Basic Design Tutorial: Make Scalloped Squares -Triple T Tuesday

Designing Basics #1 – Scalloped Squares

Here’s a quick and easy Beginner’s Tutorial for the Silhouette Studio Software, with instructions to make a set of scalloped Square elements, including a solid Square, a Scalloped Frame and a Ric Rac Style Trim.

These are so versatile, use them in paper craft & scrap booking projects as tags, labels, frames or in card making as overlays or decorative elements, or  cut them from Vinyl or HTV as stickers, labels and decoration.

Don’t feel daunted by the number of steps – it takes longer to describe each step than it does to do it 🙂

How to Make A Scalloped Square…..

I used the Silhouette Studio Designer’s Edition V3 for this tute.

1. Select the Draw an Ellipse tool and draw a small circle while holding down the Shift key.  Holding down shift ensures the Aspect Ratio is locked. ie: you draw a perfect circle not an oval.
2. With the circle selected, click the Replicate tool, scroll down and click twice on Row of 4,  This creates 7 circles in a row.
3. Select the 7th circle on the right of screen (shown in Grey) open the Replicate window, click twice on Column of 4.
4. Select all the circles, Right Click and select Group in the pop up (or use the Group Tool at the bottom left of screen)
5. Select the grouped circles and use the CTRL C and CTRL V to duplicate the set once.
6. Select the second set of circles, click on the Rotate tool and select 180°                                                                            
7. Now select both groups of circles, click on the Align Tool and select Center. This will join the shapes in to a square made up of the circles.
   
8. While all the circles are still selected,  group them together.
9. Select Draw a Rounded Rectangle Tool. Hold down Shift and draw a Square slightly smaller than the circles, the Square should cover half the circles leaving the rest exposed.
10. Select all and Align, then Center.
11. With it all still selected, right click and select Weld. That’s it! You’ve made a scalloped Square! Now copy and paste to create a couple of duplicates.

How to make the Scalloped Square into a frame…

1.  Set aside the scalloped square and work on one of the duplicates. Repeat Steps 9 and 10 to create a new square smaller than the original. Align it in the centre.
2. Select both the scalloped square and the inner square and Right Click and Select Make A Compound Path

How to make the Scalloped Square into a Ric Rac Border.

1. Select the final duplicate. Open the Offset window. Select internal Offset & Rounded. Use arrows to set a distance. I just judge by eye. It can be as thick or as thin as you like.
2. Select both the scalloped square and the inner offset, Right Click and Select Make A Compound Path

Now you have the cut files made, you can resize the elements as desired, Fill with colour, use them together or separately or add them into other designs.

You can also change up the amount of circles in your square by adding more or less than in this example. This will result in a in a chunkier or a finer edge.

Hope you’ve found this tutorial handy.

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