If your silhouette cutting mat is brand new you may want to de stick the cutting mat somewhat by blotting it with a clean t shirt.
Silhouette cutter vinyl side up or down when cutting.
The machine software will help you to choose the correct cut settings.
I like to cut most of my vinyl without a mat because the majority of the time i am using rolls of vinyl instead of.
You can get silhouette cameo cutting mats in 12 x 12 and 12 x 24.
Load the cutting mat containing the vinyl with your design into the cameo silhouette cutting tool.
After heat application the mask releases quick and easy.
It also aids in transferring the vinyl to your project surface.
Place the vinyl on the correct size of mat you have selected in the silhouette software.
The cricut cutting mats are really similar and i have used cricut mats with my silhouette.
Simply cut in the positive do not mirror with the pattern facing up weed away the excess from the static carrier and mask with ttd high tack and a squeegee.
Now select load on your cameo 3.
As with any new vinyl or new machine before jumping straight to your main product you should do a test.
Youc an use a heat press or an iron although a heat press is highly recommended if you re doing a lot of htv projects or selling at all.
Place your htv on a cutting mat with the shiny side facing down and adhesive side facing up.
How to load vinyl without a mat.
The carrier sheet is sticky and holds the vinyl in place while you cut.
Now before you cut from your pattern you can adjust where you want your image on the mat in case you want a specific part of the pattern.
Most cutting machines will be totally fine cutting flocked vinyl.
Heat transfer vinyl usually comes on a carrier sheet.
Heat transfer vinyl is a special type of vinyl that can be cut on the silhouette cutting machines which can then be applied to fabric be it clothing pillow covers bags etc with heat and pressure.
Then click send at the bottom of your screen to initiate the cutting process and wait as the machine slowly executes your command.
Place the patterned htv on the mat with pattern side up to cut yes i know i always say the side you want to see on the shirt goes down on the mat but not in this case.
Line the mat up with the blue line on the left hand side of your machine.
Whatever mat and machine you are using put your adhesive vinyl paper backing side down onto your mat so the colored vinyl side is facing up see image below.
The shiny side of htv is the carrier sheet the dull side is the adhesive.
We use cricut cutting machines but you can also use a silhouette cameo 4 or brother sdx125 for example.
When cutting htv cut shiny side down.
Place the vinyl onto the silhouette cutting mat with the backing paper side down onto the mat making sure the vinyl is covering the same area where the design is placed on the virtual mat in silhouette studio.