Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutters

Cut cardstock, vinyl decals, fabric, and more with the Silhouette Cameo 3 vinyl cutter. It’s an excellent tool for paper crafts, cardmaking, or embellishing items like bottles, shirts, and tote bags.

Interested in learning more? Email [email protected] with your questions.

Silhouette Cameo with accessories

How does it work?

The Silhouette Cameo 3 uses a small blade to cut thin material like cardstock, adhesive or iron-on vinyl, stencil sheets, or sticker paper.

The machine follows a path defined in a digital cut file, allowing you to make precise, complex, and repeatable designs.

You can load premade designs or create your own, using Silhouette Studio or a vector drawing program such as Inkscape.

Mug with monogram vinyl decal

Where can I use the Library’s vinyl cutters?

To use one at the Library, make an appointment by emailing [email protected].

Access to the Makery is available to SWAN library cardholders in good standing.

Patrons must complete the Vinyl Cutter & Sewing Machine User Agreement prior to making their first project with the machine.


For use outside the Library, 3-week checkouts are available from our Library of Things.

Variety of colorful vinyl sheets

What do I need?

To get started crafting with the Cameo vinyl cutter, you will need:

  • Silhouette Studio — This program is necessary to send your design to the Silhouette Cameo machine. Silhouette Studio Basic Edition is installed on the Library’s computers; if you’d like to use your own laptop during an appointment or if you’ve borrowed a vinyl cutter to take home, you can download it for free from the Silhouette website to install on your own computer.
  • Material to cut
    • Cardstock, scrapbooking paper, adhesive vinyl, iron-on vinyl, sticker paper, shrink plastic (Silhouette brand only), and some thin plastics and fabrics
    • Maximum size: 12×12″
    • Users may provide their own material or purchase sheets from the Library’s supplies. See our full list of Makery material prices here.
  • A design to cut — You can create your design from scratch within Silhouette Studio, import a design made with different software, or open a design you have purchased. Silhouette Studio Basic Edition can open .STUDIO3 and .DXF files. and import common image formats like .JPG, .GIF, and .PNG (raster/bitmap images can be converted to cut paths in Silhouette Studio).
Design of a flamingo on the beach made from layered cut paper

Resources & instructions

Get started and find inspiration

From our Digital Branch

Find inspiration from these craft- and creativity-focused Library resources:

Libby mascot with Overdrive icon

Crafting magazines on Libby (Overdrive)

The Libby app from Overdrive is your source for current and back issues of popular crafting magazines.

Creativebug

Enjoy more than 1,000 online art & craft video classes taught by designers and artists. Creativebug’s classes cover everything from drawing and sketching to sewing and bookbinding.