Tools and machines

With a die-cutting machine you use metal dies to cut shapes, letters and delicate borders out of paper and card. With embossing folders you press texture into it. You place the die and the paper between two plastic plates and roll that little stack through the machine. The pressure does the work.

Scrappers use it for things like:

• titles and individual letters
• labels, tags and little frames
• flowers and layers for embellishments
• embossed borders and backgrounds

The advantage is that every shape comes out crisp and exactly the same, even if you need ten of them. There are manual machines with a crank handle and electric machines that feed the paper through themselves. The electric ones mainly save your arm.

Read also: Using a die-cutting machine: dies and embossing folders

For most scrappers, a machine with a cutting width of about 30 cm (12 inches) is the best start, because it can handle a full sheet of scrapbook paper. The well-known brands are Cricut, Silhouette and Brother. Look especially at:

• the software: try the free version before you buy
• the ongoing costs: subscriptions, paid upgrades, blades and mats
• what you want to cut: any machine can do paper, but for fabric or thick materials you need a stronger model or a special blade
• whether you want to use a computer: a Brother ScanNCut also works on its own and has a scanner

Small machines are cheaper, but they're soon too narrow for scrapbook pages. Also check whether you can only work with individual, expensive images or with your own designs too.

Read also: Choosing a cutting machine: Cricut, Silhouette or Brother

A die-cutting machine only cuts the shapes of the dies you own. A cutting machine cuts any shape you design or download on a screen. It works with a small blade that follows the lines, a bit like a printer, but cutting instead.

• Die-cutting machine: cheaper to start with, and manual models need no power or computer. Quick if you want the same shape often. You do buy a separate die for every shape, and you can also use it for embossing.
• Cutting machine: more expensive, and the software takes a while to learn. On the other hand, you can cut endless shapes and letters in any size. It can often draw, score and print then cut too.

Many scrappers start with one of the two and buy the other later.

Read also: Choosing a cutting machine: Cricut, Silhouette or Brother

No, you don't need a subscription to cut your own designs. The software from the well-known brands has a free version that lets you design, use your own fonts and cut files.

A subscription mainly gives you access to a large library of the brand's ready-made images, projects and fonts. You can often buy individual designs one at a time as well. With some programs you pay once for a more advanced version, for example to be able to open SVG files.

The terms change from time to time. So before you buy, check what's free at that moment and what isn't, and whether the software needs an internet connection.

Read also: Choosing a cutting machine: Cricut, Silhouette or Brother

Usually there's too little pressure, and you can fix that by adding an extra thin layer to the sandwich. A sheet of card, a few sheets of printer paper or a thin metal plate (a shim) under the cutting plate gives just that bit more pressure. Build it up carefully, because too much pressure can damage your machine or plates.

These also help:

• run the sandwich through twice, turning it 180 degrees the second time
• place the die on a different part of your cutting plate, because deep grooves give less pressure
• hold the die in place with a bit of low-tack tape so it doesn't shift
• push out delicate parts with a piercing tool

Cheap dies with a blunt edge sometimes keep cutting poorly. No trick really helps with those.

Read also: Using a die-cutting machine: dies and embossing folders

The sandwich is the little stack of plates, die and paper that you roll through a manual die-cutting machine, and the order differs from machine to machine. For cutting, it usually looks like this, from bottom to top:

• the platform or base plate, with an extra spacer layer on some machines
• a cutting plate
• the die, cutting edge facing up
• your paper
• the second cutting plate

For embossing, or to press a die in without cutting, you use different plates or a rubber mat. The platform or your machine's manual tells you which combination goes with which job. If turning the handle gets very hard or you hear creaking, stop: your stack is too thick.

Read also: Using a die-cutting machine: dies and embossing folders

Three things will get you a long way: a paper trimmer, a sharp pair of scissors and a craft knife with a cutting mat and metal ruler.

• Paper trimmer: for straight edges and matting photos. Choose one of 30 cm (12 inches) or larger, so a full sheet of scrapbook paper fits.
• Scissors: a large pair for paper and a small pair with a fine tip for details. Don't cut tape or fabric with them.
• Craft knife, cutting mat and ruler: for windows, cut-outs and anything the paper trimmer can't reach. A ruler with a non-slip or cork backing won't slide away.

A bone folder or scoring tool for neat folds is a good fourth. You can always add machines later.

Read also: Choosing cutting tools: paper trimmer, scissors and cutting mat

A punch that no longer quite cuts cleanly can often be revived by punching through aluminium a few times. Fold some aluminium foil over several times and punch through it a number of times. Many scrappers find the thin metal from a cut-up fizzy drink can works better than foil. Do cut it carefully, because the edges are sharp, and cans vary in thickness.

Then punch through greaseproof paper or baking paper a few times. That gets the mechanism running smoothly again.

Don't expect miracles. It helps with a slightly blunt punch, not with one that's truly worn out or bent.

Yes, most thin metal dies work in almost any manual die-cutting machine, whatever the brand. What matters is the size: the die has to fit through the opening together with the plates. On many machines that opening is about 15 cm (6 inches) wide; A4 machines are wider.

There are two exceptions:

• thick dies with a wooden or foam backing (steel rule dies) are taller and need a machine and plates that are suitable for them
• some small machines only take narrow dies and folders

If you're not sure, check your machine's manual for the maximum width and thickness.

Read also: Using a die-cutting machine: dies and embossing folders

You put your paper in the folder, close it and roll it through your die-cutting machine in the sandwich meant for embossing. The pressure presses the pattern into the paper, so one part rises and the other sinks.

For a nicer result:

• use smooth, sturdy cardstock, because thin paper tears more easily
• if your card cracks, mist it very lightly with a plant sprayer
• deep 3D folders often need their own combination of plates, so check the manual
• if you apply a thin layer of ink to the inside of the folder, you get coloured embossing straight away

This is called dry embossing, because no heat gun or embossing powder is involved.

Read also: Heat and dry embossing: how to add raised texture to your pages

Cutting plates warp and fill up with grooves because the die presses into them every time you use them. They're really consumables, but you can make them last much longer:

• vary where you put your die: corners, middle, edges
• flip the plates over regularly, so they bend back the other way
• swap the top and bottom plates now and then
• store them flat, under a pile of books if you like

A slightly warped plate usually still cuts fine. If the cutting becomes uneven or there are deep grooves right where your die goes, it's time for a new set.

Read also: Using a die-cutting machine: dies and embossing folders

Yes, almost all cutting software uses the fonts installed on your computer or tablet. Download the font, unzip the file and install it. Then close the cutting software and restart it, otherwise the new font often won't appear in the list.

Watch out for two things:

• if the font isn't there, search for it under a different name too, because sometimes it's called something else after installation. If an OTF file doesn't work, try the TTF version
• free fonts are often for personal use only, so read the licence if you want to sell something

For cutting, sturdy letters that aren't too thin work best.

Read also: Choosing a cutting machine: Cricut, Silhouette or Brother

Choose the grip of your mat to suit the material: light grip for thin paper and vellum, standard grip for cardstock and vinyl, strong grip for thick card, felt and foam. Too much grip tears thin paper when you peel it off.

To make your mat last longer:

• always put the protective sheet back on after use
• wipe away fluff and scraps; with many brands you can gently wash the mat with lukewarm water and mild soap and let it dry
• if it's no longer sticky, tape off the edges and give it a light coat of repositionable spray adhesive

If your material still shifts, press it down firmly with a brayer (a rubber roller), especially at the edges.

Start with a test cut: almost all cutting machines can cut a small shape, so you can test the setting without wasting a whole sheet. If it doesn't cut through, increase the pressure or the blade depth. If the paper tears, lower the pressure or the speed.

If it still doesn't work after that, look at:

• the material setting: choose whatever comes closest to your paper
• the blade: a blunt or dirty blade drags and tears, so also clear any fluff out of the housing
• your mat: too little grip lets the paper move
• your design: very small letters and thin lines almost always break

For fine details, choose a thicker font, make the design bigger or cut more slowly.

With both, you can cut much more than paper and cardstock. Most cutting machines also cut:

• vinyl, iron-on vinyl and sticker paper
• vellum and thin acetate
• thin foam and felt, depending on the model

For fabric, leather, thin wood or thick card you need a more powerful cutting machine or a special blade, such as a rotary blade for fabric. Paper, card, felt, cork and thin foam all go well through a die-cutting machine. For chipboard and other thick materials, dies with a wooden backing are more suitable than thin metal dies.

Always try a new material on an offcut first, and check the manual to see what your machine can handle.

Cutting straight works best with a sharp blade, a metal ruler and several light strokes instead of one hard one. Press your hand flat on the middle of the ruler and keep your fingers away from the cutting line.

• Hold the knife upright and let it glide along the edge of the ruler. If it tilts, your cut will wander.
• Leave the ruler in place until you're sure you've cut all the way through.
• If the edge frays or tears, change the blade.
• For neat corners on a window, place the knife exactly in the corner first and cut outwards from there, so you don't overshoot.

Always work on a cutting mat, so your blade stays sharp and your table stays in one piece.

Read also: Choosing cutting tools: paper trimmer, scissors and cutting mat

A punch that jams or rips the paper is usually down to the paper or where you're punching. Card that's too thick makes it get stuck, while thin printer paper tears easily.

What helps:

• use cardstock that suits the punch; the packaging often says what thickness it works up to
• don't punch too close to the edge, because the paper has no support there
• punch through greaseproof paper now and then to make the mechanism run more smoothly
• hold the punch upside down, so you can see exactly where the motif will go

If it's completely stuck, gently press the lever a few times and carefully pull the paper back out, without forcing it.

An eyelet is a small metal ring that reinforces and decorates a hole in your paper. You need a hole punch or punch pliers and a setter.

Here's how:

• punch a hole exactly the size of the eyelet's shank
• push the eyelet through from the front
• turn your paper over and lay it face down on a firm surface
• press or tap the back with the setter, so the shank opens out and the eyelet stays in place

If you're using a setter and hammer, put a cutting mat or small board underneath. Pliers that also set eyelets are easier and quieter, and have interchangeable heads for different sizes. Larger pliers reach further in from the edge of your sheet.

That depends on how you want to use your book. The most common systems:

• Wire-O: a double metal ring that you squeeze shut. It looks neat and lies flat when open, but you can't add pages afterwards.
• Coil: a plastic or metal spiral that you twist in. It also lies flat when open.
• Rings or discs: separate rings or discs in punched holes. You can move, add or remove pages later.

A machine that lets you disengage individual punches is handy for unusual sizes. Choose a ring a few millimetres bigger than the thickness of your stack, and allow extra room for photos and decorations. Each system has its own hole pattern, so buy rings that match your machine.

Read also: How to bind your own scrapbook or journal

Look mainly at how the paper travels through the printer. Printers that feed paper in from the back and pass it straight through can handle thicker card. Printers that pull the paper up from below around a curve jam more easily with cardstock. Check the specifications to see what paper weight a printer can take.

Also:

• a printer with refillable ink tanks costs more to buy, but is much cheaper per print
• pigment ink resists water and light better, which is handy if you work over your prints
• if you want to work with toner-reactive foil, you need a laser printer

For photos that need to stay beautiful for a long time, a photo printing service can be a good choice.

Read also: Printing photos for your scrapbook: at home or with a photo lab

For a sharp print you need about 300 pixels per inch at the size you're printing. A 10 × 15 cm photo then needs around 1200 × 1800 pixels, and a 30 × 30 cm page about 3600 × 3600 pixels.

The 72 or 300 dpi figure stored in a file doesn't mean much on its own. It's only a setting for the print size; what counts is the number of pixels. So a small image won't get any sharper if you change it from 72 to 300 dpi. The highest JPG quality doesn't add any detail either.

An image from the internet is usually too small to print large.

Read also: How to print digital pages and make a photo book

That depends on the brand. Most cutting machines only work together with a computer, tablet or phone where you design and start the cut. A Brother ScanNCut can also work without one. It has built-in designs and its own screen, you load files from a USB stick, and it can scan drawings or stamped images itself and cut around them.

If you do work with a computer, check before you buy that your operating system is supported and whether it connects by cable or Bluetooth. Some small models only work wirelessly. A manual die-cutting machine needs no power or computer at all.

Read also: Choosing a cutting machine: Cricut, Silhouette or Brother

A blade lasts longer than you'd think, as long as you mostly cut smooth paper. Glitter cardstock, textured card and thick materials wear it down much faster. You'll know it's time when edges fray, small parts tear or you keep having to turn the pressure up.

A few tips:

• use a separate blade for thick or rough materials, so your paper blade stays sharp
• clean the blade housing now and then, because caked-on scraps work just like a blunt blade
• with a craft knife, a fresh blade or snapped-off segment for each project saves a lot of frustration

Replacement blades are available from the brand itself and from other manufacturers. Do make sure they fit your housing.

A border punch continues neatly if, after each punch, you slide the last motif back into the punch's alignment mark or guide. That way the pattern always lines up exactly.

If you want to punch all the way round a sheet, as with a corner-and-edge punch, work out the size beforehand. The pattern repeats at a fixed interval, so the sheet needs to be a size that fits it, otherwise it won't meet properly at the corners. The instructions often say which sizes work, usually a whole number of centimetres or inches.

Practise on an offcut first, especially with deep or busy patterns.

Yes, that's called print then cut. Your printer prints your image with a few registration marks around it. The machine reads those marks with a sensor, so it cuts exactly around your design. That's how you make your own stickers, labels and cut-out photos.

Keep in mind:

• the area the machine can cut is smaller than a full A4 sheet
• glossy paper or laminate can confuse the sensor; matte paper is the most reliable
• print at actual size, not with the fit-to-page setting

A cutting machine with a scanner can also scan a printed or drawn image and cut around it.

Read also: How to make your own stickers, with or without a printer