Today I’m sharing how to make multiple cutting files from one single design. I’m going to demonstrate with a single design element that I made in Silhouette Studio using my favourite and often used Rotate tools. For more info on designing with the rotate tools see my previous Rotate tutorial here.
The Original Design
Here’s my original design. A lovely lacy floral type element…..
The original and resulting Designs can be used in multiple ways. The original and the fifth version make excellent design elements to top Cards, Gift Tags, and Gift Wrap, as well as motifs to cut from Vinyl and HTV to adorn objects and fabric. In addition to the above uses – the second, third and fourth designs will also make fabulous stencils too for wood, fabric or for glass etching.
Play along
If you’d like to play along and follow the tutorial using the same file as I have you can find the link to the Free download Here
Important: For each of the next steps always duplicate the original and set aside a spare copy just in case you mess up and need to start again.
Second Design
Right click on the original design element > Release Compound Path > It will look like this:
Click on an empty area of the mat, which will deselect the individual parts of the design. Now select only the outline edge of the design and carefully drag it away. I’ve shown it in green on the picture below for clarity. You can keep the outline shape if you like it or discard it. I deleted mine. Select and Group the remaining parts together.
Admire your second design.
Third Design
I wanted an easy to cut design this time – no intricate cuts, so, I deleted some of the smaller design parts. Ungroup first, then select all the parts to be removed and hit delete. They are shown in green in the picture below. (Hmmm, I only noticed this as I was proofreading but if you just move the green parts off to the side instead of deleting – you have yet another design to use!)
And here’s the result – a much simpler design. Use it in any or all of the projects as mentioned for the other designs above.
Fourth Design
There’s no reason why you can’t add extra elements too. I added a simple circle in the middle, but you can add as much or as little as you like. Group it all.
Fifth Design
Finally, add a shape around the design, It could be a square, circle or whatever. I added a circle in my example, Align “center” > Select All > Right Click > Make Compound Path.
A little Recap
Please pin – Thank you!
