How to Make Your Own Designs With Silhouette Studio. Barbies Necklaces.

If you have and electronic cutting machine (Cameo, Portrait) but only use files you buy, it can be expensive. And you won´t use it to its full potencial. What if you have an awesome idea to cut but you can´t find the file in the design store? In my opinion this tool is to use our creativity, not to limit it by what it´s available at the store.

With this project I´m going to show you how to use the most important tools from Silhouette Studio. You´ll learn basic tools like copy, paste in front, weld, draw, offset, subtract.

At the end you should be confortable enough to try new necklaces´ designs.

Just cut them with vinyl and you´ll make a little girl very happy. If you are here only for the necklaces I´ll share here my file, with 6 different necklaces. They are perfect as stocking stuffers, party favors, easter eggs...

Step 1: Basic Tools

We´ll start using the shapes that are in the menu at the left.

Make a circle and with ctrl+c copy it, with ctrl+f it pastes another one at the front. Move it and resize it. Repeat until you have the shape of the necklace. They should intersect.

Now I took from my library the shape of a heart.

Step 2: Weld Tool

Select all the circles, ctrl+c to copy them, ctrl+f to paste in front, then right click flip horizontally.

Move them to the other side of the necklace.

Open the modify window. Select everything and click weld. Now you have only one shape.

Step 3: Draw and Offset

Good job, you already have one necklace.

Now lets learn other tools.

In the menu at the left click the icon shaped like an 8, and draw a curved line.

Open the offset menu and adjust the offset distance. Delete the first curve.

I finished this necklace with a star (from another file in my library) and weld both pieces.

Step 4: Internal Offset, Subtract

I placed a scalloped circle. Now in the offset window select internal offset and adjust the distance. Select both circles and with right click select "make compound path".

Now i placed a butterfly from my library and welded it to the compound path.

To make the slit for the neck, draw a rectancle at the top (with the tool "draw a rectangle").

Select the rectangle and the butterfly necklace, open up the modify menu and click subtract.

Step 5: Cut the Vinyl.

Now you have three beautiful necklaces. You just have to cut the vinyl, with small detailed designs its better to cut with a low speed. My settings were speed 3, depth 20, blade 2. As you see in the picture I cut some details in different colors and let my daughter mix and match them.

Visit my blog where I have more free files and DIYs