How to (Easily) Make Wavy Text in Silhouette Studio

Tired of plain old boring straight text?  Perhaps sometime you want to wrap text around a circle as we showed you how to do here or make it wavy like a roller coaster.  If so, you're in the right spot. 

Making wavy text is pretty simple to do actually.  The most complicated part is getting the wave shape - but we even have a work around for that, if you'd like!

Silhouette Studio Library Missing: How to Get It Back

I have been getting more and more frantic emails recently from Silhouette School readers who have lost their Silhouette Studio library.  First - don't panic. Unless your computer crashed and you never backed up your library, it's likely you can recover the majority - if not all - of your designs.

No matter how you lost your library, you can get your Silhouette America designs back - as they are linked to your account. Silhouette America can re-sync your library and you will get those designs back - no worries.

How to Export Library in Silhouette Studio V3 Cloud

The Silhouette Studio V3 Cloud version of the software has been the most significant change to the software since the upgrade from V2 to V3 in 2014. I am hearing a lot of grumblings about changes and features that were taken away - namely the ability to export, backup or save the Silhouette Studio Library.

While it's true, there was a change to the way you export the Silhouette Studio library, it's not true users no longer have the ability to do so.  In earlier versions of Silhouette Studio V3, users would go to the File menu and click Export Library to backup their library files.  (A full tutorial on how to move the Silhouette Studio library can be found here).

In the Silhouette Studio Cloud version, however, that option is no longer found under the File menu....but it hasn't disappeared completely!  

If you right click on the Local User folder of your library you will find the Export Option.  When you do so you are given the same pop up box to name your library and save it to your computer or a hard drive. This will save all of your designs that are NOT on the cloud.

If you want to export, move or backup the Silhouette Studio files that are on the Cloud, you'd need to repeat the process by right clicking on the Cloud folder and click "Export (email address)" and save the library to your hard drive.

To import or re-import files into your Silhouette Studio library, you'd go to File > Library > Import Library (careful not to pick Import TO Library.)

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine!

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

Get Silhouette School lessons delivered to your email inbox! Select Once Daily or Weekly.

Subscribe Here!

How to Save Designs in New Silhouette Studio Cloud Update

When Silhouette America released the new version of Silhouette Studio to include the Silhouette Cloud in late April, the Save and Save As options changed slightly.  I heard some grumblings that you could no longer save as V2 and confusion over saving to library vs Silhouette Cloud.

All of the options to Save as V2, Save as V3 and Save to the Library are still available - but so is the option to Save to the Cloud.  The options, however, do look a little bit different which has caused some confusion over whether it is still possible to save in all these different versions and places.  I assure you it is. Let's walk through the Silhouette Studio Save options together.

Silhouette Studio Cloud: Important Information Regarding Latest Studio Update

4/29 Update: Silhouette School has obtained a statement from Silhouette America's Customer Support regarding the Silhouette Studio Cloud Update. (See below to read the full statement)

Silhouette America quietly released a new version of Silhouette Studio on April 26, 2016 which includes a major change: The Silhouette Cloud.  The Cloud will open up additional options for saving your Silhouette designs...however, I would not update just yet for the simple fact that we don't know enough.

Silhouette announced the Cloud almost a year ago, so we knew it was coming, we just didn't know when. Apparently it's here, but with very limited information.  When I say limited, I mean like 5 words....the release notes for V3.7.206 simply state: "Silhouette Cloud implemented into Library."

New Silhouette Studio V3 'Shader Effects' Tool Tutorial

If you haven't updated to the most recent version of Silhouette Studio V3 yet, you're missing out on an awesome new tool - the Shader Effects tool.  I had noticed it there a week or so ago and finally decided I needed to investigate. OHHHH emmm gee, people, the Silhouette Studio Effects tool opens up a whole new world in Studio for editing photos, optimizing photos being traced and changing pattern colors!

Now I have Silhouette Studio Version 3 with Designer Edition. However, it's not a Designer Edition feature - but you must have the most recent version of Silhouette Studio Version 3 (even the latest version of V2 - 2.9.67 - does not have this feature) to get this new feature and I think you'll see it's definitely beneficial to have!

The first thing that came to mind was how great it was to use for editing photos in Silhouette Studio (Photos are great to use with print and cut, peek a boo cards (not sure if that's a real thing, but that's what I call them), stickers, etc.). 

Update to Silhouette Studio V3 Now or Lose Access to the Design Store!

Silhouette America has just announced that starting June 22 users who are still using Silhouette Studio v2 will NO LONGER BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE SILHOUETTE DESIGN STORE. 

Silhouette Troubleshooting: Fix for Jagged Cut Lines in Silhouette Studio

I'm answering a reader question the blog today on an issue that I've experienced myself. The question comes from Jenny who writes:

"I updated to v3 and now my lines are not showing up clean in studio on my fonts. When I cut they are jagged. Any ideas on what is causing this?"

 I should start by saying I'm not convinced this is a V3 bug. I updated from V2 to V3 almost a year ago and only just recently experienced this issue and only on one file.  

Regardless, the fix is actually pretty easy, but first let's look at the problem. 

What Jenny is referring to are cut lines in Silhouette Studio that are not smooth.  If you look closely at this 'Welcome' file that I created, you can see the same thing is happening here.  That 'e' for example should be smooth, not rigid the way it is. 

I actually didn't notice the issue until after I cut and you can see the design cut that way too.  What a waste of 14" of vinyl. 

PS: I have no idea why the blue backing looks dirty...it's not really so I'm blaming it on the sheen.

I have cut this file many times and never had an issue...but all of the sudden the lines were rigid.  I closed the file and reopened in another work area and still the result was the same. Clearly the original text file was curropt. 

In a new work area, I re-typed the word using the same font, Samantha, and the text was fine. The line were smooth in Silhouette Studio and they were also just as they should be when I cut the design. 

I suggested Jenny do the same and when she closed out her file, retyped the text in a new Studio work area and cut again...her text lines were smooth, too. 

In this case I don't know what causes the issue, I just know how to fix it and in some cases that's good enough. 

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on them and purchasing products through my links, I receive a small commission. That's what helps fund Silhouette School so I can keep buying new Silhouette-related products to show you how to get the most out of your machine! 

Thanks for coming to class today at Silhouette School.  If you like what you see, I'd love for you to pin it!

Get Silhouette School Tutorials
Delivered to Your Email:

Silhouette Print and Cut Tutorial (Updated for V3)

Way back when I was using Silhouette Studio Version 2 I wrote the original Print and Cut tutorial for beginners.  It's been a popular one...but for all the newbies out there who are using V3 I'm sure you're like "WHAAAAT is this girl talking about?"

That's what happens when they go changing the software on ya: combining menus, moving icons, and changing pop up windows. Fear not - the basics of print and cut are still the same, but I think it's worth a quick update for those of you using V3 who've shied (is that how you spell it?? I've been looking at it for like 6 minutes now thinking that doesn't look right...but even Google says it's right) away from Print and Cut.

I promise you once you do one Silhouette cut and print project, you'll feel more comfortable and confident. Just take it one step at a time: 1) design  2) set up  3) print  4) cut!

Silhouette Studio: Trace Tool Only Tracing Half the Image (Troubleshooting Tutorial)

Recently I've been getting a lot of questions about why the Silhouette Studio tracing tool is only tracing half the image.  I don't know what version of Studio it started in, but this is a glitch...and an annoying one at that.

But there is some good news...I have figured out a way (or two) to fix it quickly and easily so you're left with a full trace and a lot fewer gray hairs.

Silhouette Studio Shadow Tutorial (No Designer Edition Needed)

I've gotten this question a lot over the last few months: How do I make a shadow on a font in Silhouette Studio.  Well...if you have Silhouette Studio Designer Edition there is a handy dandy little button that lets you create a shadow with the click of a button. But if you don't...you are not left out in the cold.