by Sandy McCauley | Feb 18, 2011 | Connect Path, Fold-Up Projects, Free Videos, PDF, Pouncing
Okay, so this is a little late for Valentine’s Day, but I didn’t receive the question from Clare until Tuesday morning! : )
Clare is a new KNK Maxx owner and was having some problems with a free PDF file she had downloaded from a great web site that I’m sure you ALL are going to be checking out:
PaperCraft Art Creative Downloads
This file is a perfect example to show how to import vector PDF pattern files into KNK Studio and prepare them for cutting. So, I made a series of videos to show the four major steps in getting the file ready to cut:
The first step is to import the vector file (after it is downloaded and saved to your computer). For many PDF files, you use the same steps as when importing AI files. You need to assign a color for the Fill, if it imports with invisible Fill and you need to turn off Thick Line Attribute. Now that won’t be necessary with ALL PDF files, but just in case, watch this video:
Importing Vector PDF with Invisible Fill and Thick Line Attribute
Once those steps are completed, the lines need to be recolored. This is normally just a matter of selecting one or more paths at a time and then picking colors from the Shop Palette to distinguish fold lines from cut lines. In this particular example, there are a few spots that needed correcting and, thus again, this particular file is a great example to show what you might need to do with an imported pattern file. Make sure to test cut first from scraps just to make sure you understand how the pattern will fold and if there are any problem areas needing alteration:
Recoloring Lines in Fold Up Patterns
Then, you’ll need to decide if you want to score those fold line or convert them for dashed/perforated cutting. I’ve covered both options in the next video:
Scoring and Pouncing
Finally, before cutting the pattern, I will check to see if the various lines and curves making up the design are many individual segments or connected into one or only several paths. While it’s not essential to make them one continuous path, you will probably get a better cut if they are. It can take a lot longer to cut if the machine is lifting and dropping the blade for individual line segments, especially if you haven’t set the cut order. Also, it may lead to more spots where the cutting isn’t smooth. So, in this final video I show how to use the Connect Path function in the software to join up all of those lines. Now, one could also just manually join the adjacent nodes on any two paths, but in this case there are a LOT of individual segments. So, when the nodes are close together, this one step function will join all of them. Nice! Oh… and I also show how to create the separate heart halves to cut from a second color, as shown in the box I cut above. : )
Connecting Paths
Finally, I have an older video on resizing boxes. Note that you can normally just drag the corner on a selected pattern and resize proportionately and you should be fine. However, when you want to stretch the pattern in one direction, more than in the other, then watch out! Your fold-up pattern may no longer work! So, a revisit of this blog post and video will help you in such situations.
Post about Resizing Boxes
Resizing Boxes
Thanks, Clare for providing the topic for this post! Good luck with learning your new Maxx! Let me know if you have more questions.
by Sandy McCauley | Apr 30, 2010 | AI Files, Cupcake Wrapper, Free Files, PDF
With graduation just around the corner and a few recent posts by readers here inquiring about the cupcake wrappers, I decided to post new links for downloading these terrific files. All of these particular cupcake wrappers were designed and shared by Judy Keating, a very talented and successful owner of a Klic-N-Kut Maxx. She designs these wrappers in KNK Studio but also has exported the files in both AI and SVG formats. Those of you needing the files in DXF, should be able to use Inkscape (free from Inkscape.org) to open the SVG’s and then save as DXF for your particular software program.
As with ALL cutting files you buy or download for free, test cut them first from inexpensive cardstock. In particular, with the cupcake wrappers, be sure to check the sizing. You may need to increase or decrease to fit the actual cupcakes you make or buy. Many of these designs are quite intricate, so use a clean sticky mat to keep your paper or cardstock firmly pressed down during cutting.
Also note that there is also a link below to download a template/pattern file so that you can add your own words and images to weld to the same base framse used by Judy in her designs. If you would like to share your own design with all of the other readers here or just a photo of your custom wrapper, please send it to me at smccauley45@cox.net .
Judy’s Cupcake Wrappers in KNK Format
Judy’s Cupcake Wrappers in SVG Format
Judy’s Cupcake Wrappers in AI Format
Design your own!
*** New *** Cupcake Wrapper Templates for Designing in KNK, MTC, SVG, EPS, PDF, and Studio formats
(Big thanks to Judy Keating for sharing her designs and to Gayle Galura-Scott for converting to .Studio for the Silhouette owners!)
Thanks, once again, Judy for your generous contribution to the cutting world! : )
by Sandy McCauley | Dec 2, 2008 | Free Videos, Group Viewer, PDF
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In the final part of this three part series in which I’ve been contacted by “guys out there”, I now thank Paul C for notifying me that you CAN edit vector images from within the Group Viewer. I had specifically said that in order to view the nodes of any particular vector image, you must first ungroup the object from other objects. Uh… wrong! I messed up! 😛
So, I admitted to Paul that he was DEFINITELY correct and I went further and checked out some of the other things you can do when your objects are grouped. Watch this video and note that this may help those of you who import a lot of pdf catalogs from Internet. We often find the images in those pdf files to be grouped and not able to be ungrouped (for whatever reason). But we can use the Group Viewer to identify what’s a vector and what’s a raster, as well as locate raster images to auto-trace from within the viewer. This will all make more sense after you see the video:
Group Viewer Video
by Sandy McCauley | May 15, 2008 | KNK, PDF
Here’s a question I get at least twice a week: How do I tell if my PDF file is raster or vector after I import it into Klic-N-Kut Studio?
Answer: Great question!
And here are some general guidelines I use to figure it out:
(1) Select the image and go to: Arrange>Break Path. If it’s grayed out, then you definitely don’t have a pure vector image. It’s either raster or a hybrid.
(2) If you double click and it brings up the Accuscan window, then another good sign it’s a raster. Go ahead and try tracing it.
(3) If you double click and see nodes, you pop open a bottle of champagne… it’s a vector pdf! lol
(4) If you double click and it brings up the Group Viewer, then you go to Layout>Ungroup. Click away so that nothing is selected and start over. If you STILL get the Group Viewer, then it’s a hybrid and dealing with those is going to take a video or two! Which I promise to make and they will be free due to the source of the samples I’ll be using 😉
