Silhouette Cameo please help!!!

[uscgmouse]

I am thinking about getting a Silhoutte and want to be able to use it to make things for disney trips. Can someone tell me how they work? I have a cricut so I get to only cut what is on the cartridges I have.
I want to be able to cut the dcl logo and want to know how you do this? Do you purchase each design or do you just find something you want cut and it cuts it?

Thank you!

 

[Quicklabs]

You will need appropriate software that will cut the designs for you. I use Make the Cut. It's awesome. Your computer connects to your Sil and "makes the cut". There is an endless number of .svg (cutting files) that will work with this program, and you will even be able to import pictures, trace them, and cut them, if you have Make the Cut. Strongly recommend that you go to the Make The Cut forum and browse around. THe folks there are super helpful and friendly. I have to say that buying MTC was one of the best purchases in my LIFE!

There is some software that comes with the Sil. However, you will have to purchase individual files if you want to go beyond the basic library. Honestly, spend the extra $60, get MTC and your Sil will sing! I am a reformed Cricut user--I'll never buy one of those expensive, and limiting cartridges again.

There are any number of sites which also sell files that can be cut with MTC. I love SVGCuts. The files come out so clean and amazing.

Hop on over to MTC and tell 'em Quicklabs sent ya! LOL

 

[uscgmouse]

So if you have an image you can trace it and then cut it? How easy is that to do?

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

So if you have an image you can trace it and then cut it? How easy is that to do?

Hi! I have had a Silhouette for a few years now and love it. I have not purchased any extra software for it, everything I have made has been from the software that comes from Silhouette.

The quick answer to your question, is yes. The longer answer really comes down to the quality of the image you wish to cut.

So this is what I would do to cut a logo.
(1) Find the best quality image on-line of the logo. The more "cartoony" the better. You need clean lines. Save to my computer.
(2) Import picture into Silhouette program.
(3) Select trace and trace the item.
(4) Technically you should be done, but usually there is a little clean up involved where you might delete little cuts and group items together for ease of cutting different color pieces.

Below is the Harry Potter logo I made by using the trace function:

So if I was doing a book on a DCL cruise I would probably use the trace/cut to make a few of my own pieces (like the logo, Mickey heads, titles using any font on your computer, etc) Then I would go to the Silhouette web site and for .99 you can purchase pre-made cut files. I know I have purchased a 3 piece shape set for.99 (anchor, life preserver, steering wheel) I would also probably buy a .99 ship and maybe some wave borders.

I looked at the SCL logo -- that would be sooooo easy to make. No problems at all. Also, you can download so many free fonts that can make your titles pop.

I think the make the cut software comes in very useful for more intricate pieces -- kind of like Reddy's cool paper piecing stuff. Like if you wanted to make a Mickey Mouse holding a steering wheel. I think the Silhouette software can be "clunky" about creating a piece with lots of colors and pieces to figure out. I have been able able to make pieces without as many "parts" like this Piglet cutie. Piglet was a jpeg file that I brought into my Silhouette, traced, and then cut:

I would say get the machine -- you will love it! Try it out with the software that comes with it and then if you want to do more then buy the additional software.

Have lots of fun on the cruise!