Print and then Cut

[birdsbow]

Is it possible to print out a sheet of graphics and then have the cricut cut them? Is there a way to set it up in SCAL? I am trying to make cupcake toppers and I would like to be able to print out a full sheet of graphics and then cut them using my cricut. I can't figure out how to set it up so it cuts exactly where I need it to.
Thanks,
Michele

[Sweetness4713]

You would have to bring the sheet into SCAL and then do a trace image.. The trace image option is in SCAL2 version.. If you have inkscape you can bring it into inkscape and do a trace image and convert to an svg then bring in to SCAL..

[firstcut]

I have a procedure for this on my blog. However, because of the inaccuracy of the Cricut, it is very difficult to get good results on something that is full page size. You might be able to do it if you put a lot of leeway in your design.
http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/print-and-cut

[birdsbow]

Thanks so much for your help. Is there a machine more accurate than the Cricut for this?
Thanks!

[jasenj1]

Xyron Wishblade and the Silhouette.

- Jasen.

[Jayne]

I spent days trying to do this with cupcake toppers and it truly doesnt work...even the hinge method doesnt work, i ended up hand cutting 100 toppers...nightmare...you think it would be so easy....but trust me it isnt worth the bother to even try

[jasenj1]

I keep "window shopping" the Wishblade and Silhouette. The next time I have $250 burning a hole in my pocket I'm very tempted to pick one up for all the print & cut projects I have swirling around in my head. There's a lot of beautiful & amazing papercraft projects out there on the Internet, but many of them are print & cut - and I'm too lazy to cut by hand .

Curiously, though, I haven't found a good forum like SCAL's for any of the other cutters. My Google-fu must be weak, or SCAL really does have a unique community.

- Jasen.

[ohjenny]

I'm sorry I missed the creation of the cupcake toppers, but hopefully this will help someone in the future! You can use your Cricut and printer and get nearly perfect alignment with your printed/cut out images. First, you need a graphics program like Inkscape or (what I use) Adobe Illustrator.

First, create your image with graphics and cutting outline in your design program. I'm pretty sure Inkscape works similarly to Illustrator, and it's free. So, here's a graphic - apples, set up on your page the way you want them to print out:


You can't see in the top picture, but I've already traced around the apples, the way I want them to cut out, like this:




So this page has two layers in your graphics program, one with black outlines, one with the colored apples.

Now, open your apple image in your Inkscape/Illustrator, toggle the colored portion of the design 'off' so that only the black outline is visible, and print it out FROM THE GRAPHICS PROGRAM on your home printer. Now you have a template. Take the same black and white tracing image, save it in SVG format, open it in SCAL, and cut your apple shapes out of plain white paper. At this point, there won't be any color on anything.

Now, take your printed out sheet with black apple outlines, and a repositionable double sided tape runner - I use Tombo - and use that to attach the blank white cut out apple shapes, perfectly within the outlines you have printed on the page. Tip #1 - make certain you run the tape along the top, or leading edge of EACH image - the top of each image will feed into the printer first and this will keep the paper from 'catching' or peeling up and causing a paper jam or messing up your printing. Tip #2 - similarly to the way some people press their hands all over a brand new, a little too sticky Cricut Mat, you're going to press your hands down a few times on the double sided tape to 'destickify' it - this will keep your cut outs from ripping when you pull them up.

After you have your cut outs all taped in place, you're going to go back to your graphics program, toggle the black outline 'off' and toggle the apple images 'on'. Now, you're going to print out the apple images, again FROM THE GRAPHICS PROGRAM. The images should align perfectly - and should print out exactly in alignment on your cut out images.

This whole procedure sounds ridiculously complicated, but after you've done it once or twice, it really only takes about 2 minutes to set up each sheet of multiples you're printing out - which is nothing compared to the time you'd spend cutting these out by hand! Also, I've never had any problem with paper jams or messed up printing - I'm guessing that's determined by how well you attach those blank images to your base sheet, and what type of printer you have.

GOOD LUCK!!

[Jayne]

Ive read this 4 times...lol...and i really dont understand it at all...i am cutting fondant so cannot experiment as its too expensive

Where and how do you toggle something off....sorry but its abit too technical for me, i have inkscape but have no clue where to toggle or even how to use it, it a very complicated programme,how do you get 2 layers also....
Are you saying...
You cut the apples in colour then tape them on plain paper? Then cut round them again? Why would you cut them twice...dont understand.
I am not understanding running things thru the printer twice either...

[firstcut]

Duh, I read cupcake wrappers and not cupcake toppers when I originally responded to this and again today at first. Yes, you can use the carrier method for this as Jenny suggests. My apologies for any confusion.

I have a post with many different methods of print and cut/cut and print on my blog
http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/print-and-cut