No More Wasting Stencil Material!

Are you tired of wasting stencil material and want to know how to identify and fix the problem? I’m here to help! I wasted my fair share of stencil material when I began learning how to use my cutting machines and sometimes it still happens. For the most part, though, my cuts are now successful and I want to share what I’ve learned so you can lower your stress level and increase your triumphs!
 
Have you ever been cutting cookie stencils (or something for another project) and everything is going great but then, all of a sudden, nothing is cutting correctly? The cutting blade won’t cut through your stencil material or it has missed parts. You are ending up with those small bits of stencil material stuck in the stencil when you remove it from the mat. Or, when you begin weeding the vinyl for a silk screen stencil, the vinyl doesn’t come out easily and is tearing. If this sounds familiar take heart! I’ve been there too and before you give up I have a few things for you to try.
 
If you are struggling to cut cookie stencils out of traditional stencil material or vinyl and your cutting blade sometimes seems to have a mind of its own, here are some trouble shooting tips to help you solve the problem.

• First, check to make sure your stencil cut well. (If it didn't, DO NOT remove the mat from the machine when it is finished cutting.)
• Then, remove blade from your machine and make sure that nothing is stuck on the blade. Any residue can cause problems with the cutting.
• You can send the stencil through to cut again and if that does the trick, great! Only send through again if you have not removed the mat! 
• Take a look at the blade and make sure that it is seated in the tool carriage correctly. If it is misaligned or installed incorrectly it will not cut properly.
• Check your cut settings in your software and make sure that they are set to cut the correct material.
• Try cutting a different material. If you still have the same trouble with this different material it may be that your blade is getting dull. If the blade has been in your machine for a while and has cut several stencils, it may be time to replace it. If the blade cuts the different material just fine then the problem is probably not with the blade but with the material and the settings that you are using.
• If none of these things are causing the issue it may be time to update the software you are using. Also, remember to check the firmware version of your machine to make sure that is up to date.
• If both of those features are up to date, you may need to uninstall and reinstall your cutting machine software. Caution: Only do this as a last resort. Uninstalling could cause you to lose your custom settings! If you use Silhouette Studio, it is important to back up your custom cut settings and your library first. If you use Cricut Design Space, they back everything up for you.

No matter what cutting machine you are using these tips will benefit you. I know that wasting stencil material can be so frustrating and I hope this information will help you to make sure it happens as infrequently as possible!
 
Looking for more helpful tips, cookie stencil, and cookie cutter design help? You can join us in The Colorful Cookie Club and have access to all of that plus hundreds of video tutorials and free digital downloads that you can access at any time! You can check it out HERE. While there, if you need stencil materials, click HERE.