Using Overcut - Folding Christmas Village

Hello, Janet here again with a post about using the overcut feature in the Silhouette Studio software. I love this beautiful Zig Zag Village Card by Marji Roy, but I wasn't overjoyed by my first attempt at cutting the file. The card design is fabulous, but close examination of my original cut pieces shows that I really didn't achieve straight-edged squares and rectangles first time around. The default settings for most of the cardstock options in the software don't include an overcut, but this was an occasion where the cut would be improved with the overcut feature turned on.


If you look closely, you'll see that the squares and rectangles are not really square - all the corners are rounded.

First attempt with Overcut turned off

When I used Overcut (with all other settings the same) the cuts were crisper and more square.

Second attempt with Overcut on

You might have noticed that the textured finish on the cards aren't identical, however they are both the same brand and weight, and I would normally cut both cardstocks on the same setting.


What is Overcut? Overcut, or Line Segment Overcut, is a cut option which extends the cut line beyond a corner, lifts the blade, and places at a point where it will extend the cut going in a new direction. The diagram on the left shows the normal cut, and the one on the right shows how the cut is extended when overcut is turned on.

When to Use Overcut. The benefit of using overcut is most noticeable when you are cutting shapes with straight sides or corners. It can also give better cutting results when you are cutting thicker or denser materials.

How to Turn on Overcut? In the Send tab, place a tick in the box adjacent to the overcut symbol (a small triangle). This selects a default overcut setting of 0.1mm, meaning that the cut is extended by that amount at the start and end of each cut.

To select a larger overcut, click on the adjacent three dots. Then the panel shown below appears and the amount at either end of the cut can be increased. If you make the overcut value too big the cuts may show on your design. I haven't yet used a value greater than 0.3mm, and most often just use the default value of 0.1mm for cardstock. You can elect to save the setting, or click 'revert' to return the value to the default.

Why not use Overcut all the Time? I have found that the cutting process takes more time to complete the cut when overcut is turned on, and the process is also a little noisier. It is worth playing with the settings and deciding for yourself.


Here is my completed Zig Zag Village Card second time around. The bronze glitter highlights are made from printed Silhouette Glitter Sticker Paper. The tiny wreaths, also cut with Overcut on, were cut from the same white cardstock which was then heat embossed. First time around (without Overcut) I didn't manage to cut these out successfully at all.

I hope you find this information useful.

Bye for now,

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