For those of you who are also wasting vinyl because the machine EATS it when you load it, I am now saving your life. Since you would want to jump out a window with frustration.
First, cut yourself a scrap of cardstock about 2 inches wide:
Nice! Now you have a little landing strip loaded into the machine, covering the chasm that EATS the ding dang vinyl when you try to load it. Grr! Looks like this:
Now for the ninja move. With the strip still loaded, turn the machine OFF:
Now turn that sucker back on again, and the strip will STILL be loaded, BUT your machine will ask you to load something. Go ahead and feel like a smarty pants.
Now load your vinyl. Put it on TOP of the landing strip, butted up against the wheels, and load:
(How cute is my bracelet in this pic? Thanks mom!)
Tah-Dah! Loaded vinyl, and no eating!
Now, grab the little landing strip and pull it out the back so it doesn't hork up your cutting:
Home free! Another little hint - use a paper cutter thingy-ma-bob to cut the vinyl AFTER you cut it; this way, the next end piece you load is PERFECTLY straight and your vinyl won't go sideways on ya.
Life saved. And now I can officially put the abbrev. M.D. after my name.
You are too funny. This might save a few lives.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, the bracelet looked totally cute!
I can't believe you JUST posted this a few days ago. I was doing as you did and googling for a solution before I threw my silhouette out the window and here you were. Thank you so much!
ReplyDeleteI also Googled for how to work this stuff and found you. You are my hero (for today!) I love the ninja move...
ReplyDeleteI also like your blog. I'll be back!
My Silhouette has been mocking me for almost a year. I bought it but have been to apprehensive to actually use it. So I finally worked up my courage, looked at some videos online and then tried to load it with vinyl. Of course, I couldn't get it to load. I was thinking I had made a huge mistake in buying it, but then I googled you. Maybe it's a good thing I waited so long before using it. Your instructions wouldn't have been here and I probably would have ended up chucking it in the trash or smashing it with a hammer.
ReplyDeleteThank you ever so much!
I am considering buying a Silhouette. Is there any reason not to use the mat when cutting vinyl?
ReplyDeleteSilhouette says not to use the mat as the paper will not come off the cutting mat well. Learned this one the hard way!
DeleteI always use the mat to cut my vinyl. That way I can cut using small little pieces of scrap vinyl, etc. I didn't even know that you weren't "supposed" to. And I use the stuff all the time. So...don't be afraid to mat it. I have never had a problem. Ever. So, to be honest, I read this post not really sure what the problem was she was talking about. Guess that is good for me! (You can check out some of our fun posts on makeitscrappin.blogspot.com for other fun tips and ideas.)
DeleteFor large pieces of vinyl I have never used a mat, and have never had problems - I have a Silhouette SD and love it. with small pieces I use every one by cutting on a mat.
DeleteAWESOME job there doctor! I'm trying it right now! Thanks for your help.....
DeleteDo you have the portrait? I have the cameo and have never had a problem. I love love love my Silhouette!! Thanks for the tutorial just in case:)
ReplyDeleteGood to know since I have the vinyl and have heard horror stories about dealing with vinyl and the Silhouette machine. Maybe I will no longer chicken out on using it. Cute nails and bracelet.
ReplyDeleteThanks!!!
I cut vinyl the first thing when I got my Cameo, never had a problem at all loading it with or without the mat.... But if you have a curling problem I would suggest using the mat all the time.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Thank you! Thank you! I've been searching for the answer for day and I finally found you. Apparently I'm out of wine, because I was unable to come up with it on my own!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I think this info is better than other instructions I have seen. Your nails and bracelet are very nice. Love the comedy to.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. Many thanks!
ReplyDeleteI saw this on Pinterest and wanted to find out what the "best tip ever" was all about. I'm not sure I understand what vinyl is being "wasted" since I really don't have this problem. Could this be because I have a Cameo? Which Silhouette do you have?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the info. I finally opened up my Portrait (3 months after getting it) and played around with it. My first attempt at Vinyl was straight from the roll, I didn't know how much would be used so left it on the roll, and it worked beautifully. I did forget to change the blade setting, so cut to deep, but it still worked. I will keep your tip anyway, cuz you know things don't always go as planned and I think I had beginners luck. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOMG! I've had this problem time and time again and it's so frustrating! Thanks for the tip! BTW, totally love your nails and bracelet.
ReplyDeleteVisit my blog @ www.justdarlin.blogspot.com!
Hope to see you there!
I cut gobs and gobs of vinyl. I have taken to using the sticky mat to avoid the vinyl eating issue. This is a great tip too!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with all of the new verbs and nouns in this post, I almost forgot what I came here for! Love it.
ReplyDeleteYou. Are. A. GENIUS!
ReplyDeleteYou crack me up! And you're a genius!
ReplyDeleteYou are an effing ninja genius. I bow to you.
ReplyDeleteYour teal color nails are gorgeous! Thanks for the silhouette tips.
ReplyDeleteAwesome tip, thanks so much. Just about to attempt my first project with vinyl and I'm sure this will have saved me some frustration. xo
ReplyDeleteI have just started working with my sil cameo and my first cut with vinyl was not to bad a few bumps along the way. lol Then I tried loading it and wrecked about a yard of vinyl. I too wanted to through it out the door and then I read and did this.... This is awesome thank you for sharing this :)
ReplyDeleteIf you have a Sil. Cameo you can just select 'Load Media' instead of 'Load Cutting Mat' and it now skips that problem. Still lovin' those nails though!
DeleteJust got a Cameo and waster way too much vinyl!! Thanks for stopping me from leaping from my second story window!
ReplyDeletei use contact paper for just about everything-- it's 18" wide, so i use my rotary cutter, ruler and mat to cut it down to 9" for my portrait and get 2 rolls, each 24' long (48' total!) for $5.88 (walmart price). i leave it on the roll when i cut it, then put a dot of permanent marker just past the last cut to make it easier to see where i ended and where to cut. i use the rotary cutter with ruler and mat to cut my design off the roll. perfectly square end every time.
ReplyDeleteLove this tip and already love you as well! Great job.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hanna
It worked like a charm...i bow down to the great and wonderful....
ReplyDelete