically if it is on your mat then you can store it in your library.
Now this video was created prior to the release of 1.0.7 of Make the Cut Software. Basic Shapes will be included in that release.
We have these basic shapes which is a free download in MTC format.
Click Here to Download for Free
Make-the-Cut: Cut a Super Hero Logo
This video should help explain how to create a layered cutting file based on a single colored image. We have taken the image that you see below and turned it into two separate cuttings. You can apply this to process to any popular logo you have. We have just chosen this generic logo to work with for this project. We will also discuss what the "Visible" on and off can do for your cuts
.
image used to convert the trace
after we traced the image we are able to duplicate, trace, and layer this object.
Make-the-Cut: How to Weld Text
In this tutorial we will cover how to weld basic text. Hopefully this will help you get the results you desire with this software. Below is a very basic example on the finished product of text that is welded together. Welding allows you to fuse objects together so that your cricut will make one continuous cut rather than cutting out individual letters that you will have to piece together.
To see the written out instructions please click the READ MORE
Make-the-Cut : How to Apply Text
This is a tutorial in the MTC (Make the Cut) software. This will be one of our first of many tutorials on this software. If you're wanting the written out directions please click the READ MORE
Sure Cuts A Lot 2 - Tool Bar
The Toolbar is composed of the most common tools that you are likely to use in the Sure Cuts A Lot program.
The top one here is known as your Selection Tool. This tool is used to select either individual or multiple objects on the mat. Once you have clicked an object on the mat you will notice a boding box appears. It is this bounding box that enables you to move, scale, and rotated that selected object.
The next tool in the menu is the Type Tool. This button looks a little different because it has a hidden feature or submenu. By holding your mouse button down you are able to select between the Regular Type Tool and the Vertical Type Tool. Just select which one you desire and you are ready to type. Just click anywhere on the virtual mat and you can start typing
The next two tools are pretty self explanatory they are your ZoomIn and ZoomOut tools. You select either one of these and it will either increase or decrease your magnification of the mat
Finally we have the Hand Tool. Once you selected the hand tool you can will have to click and drag on the mat. This acts as if you grabbed the mat you're sliding it over so you can see what else is on the page.
Mini-Tutorial: AutoTrace for SCAL 2.0
In Sure Cuts A Lot 2 there is a built in feature called Autotrace.
This feature allows you to import image files such as (.bmp, .jpeg, .gif, .png) and will attempt to automatically trace the image for cutting. You will have to note, results may vary depending on the source image file.
Now we know what it is... lets see how it works…
Autotrace Image
In order to autotrace an image we will Choose "Trace Image" feature. You can get there either from the File menu or you can just click the "Trace Image" button located on the top of the screen . This will bring up the Autotrace window.
Choose An Image
When the window appears you will first need to choose the "Browse.." button... from there you may have to navigate in order to find the image file you would like to trace.
Once we hit ok you will see a colorized version of your photo you're trying to trace.
We can hit the preview button to see if the Autotrace fits our needs. If the trace needs tweaking then we will have to adjust the following settings. Prior to hitting ok we may want to see what each of these do.
Autotrace Settings
So let us take a look at the Autotrace settings…
- The Brightness control: adjusts the brightness of the source image to help the autotracer distinguish what should be traced.
- The Corner Control : this determines how the trace program should handle corners found.
- Despeckle: This removes tiny shapes , like stray dots or speckles. This will help clean up the source image
- Optimize: This can help reduce the number of nodes/points
- Break Apart Outlines: It will put each separate shape or line into its own layer in the trace folder. The layers can be moved, deleted, or hidden just like a layered svg.
As a reminder the autotrace results may vary depending on the contents of the source image file. Craft Edge suggests for best results trace solid filled objects over a white background.
Output
Preview: Allows you to see the resulting tracing of the image with the specified settings
Save: Allows you to save the output to a SVG file
OK: This will add the resulting trace to the virtual mat
Now that we have explained the settings it is time to hit ok. Because we selected Break Apart Outlines we are now able to go to Object> Ungroup. This allows us to move, delete, and show and hide the different layers.
Now you're ready to start tracing in Sure Cuts A Lot 2
How to Moving Letters to Weld - Sure Cuts A Lot 2
Alright, Moving Letters for Welding…
There are a few ways to move letters within text using the Sure Cuts A Lot program, so that they overlap for welding. We will discuss 3 methods
1. First we will Choose the Selection Tool from the Tools window. Next we will Click on the text to select it on the mat. Just go to the Object menu and choose Ungroup. From there You can then move the individual letters around wherever you wish.
2. First we will Choose the Selection Tool from the Tools window. Then we will Click on the text that we wish adjust letter spacing. Then let us look at the Properties window, we should see a Text section. In the Text section window, we can then change the Tracking field. This will alter the spacing between each letter. Decreasing the value will bring those letters closer together.
3. Choose the Text Tool from the Tools window. Click and drag over the letters you wish to change. The letters should be highlighted. In the Text section in the Properties window, you can change the Tracking field to adjust the letter spacing for the highlighted letters.
How to Warp and Bulge Text in Inkscape
In this video we will show you in Inkscape Version .47 how to warp, bulge, and squeeze your text. This is a very easy task to perform in the new Inkscape .47 using the Path Effects Editor.
Below is photo of the new feature in .47 the Path Effects Editor. This is what allows us to alter our paths that we create in inkscape. You can find this either by Shift + Ctrl + 7 or you can go to Path> Path Effect Editor.
Check out PapaSueCreative's Blog on how she used Warp and Bulge to Create her SVG file
Click Here
photo source: http://papasuecreative.blogspot.com
More Flourishes with Bezier Tool
This tutorial we will go over the Bezier Tool and using some new Spiro effects that are associated with this tool. There are several options when using just the Beier Tool. This tutorial requires Inkscape .47 which can be downloaded from the www.inkscape.org website.
You have Triangle In, Triangle Out, Elipse and Clipboard. We are going to discuss the first three and show you what each of them do.
So start creating your own flourishes and have fun!
Create Your Own Flourishes
Alright, in this tutorial should give you the result of a nice flourish with tapered ends that looks like a brush stroke. And after what seems like hours of messing around with it, I think I came up with a way to work it. I used the Bezier Tool to create the pattern, however this process will work using the Spiral Tool as well. I don't know if any of you have used the Spiro option associated with Bezier but it's a great option that gives you that slick look.
This tutorial you will be able to create your own flourishes and cut them out in Sure Cuts A Lot.
Grab inkscape 47 here: (Windows) http://thurly.net//7o4
We will use Pattern Along Path, Bezier Tool, and Spiro to create these.
Inkscape Tutorial: How to Arch Text
This tutorial you will learn how to Arch your Text in Inkscape so you can import it into Sure Cuts A Lot.
If you're looking for expanding text information please click the Read More Link.
We modified this idea from Kay at http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/ which is a great place for Inkscape knowledge.
Below is Her Video Explaining: Once you have the Circular Pattern Cut, On How to Apply it to a Page.
The video is from Kay from CleverSomeday Explains how to apply this.
Creating Basic Stick Figures
I put out a new video tutorial today on how to create a simple stick figure. I was emailed last week with the question "I created a file in inkscape, looks good in inkscape but cuts only cuts a single line of the shapes. I was simply going to email the lady back to tell her about the "Stroke to Path" however she filled the wrong email address when she used our contact page. So I thought a good way to approach this would be to shoot a video tutorial and maybe she will be on the look out for our next video tutorial.
So in this tutorial it will go over the "Stroke to Path" "Breaking Apart Joined Nodes" and it will be using a little "Bezier Tool" to get the job done. It's very basic but you can get the idea on how you can create your own( hopefully more complex figure than mine ) As you will see I'm not an artist!
Here is the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ve0vnJ1IoI
Feel free to comment & rate it on the youtube site and if you enjoy the tutorials make sure you subscribe so you can be notified when new videos come out
Let's Talk Grouping: Inkscape and SCAL2
Someone sent us a file and a question on how to get things set up in Inkscape so they could import into SCAL 2 matching up correct sizes and cut based on color. So I Uploaded this video tutorial this past weekend to youtube. It demonstrates an easier approach than layering your SVG to import into SCAL 2. It's done by grouping... what you want to have grouped do it all in inkscape and imported in to SCAL 2 allowing you to Ungroup/Show/Hide/Move/Resize your pieces all around in SCAL 2. Works great for doing that multi-cut projects.
Inkscape Tutorial - Pattern Along a Path
This video will demonstrate how to get a pattern to repeat itself around a path in order to create these great patterns to use with your Sure Cuts A Lot software. For this tutorial you will need to download or have installed Inkscape. If you need to download inkscape you can at www.inkscape.org
This video is presented at a beginner knowledge and in less than 2 minutes you can create these patterns that you see below using the process in the video. The video will show how to create the Red pattern.
What we used in the above patterns...
The Light Blue pattern was created using a Large circle and a Smaller circle
The Dark Blue pattern was created by using the square tool with rounded corners and a Star pattern
The Red was created using a circle and the letter "O."
For written material on this method please visit : http://cuttingtime.blogspot.com/2009/08/inkscape-pattern-along-path.html
Check out this Blog to see what they created using this Tutorial!
The Artful Mama's Blog
Feel free to send us your blog so we can add it to the list if you used this tutorial to create something!
New Import SVG Feature in SCAL 2.0
If you're doing a multi cut project or a paper piecing project then you should watch this tutorial on how SCAL 2.0 can save you time and paper. SCAL 2.0 will allow you to import your whole SVG file that you either created or download. Once you have it imported, you can size it and then ungroup it. That way you will be able to only cut the colors you would like to cut (assuming your SVG is set up/designed correctly prior to import) by using the Show/Hide features in your Layers Palette. This video shows you that SCAL has built in as a layer detector when importing your SVG thus making your life easier when trying to size everything correctly and cutting what you want to cut.
Please take the time to watch the video and check out Our Store! Just look for the EZ SVG for SCAL 2 in the description of our files, we're in the process of converting our entire collection for EZ Importing. Our current Freebie has a EZ Importing Folder if you would like to work along with this project.
If you want to know how to prep your multi-cut SVG in Inkscape, we will have a tutorial on this on a later date.
Two New Feature Tutorials for SCAL2.0
The first video will explain how to do a simple trace with in SCAL. Before we had to use inkscape to do a trace of an image. Now SCAL 2.0 has it built right in.
The AutoTrace is a welcomed addition to the SCAL 2.0. Since it's a new feature you may still have to use Inkscape to get the desired results. The trace feature works well with silhouette type images. Probably expect in later editions for this feature to improve. At least they give you options that you can do a tweak and preview. The preview option allows you to see what the trace program has found and shows you what you can expect if you hit OK.
The second video goes briefly over the TEXT Tool and the Property Box. It will also show you how it is different when it's compared to SCAL version 1.XX. It will go over the Text Properties Box as well as Making Fonts your favorite.
New Features on Text Tool
- Select All
- Add Favorite Font you like to use
- Group
- UnGroup
- Tracking
- Text Width
- Text Height
(Click Below to Purchase)
SCAL Version 2.0 Now Available!
Get your Upgrade Today!
Freebie File and Tutorial Text Box Frame
Well we got a letter from someone asking for our help... "The one I am trying so hard to make is an enclosed box around the words and the middle does not cut out....I pretty much know how to draw what I want and how to weld the letters, but since I cannot erase the couple of lines the Cricut cuts those..."
So we took that design she drew and make it into an SVG.
And here is the final cut page she made using her Sure Cuts A Lot program.
Click Here to Download SVG
(You customize your own text)
If you don't know how to weld text in inkscape watch the video. We demonstrate how to weld towards the end.
How to Convert WPC to SVG
Things you'll need if you don't want to watch the tutorial
1. A virtual printer - CutePDF is what most use and it's free. It acts like a printer but prints as a PDF (Which is what inkscape can open) To get CutePDF... I just went to download.com (Safe website) and did a search for CutePDF
2. Funtime Software - The lite version is free and that's what I use in the video.. http://www.funtimescrapbooking.com/
(I guess that FuntimeScrapbooking doesn't have the Lite Version available - you can still download it here)
CLICK HERE for Funtime Scrapbooking Lite
3. Inkscape - To open up the PDF you create in Funtime
STEP 1. Install CUTE PDF
STEP 2. Install Funtime Software
STEP 3 (IN FUNTIME)
I open up the file in Funtime the (WPC)
then I go to File PRINT
I choose the printer that says CUTEPDF
Then go to properties and make sure that if you need Landscape mode you Chose that or Portrait Mode you Choose that... It depends on the layout of the WPC. (You will know you did something wrong if you get 2 pages that print instead of 1)
STEP 4 (IN INKSCAPE)
Then you can go to inkscape and open the PDF
Select everything and keep ungrouping until there is nothing left to ungroup.. .You will know by the information bar at the bottom it will say "No groups were ungrouped"
Then you may want to do a Path>Break Apart because sometimes there are lines stacked on top of eachother and in scal that means it will go over the same outline over and over.
Then you can Save it as a SVG and import into SCAL
New Converter Application
Our SCUT files come already proportioned correctly. We know that they are sized the way you may not want. So we created this application to help you with measurements. To use this you will need the original SCUT files that come with our downloads. It allows you to precisely match things up if you decide that our files aren't the exact size you need. 
Click Here to Use our Web Application
Sure Cuts A Lot: How to Install Font
We created this tutorial for the beginner in SCAL. SCAL is a great program that allows you to cut with your Cricut Machine True Type Fonts on your computer. This tutorial will show you how to get new fonts onto your Windows computer and use them in SCAL. We provide 2 Methods on this. You can either install this in the Font Folder or just open the file so SCAL can see it. Keep in mind if you install too many fonts using the Font Folder method other programs such as WORD and programs that are like that may take longer to load, because it's initializing all the fonts that are installed.
Sure Cuts A Lot - Shapes Property Window Explained
Click the Photo to Start Video
We received an email asking us about how to create a shadow effect in SCAL and decided to just do a whole tutorial explaining the features of the Shape Property Box.
This tutorial will explain the Shape Property Box, that allows the SCAL users to add shadow or black out text. This box also allows us to be more precise and even weld items together, and all done using the Sure Cuts A Lot program.
Creating Circular Text in Inkscape
Sometimes you would like to create circular text to cut in SCAL or any other cutting devices. Sure Cuts A Lot can't do this with out the file being an SVG, because there isn't an option for this. We've all seen it before in Microsoft Word where you can have Circular Text or an Arch of text. Well, in this tutorial we will demonstrate how to do this in Inkscape so you can import it into SCAL.
We modified this idea from Kay at http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/ which is a great place for inkscape and Sure Cuts A Lot software knowledge.
Below is Her Video Explaining: Once you have the Circular Pattern Cut, How to Apply it to a Page. The video is from Kay from CleverSomeday Explains how to apply this.
Welding in Inkscape - Text to Text & Text to Object
This video tutorial will demonstrate how to weld text letters together. You will also be able to apply this method to weld the text to an object just like you see below (welding text the baseball glove). We received an email asking us "How do you weld in Inkscape?" They wanted to attach the "Text" to a Glove. After watching this tutorial you should be able to do something like this. Although sometimes things like this are easier to do in Sure Cuts A Lot, there are some benefits to doing this in Inkscape.
Benefits to using inkscape rather than SCAL are:
- If you plan on using sharing this, the people you share with don't need that font installed
- Inkscape is easier to manage/design the look you want
- Once imported in the SCAL you can resize everything proportionally.
Drawbacks are:
- If you import the SVG into SCAL you won't be able to edit the text
Create a Simple Flower in Inkscape to use in SCAL
The Photo Below is what we will be creating in this tutorial.
Inkscape Tutorial: Using Outline View to Modify Your Cut
Last week we got an email saying the following:
- Hey guys! Big fan of SCAL myself. So far I haven't had any problems cutting anything, but today I designed a gift bag, and it has fat lines that are being double cut. I'll attach my original jpg file. The lines are one pixel wide in the file original, but they fatten up when I trace the bitmap and make it a svg in Inkscape. I can't find a way around those fat lines. Never had this happen before. I don't know if this is a common problem or if I am just stupid. Maybe you could make a tutorial about it... Thanks!
So we decided to make a tutorial based on this. Click the Photo Below to Work along with Us
Unlimited storage and Unlimited transfer for only $4.95
File Donated by Kate Smith
http://craftomatic31.blogspot.com/
Color Tracing with Inkscape
This is a tutorial for beginners. We will break apart this eagle by color so you will be able to possibly paper piece this using the Sure Cuts A Lot software.
What you will need for this tutorial.
- Inkscape from www.inkscape.org
- Download the eagle photo (if you want to work along side the video) - Just click the Photo Below
- Sure Cuts A Lot - If you would like to cut your separated files.
Click this Photo to Download
This is our end goal in breaking apart these colors. This technique works well with well defined areas and boarder images. The higher the quality of image the better the results.
Tutorial: Sizing Correctly in SCAL using multiple SVG files
Happy April Fools Days! When we first got SCAL we were wondering how are we going to save paper on cutting a pattern that has multi colors that needed to be cut. Well this technique that the video goes though should help you with this. The video goes though two different ways to accomplish the same goal. We know that there are other methods out there, but these two work just fine.
The reason for this tutorial is because when you import items into SCAL it isn't a 1 to 1 ratio. Meaning you will have to resize each SVG file as a whole to match all the pieces up.
This video will go over:
- Saving your SVG files based on Color
- Importing them into SCAL
- Sizing them up proportionaly so that all pieces are the correct size based on your original SVG file
What we do is we separate the files by color and we have one that is saved with everything with all parts and pieces on that file. We save it as BearALL.svg.
We then stretch out the BearALL.svg in scal to the size we want. Then we import each colored SVG (ie BearBrown.svg) and we size up the head to match the BearALL.svg.
We do this for all the colored pieces. Another way to do proportioning on separated SVG files is...
You can place a small Star (keep it the same size) somewhere on each of your seperated SVG file. That Star allows you to match up each file to the correct porportion once you have imported all of your Color Separated SVG files into SCAL.
Once you have everything the way you want I would SAVE the project because you can delete what you are not wanting to cut, and then to get all your pieces back just go to File> Open Project
Inkscape Tutorial: Combine and Break Apart
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Saving Paper for SCAL using Inkscape
The goal of this tutorial is to help new people that have SCAL and are new to SVG format using Inkscape. Using Inkscape you can save time and your paper by separating pieces by color. It helps when people have already have broken apart and grouped things by color for you. However in this tutorial you will see how to do this and then import and size them properly into SCAL.
Read More...
Creating a Cut file from a JPG
- Image file in GIF, BMP, JPG, PNG format
- Inkscape - Free program on inkscape.org
- Sure Cuts A Lot - a pay program from CraftsEdge
Just follow this video tutorial and you will be able to do this fairly easy. This is a beginner level tutorial.
