If you’re afraid to try print and cut with your cutting machine, don’t be!
I owned my Silhouette Cameo 3 for years and never was brave enough. Now I use this feature on my Silhouette Cameo 4 almost daily!
It makes life so much easier when you can print complicated designs instead of taking the time to layer the vinyl.
Since I started showcasing my stickers on my TikTok channel, the #1 question I am asked is what to do if the registration marks aren’t reading correctly. This happens all the time to me, so I’ve got a lot of troubleshooting answers for you!
1- Make sure the machine is calibrated
Cricut Users- Calibrate your machine! Silhouette Users- turn the machine off and move the blade holder all the way to the left. Then turn the machine back on. I don’t know why this needs to be done, but every once and awhile it is the fix you need. So do this trick first!
2- Find the right lighting
Try turning on a light or cutting in the dark. I usually try this option when the registration marks just aren’t reading at all. Not even if you manually register it (for Silhouette users). I’ve heard that Cricut users can have success cutting in the dark or with the top lid closed. So the right light is important! Usually with my Silhouette machine it means turning on a light, but every craft space is different with varied lighting.
3- Use Matte instead of Gloss
Use a Matte vinyl/laminate instead of a glossy one, or keep the glossy laminate away from the registration marks. It’s easier to line up a glossy laminate with Silhouette registration marks because there are only 3. Cricut users have to try harder to make it work since there is a black box around the whole design. If you were a little haphazard when you put laminate on your stickers, try covering the registration lines with clear matte tape. Another trick (that I use all the time), is to use a fine line, black, permanent marker and draw carefully over the registration marks.
I think that should help you fix the problem! Go ahead and leave any questions in the comments!
Are you angry?
Brenna, you saved me! I tried for several days to get the registration marks to be seen on my Silhouette Cameo 3 with no luck. I had the lighting sufficient, I was using the newest application version, etc. I hunted and hunted, and then I found another post of yours with possibly the same title but with one additional step–which was the winner! That step was to turn off the machine, unplug it, even, and then move the blade holder all the way to the left. When I started and tried the Cut and Print again, all went perfectly! Thank you!
I’m so happy to see that the calibration trick worked for you! ❤️❤️❤️
Well, I should have read the Calibration instructions! You gave the magic information there! Thanks. I had read other instructions for calibration, so I did not actually read that before my previous post–which you may delete!