Silhouette UK: Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric

Monday 11 March 2019

Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric

Hello, it's Verity here from Pretty Little Button. Good to see you back over on the blog. Due to plans this week, I'm doing another back to basics post for new Silhouetters! This post focuses on how to convert or adjust cut files from imperial to metric. You might find it's ok to use imperial for some projects, but when it comes to papercraft projects it can often be easier to use metric as our paper sizes are different from the US. This post shows you a simple way to convert a layered die cut card from imperial sizing to metric with just a few simple clicks within the software.

Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric process:

Located a design in the design store and add you this to your design mat. Up on the top toolbar, you will find a diagonal arrow with the width and height measurements of your layer when selected.

As you can see this is currently set to US card sizes: 5.5" x 4.25". However, UK cards usually measure around 103mm by 147mm, and sometimes doing the conversion into imperial isn't too easy. So instead, we can simply change the measuring units within the software from inches to mm.

To do this, select the settings icon - the little cog down in the right-hand bottom of your screen. This will bring up the preferences window.

In the 'General' tab within this window, you will find the 'unit of measurement' section. When you click the drop-down menu, you will find a variety of units of measurements to choose from. Simple choosing the measurement your fill is best suited for you. For this project, I used millimetre measurement.

Now in the object measurement window when you press the diagonal arrow up in the top toolbar you can adjust the size of your objects by inputting your mm measurement. Make sure you adjust all the layers within the cut file to the same size to ensure the ratio of the layers is still correct.

You can easily check the layers still overlay correctly by using the transform centre option. Whilst selecting all three layers, open the transform window from the right toolbar. In the first tab, select the right centre option. This centre option centres all items with one another. The left option centres your objects to the page

As you can see the items all overlay one another in the new sizing without any distortion to the overall design of the cut file.

Back to basics: Adjusting cut files- imperial to metric photos:

The three layers were cut out using navy, light blue and white cardstock and adhered together with liquid adhesive.

The layered die cut was adhered to a UK A6 white card base. To finish the card off, a layered 'Happy' die cut was added to the front along with a heat embossed sentiment.

The 'Happy' was covered with glossy accents for some shine and finished off with a few black Nuvo drops.

I created a second card only using the top layer of the cut file. This was die cut 3 times and adhered together for dimension. Before adhere this down, I ink blended onto a white card panel using Chipped Saphire, Blue Print Sketch and Tumbled glass for a radiating look.

A layered die cut sentiment was adhered to the front with a white offset shadow and heat embossed sentiment. A few soft blue Nuvo drops were added to finish the card off.