This lesson shows how to create a simple doily shape.

Place a one layer 4x5" #506 Star template on the FrameShop editor.  

Click on the Properties tab.

Click on the Parameters tab.

Change the No. of Points to 6.

Change the Spikiness to 0.

Change the Mode to 2. 

Change the Line Length to 2.

Place a one layer 2.75x2.75" #102 Oval template in the top portion of the Polygon. The circle will create the pedal of the doily.

Move the circle so that it lines up with the top of the star template.

Bring the design into Trace via the Right-Click Menu* or from the Cut Preview Screen.

*If you use the right-click method, hold down the CTRL key and select both openings before selecting Convert to CutArt. 

We will add some alignment lines that we will use to mirror the circle. You can mirror the circle without the alignment lines, but adding them will help illustrate the process.

Click the Line button on the Trace and Draw tab. The Draw radio button is automatically selected.

Right-click on the center point of one of the lines of the polygon. 

Right-click on the center point of the opposite line of the polygon.

The line is placed.

Do the same with the other sides of the polygon, right-clicking and snapping to the center point then snapping to the center point on the opposite point.

Make sure that the circle crosses over the lines a little in order to have the mirrored version of the circle overlap. If it doesn't, either make the circle larger or offset it to make it larger.

Click on the Edit radio button.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the circle.

Click the Mirror button.

Right-click on the point where the upper left line begins.

Right-click on the end of the line at the lower right side.

The circle as been mirrored using the line we drew as the axis.

Click on the new circle. 

Click the Mirror button.

Right-click at each end of the alignment line.

The circle has been mirrored using the line we drew as the axis.

Repeat the process. Select the next circle, click the Mirror button, then snap to each end of the alignment line.

The circle has been mirrored all the way around the design.

Now we want to break all of the intersections where the lines and arcs pass over the other lines/arcs.

Click Edit > Break all Intersections.

The intersections are now broken where the objects crossed over each other.

We will now join all of the segments that will make up the opening of the design.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the each of the left side arcs of one of the broken circles.

Click the Join button.

The arcs are joined together as a single entity.

If the arcs don't connect as expected, you might have missed an arc. Click the Undo button, reselect the arcs and click the Join button again. 

Hold down the CTRL key and select the arcs of the next broken circle.

Click the Join button. 

Continue selecting the arcs that make up each of the broken circles and joining them until you have joined each of the outside arcs.

Hold down the CTRL key and select all of the newly joined arcs. 

Click the Join button.

The arcs are now one connected entity.

Click Edit > Convert Arcs to Splines. The splines can be tangified with less distortion, which will give a smoother cutting path for the design.

Click on Edit > Tangify all Circuits. This makes each arc tangent to each other for smoother cutting.

Trace the CutArt.

Save the CutArt. You will get a message stating that this design contains objects that do not have an assigned bevel type. This refers to the leftover lines and arcs that we didn't trace. Click Yes that you wish to continue.

Load the CutArt.

Cut the CutArt.

Optionally, you can also bring the CutArt straight to the Cut Preview from Trace.

Optionally, you can also bring the CutArt straight to the Cut Preview from Trace.

The doily design is completed.

For an optional design, you can offset the doily we created to add additional layers. You will perform the same steps that we did back in Lesson One: Adjust an Object Freehand.

Move the design further into the screen if necessary in order to be able to see the offset layer.

Select the doily.

Change the Offset direction* to minus (-) by selecting it from the dropdown control.

Leave the Reveal value at .25".

Click the Offset Circuit button.  

The doily is offset to create the second layer.

*RULES:

Enclosed objects:

Positive value offsets to the inside.

Negative value offsets to the outside.

Arcs and Curves Greater than 180 Degrees use the same rules as for closed objects.

For lines, imagine a line's start point to be the center of a circle. The plus offsets clockwise and minus offsets counterclockwise. 

The new offset created arcs that overlap in the corners. We want to break the intersections in the newly offset object, rather than all of the intersections in the design.

Hold down the CTRL key and select all of the newly created arcs. 

Click the Break button to break the objects where they intersect with each other and the arcs will appear gray.

We will now join all of the segments that will make up the outside layer of the design.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the each of the arcs that make up the outside layer of the design.

Click the Join button.

The segments of the outside layer are now joined to create one object.

We could repeat these same steps to add a third layer using a 1/8" reveal by offsetting the outside object by .125", breaking the newly offset object, then rejoining the outside elements to create the top layer.

Depending upon the template, the size, the parameters, etc., you may not need to break the elements before joining them together if the offset connects together neatly in the corners.

Trace the CutArt. Remember to Add a layer in the Layers section for each layer of matboard you want to trace. Click on the desired layer, select the object to trace, then select the bevel/cartridge to trace the item for that layer.

Save the CutArt. You will get a message stating that this design contains objects that do not have an assigned bevel type. This refers to the leftover lines and arcs that we didn't trace. Click Yes that you wish to continue.

Load the CutArt.

Cut the CutArt.

Optionally, you can also bring the CutArt straight to the Cut Preview from Trace.

The multi-layered doily design is completed.

Set up as a one layer design:

Set up as a three layer design: