A short name or phrase is a useful first vinyl project: you can check the spelling, judge the letter spacing and inspect the cut before applying it. CutArc Vinyl lets you design text and cut it on a Silhouette Cameo 5 in a desktop browser. It is in beta and runs in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge with USB access, with no install or driver download.
This guide uses adhesive vinyl and a Cameo 5 with an AutoBlade. Cutting welded script text cleanly has been hardware-verified on a Cameo 5, and most testing has been on that model. Your font, size and material still need their own review and test cut. Read the Vinyl overview for supported machines and the full Free and Pro lists.
1. Prepare the lettering project
Measure the area where the lettering will go. Write down the desired width and check whether a tall capital or a long descending stroke changes the space you need. For a first attempt, choose a short word with details you can comfortably inspect and weed.
Gather adhesive vinyl, a suitable cutting mat, your AutoBlade, a weeding tool, transfer tape and a scraper or similar burnishing tool. Keep a spare piece of the same vinyl for testing. These craft supplies are separate from the browser workflow, but preparing them now makes it easier to judge the test before committing the whole design.
2. Add text and choose a font
Open CutArc Vinyl and choose the Text tool. In the Text panel, enter your wording in the field with the Type your text placeholder. Check spelling and capitalization before experimenting with the appearance.
Use the font selector to choose from 19 bundled open-source fonts, or use its font-upload option to select your own TTF, OTF or WOFF file. Text and font import are included in Free. Choose a font for the actual word you are making: look closely at thin strokes, small openings and the connections between adjacent letters.
Set Size and review Spacing before choosing Add text. Judge the result at the intended finished size. A flourish that looks generous when enlarged on screen can be a small, delicate piece of vinyl in the finished design.
3. Weld overlapping script letters
Script fonts often have overlapping letters. Weld joins those overlaps into one outline so the letters do not cut apart. Select the text you just added, enable Weld letters and choose Update text. When adding new script text, you can enable Weld letters before Add text. For selected overlapping shapes, Weld is also available under Modify, in Combine.
Inspect each letter connection after welding. The letters must overlap for weld to join them; an intentional gap between letters remains a design decision. Review dot accents and interior openings as well as the outer edge. The aim is to keep the shape of the word you chose while removing the internal boundaries where script letters overlap.
Plain, separated lettering does not require every letter to join its neighbor. Decide which parts should be connected based on your design, and check that the resulting outline still reads clearly.
4. Size the word and choose the mat
Select the lettering and use the Selection controls in the Design tab. W and H are the width and height fields. Enable Lock proportions when you want to preserve the letter shapes while changing one dimension, then use Apply. Check the displayed units against the measurement you took earlier.
Open the Cut tab and choose Change cutter or mat…. In Cutter and mat, choose the Cameo 5 and your mat, then choose Apply. Compare the positioned lettering with the actual vinyl area. Allow space for a weeding border and a test area outside the artwork.
5. Add a weed box and weed lines
With the lettering selected, find Weeding under Modify. Set the Weed box margin and choose Add. A border around the lettering gives you an edge to work from when removing the surrounding vinyl. Leave enough space around delicate flourishes to handle the excess material comfortably.
For automatic lines, choose Automatic weed lines…. Review the proposed lines and the Spacing, Margin, Clearance and Direction controls before choosing Add weed lines. Weed box and automatic weed lines are Free features. Look over the complete layout before continuing, including the smallest letters and openings.
6. Connect and test the adhesive vinyl settings
Connect the Cameo 5 by USB and choose Connect USB, or use the Cameo 5 Bluetooth connection control labeled Connect over Bluetooth. Review the cutting settings under Cut settings by color in the Cut tab.
Always do a test cut first. A hardware-verified starting point for an adhesive-vinyl kiss cut on the Cameo 5 with the AutoBlade is speed 5, force 10, depth 2. These are starting settings, not a guarantee for every vinyl. Materials differ, so use Test cut on a clear area and inspect it before cutting the lettering.
Try removing the unwanted vinyl from the test. For a kiss cut, you want the vinyl to separate while the backing stays intact. If it will not weed cleanly, or the backing is cut through, adjust and repeat the test. Change one setting at a time so you can tell what helped. CutArc Vinyl also includes saved material settings for keeping the settings you decide to use.
7. Cut and weed the lettering
Check the final word, size, position and cut settings, then choose the top-bar Cut button. Once the machine finishes, remove the work carefully and lay it on a flat surface for weeding. Start at an outside corner of the unwanted vinyl and peel slowly, keeping an eye on small strokes that might lift with it.
Remove the small interior pieces from letters as you go. A weeding tool helps lift an edge without pulling on the surrounding letter. Keep the excess vinyl away from the finished word so its adhesive does not catch on a loose detail. If a letter starts lifting, pause and hold it against the backing before continuing.
8. Apply transfer tape
Lay transfer tape over the weeded lettering and burnish it across the letters. Peel the backing away slowly while checking that every part stays with the tape. If a small detail remains on the backing, lay that area down again and burnish it before retrying.
Prepare the destination surface according to the vinyl supplier's directions. Position the lettering, press it down and burnish again. Peel the transfer tape back slowly at a low angle, watching for letters that need another press. These are general adhesive-vinyl craft steps; practice on a spare piece when using an unfamiliar vinyl and tape combination.
Already have a lettering SVG? Follow the SVG import guide to start with that file, check its cut colors and prepare a test cut.