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December 10, 2013 by: Melanie

How to Adjust to Exact Shape Size in Silhouette Studio

**Please note that this tutorial is using the old version of Silhouette Studio, not v3. Per Michelle, an awesome reader who left a comment below, here are the instructions for the upgraded version: “Go under “Object”, then adjust the size on the right hand side of the screen, then hit “Apply”.”   Thanks, Michelle!****

So all the experienced Silhouette users are probably going to giggle at today’s post, but for some reason it took me ages to figure out how to do this! I’ve had my Silhouette for a few months now, and I’ve needed to adjust my shape size to an exact measurement a few times. I could never figure out how to do it! I even did a quick Google search and nothing came up. So, for anyone trying to adjust their shape size, here’s how to do it! How to Adjust to Exact Shape Size in Silhouette Studio:

How to Adjust to Exact Shape Size in Silhouette Studio

With the Silhouette Studio open, create the needed square or rectangle shape. Now, let’s make it an exact size.

Go to “Object” and click on “Transform”.

How to Adjust Shape Size in Silhouette Studio

Then click on “Scale Options”.

How to Adjust Size in Silhouette Studio

Now go to the right hand column and enter the exact size under W and H.

How to Adjust Size in Silhouette Studio

If the size is in a fraction form, convert it to a decimal before entering it in the space.

Now my little square is the exact size that I need it for a special project. Come back tomorrow to see what that special project is!

Silhouette State Sign Couple Gift & Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
Easy DIY Pendant Necklace (made easy with a Silhouette)

Comments

  1. DeDe@DesignedDecor says

    December 10, 2013 at 11:44 am

    Thanks! I learned a new way! I always do things the hard way on my Silhouette!

    Reply
  2. Dawn C says

    December 11, 2013 at 7:45 am

    Thanks for this – I didn’t know about it either!! 😉

    Reply
  3. Marilyn says

    December 11, 2013 at 12:39 pm

    THANKS!!!!!!!! I so needed this tutorial, Melanie!

    Reply
  4. Tammy says

    December 11, 2013 at 2:25 pm

    Thank you! It’s the little things that make all of the difference!

    Reply
  5. Chuck says

    January 4, 2014 at 4:15 am

    thanks, it help me a lot

    Reply
  6. Marilyn says

    January 7, 2014 at 11:10 am

    Great tips! Pinned!

    Reply
  7. Brandi Larkin says

    February 20, 2014 at 12:03 pm

    Thank you for this tip!

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      February 20, 2014 at 12:26 pm

      Anytime! I know I was excited to discover it! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Zeffy says

    February 22, 2014 at 2:59 pm

    Thank you very much……much needed info xxxx

    Reply
  9. Amanda says

    March 15, 2014 at 4:04 pm

    Only had mine a week, but I was already getting frustrated trying to use the size handles, so thanks for this 🙂

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      March 15, 2014 at 8:18 pm

      I am so glad that it helped.

      Reply
  10. Barbara says

    March 25, 2014 at 5:30 pm

    oh man. I followed the directions and nothing happened. Any one else have a problem getting this to work.

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      March 25, 2014 at 8:14 pm

      Hmm…I haven’t had anyone say it doesn’t work. It seems to have been a solution for many. Do you have the Designer software?

      Reply
      • Barbara says

        March 25, 2014 at 8:38 pm

        So sorry I failed to “select” the image. When I did it worked perfect. Just had my silhouette for two days. A real learning curve for me. But love it!

        Reply
        • Melanie says

          March 25, 2014 at 9:08 pm

          Ok, good! There is a large learning curve, but before you know it you will be cranking out all kinds of projects!

          Reply
  11. Janine says

    April 7, 2014 at 1:52 pm

    Thanks!! I have been trying to figure this out since January when I got my Cameo. I”m so glad you posted this tutorial because I had been adjusting the size manually and never could get the size to be exact. I can’t tell you how many times I said, ‘oh crap’….or something close to that…..lol Thanks again!!

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      April 8, 2014 at 12:06 pm

      So glad to be of help!

      Reply
      • Michelle says

        April 12, 2014 at 9:03 am

        So now with the new software release in April you just do Object and go straight to Scale – correct?

        Reply
        • Melanie says

          April 13, 2014 at 9:52 pm

          I am actually not sure- I have not updated my software yet!

          Reply
        • a cook says

          March 18, 2018 at 8:04 pm

          i had to use the Panel then transform and scale

          Reply
  12. Lisa says

    April 14, 2014 at 1:48 pm

    Thank you so much!!!

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      April 14, 2014 at 7:10 pm

      You are very welcome!

      Reply
  13. Amara says

    May 31, 2014 at 7:16 pm

    I feel stupid asking after having my Cameo for over two years and regular usage, but some things just aren’t clear to me: When you have the square shape(cut lines in red) then you have the black lines around it that include the measurements. Which lines are the ACTUAL size? The black or the red cut lines? I have sometimes enlarged something using the “transform object” but it seems to line up with the black lines while the cut lines are 1/8″ off. I would love for someone to explain this to me like I’m a three year old because it confuses me every time.

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      May 31, 2014 at 8:19 pm

      The red lines are the cut lines, and the black lines give the maximum height and width of the item. For instance if cutting a word that has a “tall letter”, the measurements given are the measurements for the tallest point in the word and the overall width/length of the word. It may not represent the size of all the letters in the phrase if they are all different heights. The black lines show the measurement but it’s not necessarily the size of what you’re cutting, since there could be padding inside the size box. Does that make sense?

      Reply
  14. Charlotte says

    June 9, 2014 at 12:02 pm

    Hello, I do cards and I use this function a lot. However, I’ve noticed that the rectangles I cut are always a little bit longer and wider (not much… a few milimters, but that means I have to recut … Argh).

    I’ve asked someone else with another cameo, and she had the same problem. I even emailed Silhouette, but their answer was quite deceitful: They told me I should upgrade to V3 (it was just before they released it). But it did nothing! 🙁

    Have you had the problem too?

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      June 9, 2014 at 9:21 pm

      Another commenter and I were talking about the size discrepancies. I have not upgraded to V3 yet. I’ve heard of too many users having issues!

      Reply
  15. Melissa says

    July 6, 2014 at 11:48 am

    I don’t have the “transform” option when I click on object. Is there another method to do this?

    Reply
    • susie says

      January 1, 2017 at 3:50 pm

      hello I don’t have the transform option either?

      Reply
      • Melanie says

        January 1, 2017 at 8:59 pm

        You may be running a newer silhouette studio version. I have not updated mine since this post. You may want to check the Silhouette School site to see if they have any answers.

        Reply
  16. Melissa says

    July 6, 2014 at 11:49 am

    Nevermind; I figured it out!

    Reply
  17. Michelle says

    July 12, 2014 at 2:58 pm

    In the upgrade, go under “Object”, “Scale,” and then adjust your sizes on the right hand of your screen (similar to the last picture you have listed here). Then hit “Apply.” Should work!

    Reply
    • Datriana says

      September 10, 2017 at 5:00 pm

      I just set up my cameo and i don’t have the transform or scale option under the objects list 🙁 HELP

      Reply
      • Melanie says

        September 11, 2017 at 10:13 am

        Hi, This tutorial is about 4 years old, and I do not currently have the latest software. I’ve been using a Cricut for the past year or so. I did find this: https://www.silhouetteamerica.com/printer-friendly/faq/sizing-text-to-specific-measurements I hope that helps!

        Reply
  18. Keri Cohen says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:45 am

    Holy Cow!! This is the one thing that has always frustrated me and I consider myself an intermediate user! Thank you SOOO much for sharing this invaluable tip!!

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      August 1, 2014 at 11:27 am

      You are very welcome. Glad to be of help!

      Reply
  19. Kim says

    January 9, 2015 at 2:28 pm

    There is a quick use key that has 3 escalating squares surrounded by a dashed blue square, like stair steps, on the upper right tool bar. It is right next to the rotation button on Studii Designer Edition 3. This is faster and does the same thing. Click your object, click the stairs and scale window opens. When I am working with multiple layers I randomly lay out rectangles and scale them all one after the other.

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      January 9, 2015 at 2:37 pm

      Thanks, Kim! I’m still rocking the old version, and that is what this tutorial was for. Thanks for clarifying how to change the size for the new version!

      Reply
  20. Kristina says

    October 8, 2015 at 11:59 am

    I hope you can help me with my problem, when I set an exact measure to my letters it cute smaller than what it’s set on. ( if it’s at 6 it cuts around a 4 or 2)

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      October 8, 2015 at 4:41 pm

      Hi,
      The shape has a built in sort of border around it. When you specify the size, you are actually specifying the size of the box that encloses the shape or number or letter or whatever you are making. Unfortunately, I haven’t figured out a way to determine 100% the exact size of what is inside of the box. However, it should be very close to the size of the box itself. If your box is supposed to be 6 inches and it is cutting the shape at 2″, then I would contact Silhouette support and see if they can help you. It should definitely not be that much of a difference!

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      June 21, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      I have the exact problem, it cuts my numbers smaller than the box. (my 7″ box only cut my number 4.5, it is really deceiving.) I have other programs (I cut vinyl on a roland machine) and I don’t have this problem. Using the scale method only changes the size of the box not the size of the font. I’ve adapted by using the straight line on the menu on the left. make it the height you want the numbers or letters and it should be the true length. Then size the number or letters accordingly (using the number not the box around it). I have version 3.6

      Reply
      • Kirsty Abel says

        December 30, 2017 at 8:41 am

        If you make it a compound path I think it then gives the right measurements, you just can’t alter the text again once you do that

        Reply
  21. Silvia says

    March 18, 2016 at 6:07 am

    Is there a reason my silhouette studio doesnt have a transform option under object??

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      March 18, 2016 at 8:52 am

      You may be running a different software version that I was at the time of this tutorial. I never liked the newer version, so I am still using an older one.

      Reply
  22. June says

    July 24, 2016 at 1:13 am

    Thanks so much for taking the time to show us how to do this.

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      July 24, 2016 at 1:57 pm

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  23. Criston says

    September 30, 2016 at 10:14 am

    Thank you so much for this tutorial!!! I have had my silhouette for about 2 years and I never knew this was possible!! I even have DE! I have made over a hundred or more designs and I always use a box for scale. I have always adjusted it the best I could but never got it to the exact size. Again, thank you!!

    Reply
  24. philip says

    December 19, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    on nc studio 5.4.5 if cut a 80mm squre it cuts a 60mm squre can i fix this and how

    Reply
    • Melanie says

      December 20, 2016 at 10:55 pm

      If you read through some of the comments, this has been an issue for others, as well. Some have called Silhouette Customer support.

      Reply
  25. Mandy Noel says

    July 10, 2018 at 2:10 am

    THANK YOU!!! This saved me so much time!!!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Easy DIY Pendant Necklace (made easy with a Silhouette) - It Happens in a Blink says:
    December 11, 2013 at 8:00 am

    […] Open Silhouette Studio, and create a rectangle with these measurements. If you’re unsure how to create a shape with exact measurements, see How to Adjust Shape Sizes in Silhouette Studio. […]

    Reply
  2. 15 Silhouette Tips and Tutorials for Beginners - It Happens in a Blink says:
    December 31, 2013 at 8:03 am

    […] How to Adjust to Exact Shape Sizes in Silhouette Studio from It Happens in a […]

    Reply
  3. box size Studio 26 – Presonus Studio26 says:
    December 17, 2018 at 11:07 pm

    […] How to Adjust to Exact Shape Size in Silhouette Studio […]

    Reply
  4. actual size Studio 26 Audio Interface – Presonus Studio26 says:
    January 18, 2019 at 4:56 pm

    […] How to Adjust to Exact Shape Size in Silhouette Studio […]

    Reply

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