Fabulous Die Cut Tip: Getting Intricate Cuts with Silhouette Cameo

I have been enjoying using my Silhouette Cameo on a variety of projects lately. I love how it can cut such a large variety of materials.  But what I love most, is that it can cut such intricate designs flawlessly.  My other die cut machine wasn’t always the greatest at those super thin, curly cuts.

But with minimum effort, I have been able to cut fairly intricate designs with my Cameo easily.  I have a few tips for you to have a successful cut the first time.

Getting Intricate Cuts with Silhouette Cameo Tips

1. Select your design and make sure the cut lines all show up well on your               Silhouette digital mat. I have not had any trouble with designs I have purchased in the Silhouette Online Store but occasionally an SVG file from other sources may need a little editing with the cut lines to make sure you get nice clean cuts.
2. Select your material to cut.  The tip here is to make sure you select the correct blade depth and speed setting according to the material you choose to cut. Use the guidelines on your Silhouette as a starting point.  Don’t forget to change your actual blade housing setting in your machine not just on the screen. Make sure and use double cut feature as needed for heavier weight materials such as glitter cardstock to ensure you get a clean cut the first tme.
3. Place material on your cutting mat. Make sure and smooth out the chosen material on to the mat so that it is adhered all over the mat area and there is no lifting up off the mat. If you mat is very worn, your material may not stick in all places and could cause issues with your material sticking down properly to get the best intricate cut possible. If you are not getting good contact with adhering the mat, it may be time for a new mat.
4. If this is the first time you have cut with a particular intricate cut, I recommend you do a test cut on spare cardstock to see how your Cameo handles the design.  You may get better results by slowing down the speed of the cutting blade which you can do manually on the Silhouette software screen.

You can see how beautifully the Silhouette Cameo cut this incredibly intricate Pumpkin Card by using the tips I listed. 

Here is a link to the card cut Card Jack-o-lantern by Samantha Walker which can be found in the Silhouette Online Store.

So, have you tried cutting something really intricate with your Silhouette yet?  What was your experience? Leave a comment if you need any further help to get good cuts on your Silhouette Cameo.