# Vinyl cutting basics

> Blade cutters like Cricut and Silhouette: which vinyl to buy, how weeding and transfer tape work, and the files they need.

## What is vinyl cutting?

A vinyl cutter uses a small blade mounted on a moving carriage to cut shapes out of thin sheet material. Unlike a laser, it does not burn, it simply drags the blade through the vinyl along a programmed path. The surrounding material is then weeded away, leaving only the cut design on its backing sheet, ready to be transferred to a surface.

Never cut vinyl (PVC-based vinyl) with a laser cutter. Use a blade-based vinyl cutter for vinyl materials.

Vinyl cutting is used for decals, t-shirt graphics (heat transfer vinyl), signage, window lettering, stencils, card making, and iron-on patches. Machines are quiet, compact, and require no ventilation, making them popular for home studios and classrooms.

## Types of vinyl cutters

- **Cricut (Maker / Explore / Joy)**: The most popular consumer brand. Works through Cricut Design Space software. The Maker series can cut over 300 materials including thick cardstock, leather, and balsa wood. The Joy is a compact version for smaller projects.
- **Silhouette (Cameo / Portrait)**: Leading competitor to Cricut. Uses Silhouette Studio software which offers more design control and accepts SVG files directly. The Cameo 5 has a 12" wide cutting area; the Portrait is a smaller version.
- **Brother ScanNCut**: Has a built-in scanner so you can scan a drawing and cut it directly. Good for quilters and crafters who work from hand-drawn patterns.
- **Professional sign cutters**: Machines from Roland, Graphtec, and USCutter are used in sign shops for large-format decals, vehicle wraps, and high-volume production. Much wider cutting widths (24"–60") and higher precision.

## Vinyl and other materials

- **Adhesive vinyl**: Permanent or removable adhesive on the back. Used for decals, tumblers, signs, and wall art. Oracal 651 (permanent) and 631 (removable) are the most popular brands.
- **Heat transfer vinyl (HTV)**: Applied to fabric using a heat press or household iron. Used for t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and hats. Smooth HTV is easiest for beginners; glitter, holographic, and puff are popular specialty types.
- **Printable vinyl**: Print your design on an inkjet printer then cut around it with the vinyl cutter. Great for stickers and labels with photographic or full-colour designs.
- **Iron-on and Everyday Iron-On**: Cricut's version of HTV. Works on cotton, polyester blends, and canvas with a home iron or EasyPress.
- **Cardstock and paper**: Vinyl cutters cut cardstock and paper with precision. Great for intricate card making, gift toppers, and layered paper art.
- **Faux leather and felt**: Many machines can cut thin faux leather and felt for earrings, patches, and accessories. Requires a deep-cut blade or strong machine like the Cricut Maker.

## Key terms

- **Weeding**: Removing the excess vinyl around your cut design, leaving only the parts you want. A weeding hook or dental pick makes this easier.
- **Transfer tape**: A low-tack adhesive tape used to lift adhesive vinyl off its backing sheet and apply it to the final surface in one piece.
- **Blade depth and pressure**: The two main settings. Blade depth controls how far the blade tip extends; pressure controls how hard it presses. Too deep and you cut through the backing; too shallow and the cut is incomplete.
- **Kiss cut**: Cutting through the vinyl but not the backing sheet. The standard method for adhesive vinyl and stickers.
- **Die cut**: Cutting all the way through the material and backing. Used for stickers, shapes, and patches that are fully separated from the sheet.
- **Mirroring**: HTV designs must be mirrored before cutting because the vinyl is applied face-down. Most software does this automatically when HTV material is selected.
- **Print Then Cut**: The Cricut way of making stickers: Design Space prints the picture with a black frame on your home printer, and the Cricut reads the frame to cut around it. Silhouette calls it Print and Cut.

## File formats

**SVG** is the usual format for vinyl cutting. Cricut Design Space opens SVG directly, and so does Silhouette Studio from Designer Edition up.

**DXF** opens in the free Basic Edition of Silhouette Studio, which does not open SVG. MyLaserTools tools export SVG and PNG, so on Basic Edition open the PNG and trace it with the Trace panel.

## Getting started

- Do a test cut before the full design. A small square with a circle inside shows whether your blade depth and pressure are right.
- Mirror your design before cutting heat transfer vinyl. Set the material type in your software and it will usually do this automatically.
- Use a brayer or credit card to firmly burnish adhesive vinyl onto transfer tape and then onto the final surface to prevent bubbles.
- Store vinyl rolls vertically or flat. Storing them on their side causes the adhesive to pool and creates uneven cuts.
- Clean your cutting mat regularly with a lint roller to maintain grip. A mat that is too sticky tears delicate materials; too little grip causes shifting mid-cut.

## MyLaserTools for vinyl cutting

Every SVG from MyLaserTools is saved at the size you set, with closed paths that cut cleanly. Check the width once after you upload it. These tools work especially well for vinyl:

- **Connected Text Generator**: Merges script or cursive letters into a single continuous path. On a vinyl cutter this means the entire word cuts as one piece with no weeding between letters. Perfect for HTV name decals and adhesive vinyl signs.
- **Stencilify**: Converts text into a stencil SVG with bridges added automatically so enclosed letters stay intact. Cut from adhesive vinyl or mylar to make reusable paint stencils.
- **Keychain Generator**: Cuts a clean keychain outline from adhesive vinyl for applying to acrylic blanks, or use the shape as an HTV decoration on a bag or jacket.
- **Word Cloud Generator**: Fills a shape with words at varying sizes. Cut the entire cloud from a single sheet of HTV or adhesive vinyl for a custom wall decal or shirt graphic.
- **Ornament & Shape Generators**: All ornament SVGs are closed paths that cut cleanly on vinyl cutters. Use them as HTV appliques on fabric, adhesive decals on tumblers, or layered paper die cuts.
- **Multi-Line Text & Stacked Text**: Clean multi-line text layouts with controlled spacing. Download and cut directly as adhesive vinyl for signage, glass etching masks, or fabric HTV.

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Read online: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/basics/vinyl