One of the first tricks I really wanted to figure out when I got my Silhouette is cutting vinyl without a mat! It really is so easy! You’ll never cut vinyl with a mat again!
I figured it out with my Cameo 3, but it is a breeze with my Cameo 4! Keep reading and you’ll get a step-by-step process and my tips and tricks to make it less stressful.
Today I also am excited to partner with my friend Kandace at Lemon Drops and Lillies! I cut the vinyl, she did all the rest of the work! Scroll to the bottom to see the finished product!
Here are some projects I’ve used mat-less cutting for!
How to Cut Vinyl Without a Mat
The first step is to get your software ready.
Click the pages icon at the top of the right side of the screen. Where it says Mat, select No Mat in the drop-down menu.
The second step is to get your machine ready.
Go to the roller on the right of the machine and hold down the grey button. Then slide it to the left until it’s passed the notch in the bar. Now let go of the button and slide it back until it clicks in place.
If you have the Cameo 4, you can pull out the roll feeder out of the front drawer. Pull it out all the way, flip up the slot piece, and fold up the two end pieces. Slide your vinyl roll between the end pieces and slide the right side one over to hold the roll of vinyl. Slide the vinyl through the slot and line up the vinyl to go under the rollers.
Now you’re ready to send your project through the machine!
Tips and Tricks
The first one is pretty obvious. Make sure your vinyl is well under both rollers. My vinyl tends to go to the right while cutting a little, so I plan for that.
The second is to do a test cut! It’s such a bummer to do a whole cut to then realize that it didn’t cut well.
You can see in the photo below how the vinyl I cut for my friend Lemon Drops and Lillies turned out! She made this cute photo booth for her daughter’s graduation. All her home decor and styling tips are fire! You should definitely put her on your list of people to follow and check out her tutorial on how she put it all together!
Here is her Instagram too!
