Monogram Card with Stitched Letters and Shapes Tutorial

  print & cut and svg files

This tutorial you will show you how to add "stitch marks" within letters and shapes
using Silhouette Studio software.
All files needed to make the card shown above are included in the free download.

Monogram Note Card Print & Cut Digital File Pack includes: • blue plaid square swatch • blue plaid rectangle swatch • blue lace pdf print file • blue lace svg cut file

Silhouette Print & Cut Instructions
Monogram Card with Stitched Letters & Shapes

1. Open Silhouette Studio software and create a new project. Set up your Design Area with Media Size 8.5 x 11 and turn on Registration Marks.
2. Open Silhouette Studio software and import the blue-plaid-swatch.jpg print into Silhouette Studio using File > Open command. The image should open in a new Design Area at a very large size (see image below). Open the Transform Panel and scale the plaid image to 20%.
   
3. Go to the Text Panel and choose a font. Change the font size to 120 point by dragging one of the corners until the size in the text size panel shows as 120 (it shows as 119.9 in image below).
   
4. Open the Offset Panel. Choose one of the letters and apply Offset at Offset distance 0.1 with rounded corners. This will be the cut line for your letter. IMPORTANT: Draw a circle with a diameter of 1.75 inches. Drag the letter and offset into the circle and make sure the letter doesn't overlap the circle. If it does you must scale down the letter and outline until it fits within the circle. This will only be necessary with certain letters such as "M" and "W."
   
5. Drag the letter and outline onto the blue plaid swatch. Choose the inner line of your letter (the original letter without offset) and open the lines panel. Choose a dashed line (I'm using the bottom dashed line). Choose thickness of 0.75 pt (use a higher number if you want the stitch lines to be thicker). Choose a color for your line. I'm using an off white color.
   
6. Use the File > Open command to open the blue-plaid-strip.jpg file in a new workspace. Open the Transform Panel and scale the image to 25%. Copy the image and paste onto the original work space file that contains your letter.
7. Use the rectangle in Drawing tools to draw a rectangle that's 5.5 inches wide and .75 inch high. This will be the cut line for the rectangle embellishment.
8. Draw another rectangle that's 5.25 inches wide by .5 inch high and center it within the larger rectangle. Open the lines panel and apply the same line style and color that was used for the stitching line of the letter.
   
9. Use the circle in drawing tools to draw a circle that's 2.5 inches in diameter. Make the line color transparent or white and fill this circle with a dark blue color. Hint: Use the eye dropper tool to choose one of the blue colors within the plaid swatch. Draw another circle that's 2 inches in diameter. Make certain that this circle has no fill color. This will be your cut line. Draw a third circle that's 1.85 inches in diameter, again with no fill color. Center the 3 circles within each other. TIP: Use Object > Align > Center-Middle to center the 3 circles. Use the lines panel to apply the same dashed line style and color to the smallest inner circle.
   
   
10. Use the File > Open command to open the blue-lace.pdf file in a new workspace. Copy the image and paste onto the original work space file that contains your letter. Open the lace-cut.svg file. Copy the file and paste onto your original workspace.
    
11. Use the line tool to draw a line across the blue area of the lace image and apply the same line style and color used in the other areas.
    
12. Your workspace should look something like the one shown in the image below. SAVE YOUR FILE! Use any name you like such as monogram-notecard.
    
13. Open the Select by Color in the top menu area (small palette shape) and select all red lines by choosing "by Line." Delete all of the red lines by clicking the delete button from your keyboard or by using Edit > Delete from the Silhouette Studio menu.
    
14. Print the page using the Print command. Keep your file open.
15. Go to the main Silhouette Studio menu and choose Edit > Undo Delete 4 Shapes or use keyboard command to undo the previous deletion of the red lines so that the red lines reappear. Delete everything on your workspace except for the 4 red shapes. IMPORTANT: Make sure that all of the dashed "stitch" lines are deleted, otherwise the Silhouette will cut the dashed lines. Your cut file should look something like the one shown below. Place your print onto the Silhouette cutting mat and send to Silhouette to cut.
    
16. Open a new file. Draw a rectangle that's 5.5 inches wide and 8.25 high. Object > Align > Center to center the rectangle on the workspace. Drag a guide line from the top ruler area and drag it to 5.5 inches from the top so that it represents the center line of the rectangle. Optional: Use the line tool to draw a line over this guide line to use as a guide for scoring the card after it's been printed. I used a solid white line that's .75 point. Drag another guide line at 5.125 from the top of the page. Drag another guide line at 5.75 from the top of the page.
    
17. Use the File > Open command to open the blue-patchwork.jpg file in a new workspace. Open the Transform Panel and scale the image to 25%. Copy the image and paste onto the work space file that contains your rectangle. Align the top of the patchwork image to the upper guide line. There will be white space below the image and the red bottom line of your rectangle.
18. Draw a rectangle that's 5 inches wide and 2.75 inches high. Apply the same line style and color used for the previous items. Place the top of the rectangle on the guide line that's 5.75 inches from the top and center it within the width of the rectangle.
    
19. Select the red rectangle from the center bottom and make it smaller by dragging the line up so that it's flush with the bottom of the patchwork image. This will make the front of the card smaller so that you can attach the lace trim piece.
20. Print this file, place the print onto your cutting mat and send to cut.
21. Score the base card using the printed line as a guide. If you didn't add the score line to your print, score the card at 5.5 inches from the upper white edge.
22. Attach the long rectangle onto the face of the card. Attach the blue circle on top of the plaid rectangle, and then attach your letter into the circle.
23. Add the lace trim to the bottom of the card face so that the bottom of the trim aligns with the bottom of the card back when folded and cut the trim piece to the width of the card (be sure to center it so that edges on both sides are similar).