When I say Silhouette machine I’m sure plenty of you are die hard crafters and know exactly what I’m talking about. But if not, let me tell you all about it.
A Silhouette is an electronic cutting machine. There are a few models – the original is the Silhouette SD, then there was the Portrait, the Cameo & Cameo 2 and most recently, the Curio (and one for cutting stamps that I’m not even going into). They are pretty pricey but they are also pretty cool. CAD cutting tech for the consumer! I’ve wanted one for ages but- Just. Could. Not. Justify. The Cost! I’ve looked second hand but there was never anything at the right price. I am a thrifty gal, so just before Christmas, I set up keyword searches on eBay and Gumtree in the hopes that someone would get an upgrade and sell their old one. And….success! I am now the proud owner of an original SD model. It may be old and secondhand but I am thrilled beyond belief! Why?
Well, it still does a bunch of cool things that I want to get out of it. This blurb on the official website and this video explains the general functions for those of you who aren’t familiar. But basically you use the software that it comes with to create a design. I am super lucky because Mr Ask is a freelance graphic designer and helps me to bring my visions to life. Plus he is very geeky and loved this bit of tech! He worked out how to make your own designs and set them up in the Silhouette software in minutes. Once you have your design, you can then cut that from a bunch of media, like paper & cardstock but also fabric and various types of vinyl. These things are made by Silhouette themselves but a bunch of other suppliers sell them too. As always, Australia has a more limiting selection of suppliers and I am yet to see patterned vinyl of any kind here (I have heard it’s available in the US). I need to buy a fabric blade so I can get some appliques happening but I have been experimenting with vinyls. Here are the options:
Adhesive Vinyls – from heavy duty outdoor to removable wall stickers in a range of plain and metallic colours. Outdoor is best for things like cups or jars that need to be washed. Indoor is more easily removed and is suited to decorating projects.
Heat Transfer Vinyls – can be ironed on to all sorts of fabrics. Comes in plain colours, metallics, flocked and glitter (which doesn’t shed because it’s embedded in the vinyl – yay!). These can be ironed on with a domestic iron or commercial heat press. Once adhered, they are completely washable on a cold wash and line dry.
So you create your design, set it up in the Silhouette software, select the type of media you are using and make sure the blade depth is right. Then you do a test cut to make sure it’s cutting deeply enough but not too deep. Then you let it cut! The complexity of the design determines how long this will take. The Gough Whitlam design had a few others nested on the page and that took around 30-40 mins. Then you can cut up the page of vinyl to separate the designs (the little triangle in a box was the test cut). Now comes the process of ‘weeding’ that is to remove the vinyl that is excess to the design. This can be tricky and induce swearing if the design is complex or has small parts. Mr Ask is better at than me. I am slow, careful and still swear like a sailor! Weeding has the same nail biting feeling that sewing intricate applique induces but worse because there is no unpick option! The last step is to iron the design on and remove the backing. I find that different colours need differing pressing times. Not enough, it doesn’t stick and too much cooks/burns. The whole process is both simple and fraught with difficulty. But I’m hoping practice will make perfect!
For me, the Silhouette means another level of personalization for garments and all sort of other crafty stuff! I love to personalize my wardrobe and it doesn’t have to be all about sewing! So for those of you who love my style but don’t have an interest in sewing, this might be your thing! I am no sewing purist, I embrace anything that allows me to better express myself through my wardrobe. Which means, you’ll probably see a rash of projects involving the Silhouette! I may never wear a plain tee again! To get you started, here are some cool things I’ve already made….
I am thinking of all the personalized gifts I can now make. In fact, the cup with ‘You’re A Diamond Darling, They Can’t Break You’ was for Sister Ask because she needed to hear it. And the ‘Finding Flight, Deep Shade’ mug is the name of a print from Linogirl that I gave to Mummy Ask. It’s one of her favourite things, so I put it on a mug. 
As you can see, even though I’ve only had my Silhouette for a short time but I have been having fun! There is a bit of a learning curve but thankfully, Mr Ask and I are learning together. Our very first project tutorial using the Silhouette is already up! I stitched up some reversible dog bandanas (tutorial included) and used the Silhouette and some heat transfer vinyl to write ‘adopt me’ on them for a local animal shelter (SA Dog Rescue). I already have a zillion other ideas! I am so grateful for that pile of boring tshirts I have saved for refashioning of some sort. So stay tuned for more. While you’re waiting, why don’t you tell me what you would love to see on a tshirt or mug?
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