• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Store
  • Training Academy Login
  • Subscribe

Alanda Craft

Quilting & Craft Tutorials, Reviews & More

free scanncut dx training course

  • Quilting
    • Quilting Tutorials
    • Quilting Blocks
    • Quilting Products
    • Quilting How To’s
    • Quilting Panels
  • ScanNCut
    • Brother ScanNCut Tutorials
    • ScanNCut DX
    • Canvas Workspace
    • ScanNCut Reviews
    • The Big List of Brother ScanNCut Tutorials
    • Brother Scan n Cut News & Updates
  • Sewing Projects
    • Bag Tutorials
    • Cushion Tutorials
    • Quick Projects
  • Paper Crafts
    • Paper Tutorials
    • Junk Journals
    • Mini Albums
    • Die Cutting Machines
    • Paper Craft Reviews
  • Tools We Love
    • Quilting Tools We Use
    • Top 10 Quilting Tools for Beginners
  • Readers Projects
  • Submit Your Project

ScanNCut Print to Cut Tutorial – Learn How to Fussy Cut on Your Machine

Alanda Craft March 28, 2021 13 Comments This post may contain affiliate links.

Tweet
Pin414
Share
414 Shares

Disclaimer: We are not affiliated with Brother in any way, so the opinions in this post are our own. We may link to products that we use and review in this post and If you click a link and make a purchase using those links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

The ScanNCut Print to Cut Activation Card (for DX machines only) has been out for a while now but to be honest, we didn’t rush out and buy it. It was only because we were getting a number of emails from our readers who were having difficulty getting clean cuts that we decided we needed to make the purchase.

(Scroll to the bottom of this post for links on where to buy the Print to Cut activation card.)

I’m glad we did because I am loving it and it arrived at just the right time because only a few days before, we had bought some Etsy fussy cut digital images to use in our journal making. These were going to be the perfect test.

The pack we purchased was from Eclectic Eggplant and here is a link to Victoria’s Spring Garden Fussy Cut pack that we used in this tutorial. She does have some really lovely items for sale.

fussy cutting with the scanncut

What will work for this?

The one thing to remember before we begin is that Canvas Workspace can only do so much. So for this to work, you really need images that can be traced easily. You will figure out what images can be easily traced by a bit of trial and error and after a while, you will intuitively know what will work and what won’t. The ones we purchased were made to work well with cutting machines as they have a border around each of the images. If you can find images like this, they will work the best.

Essentially, if you go with individual images that are isolated (ie have a white surrounding background) and/or have a border then you will more often than not have great success.

What’s the difference between this and regular scanning?

Now you might be thinking at this point, is it worth it? I mean the machine can scan your image in and cut around it anyway. The difference between the scanning option on your machine and what this card can do is:

  1. The card works in Canvas Workspace so you don’t need to scan your pages through the machine in order to trace and cut them. You just open the digital file for the image directly into Canvas Workspace.
  2. You can resize the image. This means that whatever image you have that you bring into Canvas Workspace to be traced can be resized before you cut. So the flower images that I am cutting in the tutorial below can be larger or smaller if I want.
  3. It kind of just works better in my opinion. You get a cleaner more even cut around the edges.

Ultimately, I think Brother should have included this for free as part of Canvas Workspace, but even so, I still like it for all the above reasons.

So let’s begin.

You can start by watching the step-by-step video below or scroll down for the written instructions.

(Can’t see the video? You may have an adblocker installed.)

Step 1: Activate the Print to Cut Card

When you purchase the ‘Print to Cut’ Activation Card, you will find an activation code inside. (Links to where you can buy the Activation Card are listed at the end of this post.) I’ve covered mine up in the image below but where the arrow is pointing is where it will be.

To activate it, open up Canvas Workspace (I’m using the Desktop version) and click on the HELP option from the top menu.

From the pop-up that appears select the ‘Premium Function Activation’ option. You can then enter the activation code.

Once you’ve activated the card, we can start setting up to fussy cut.

Start by selecting Artboard from the right-hand menu options. You will see an option called ‘Artboard Size’. Select that and from the drop-down choose the size of your printer paper. In my case, because I am in Australia I went with ‘A4’. If you are in the US, you would probably choose ‘Letter’.

You will also notice a ‘Registration Mark’ option. You will only see this if you have activated the Print to Cut card correctly. Make sure this is checked.

You will now see that you have a template with registration marks on your screen. Select the ‘Image Tracing’ option from the left-hand menu.

Select the ‘An Image in the Computer’ option.

 

Find the image on your computer you want to use for this process and double-click to open it in Canvas Workspace.

For my image, the Image Tracing function did a beautiful job of finding the outline of the flowers. If yours didn’t come out so well, you can play around with Advanced Options to get a better result. Once you are happy with the result, click OK to continue.

Ensure that you have the ‘Paste the image on the drawing area’ option selected.

The image will now appear on the mat. Just move it to fit it within the template area.

Click FILE from the top menu and select the ‘Export PDF File’ option and then ‘Images Only’.

Save the PDF file to your computer.

Now that you have the PDF file saved, you will need to print it. Open the PDF and select the FILE-PRINT option. You will get a pop-up appear allowing you to select the printer options. I am using a Mac so the printer options look like the image below. Yours will look different if you are using Windows but the basic options still apply.

Now this next part is critical. You will need to ensure that the SCALE option is set to 100% otherwise you won’t get a good result. Also ensure that the Paper Size option matches the paper size you selected in Canvas Workspace. For me it is A4.

You can also change print quality if you like.

Once your page is printed, you need to create the cutting file. Select FILE from the top menu and select ‘Export/Transfer FCM File’

print to cut scanncut tutorial

Choose whichever option suits you. If you are using a USB to save the file select ‘Export FCM File’. If you are transferring the file directly to your machine via wifi, select ‘Transfer FCM File via the Internet’.

Now we need to head over to our ScanNCut machine.

Select ‘Retrieve Data’

print to cut scanncut tutorial

Since I transferred my file via the Internet, I am selecting the Computer option. If you used a USB, insert the USB into the side of your machine and select the USB option.

The cutting file will now appear on the screen. Click OK to continue.

The machine reminds you to load your mat with your PDF printed image. Click OK once you have done this.

Click ‘Please Select’.

Click ‘Cut’.

Click ‘Start’ to begin cutting.

Your ScanNCut will now cut around your images.

The final result!

We are having so much fun with this, it has made our lives so much easier when looking for die cuts for our projects.

Where can you get the Print to Cut for CanvasWorkspace activation card?

I’m not sure what it is with Brother but they seem to go out of their way to make it difficult to find their products but since we are getting a few people ask I have added a list of retailers here although at this point I am having trouble finding a US retailer that sells them online. If anyone knows of one, leave a link in the comments area below and I will add it here.

  • Australia – Echidna Sewing
  • NZ – Sewit
  • UK – Makers SuperStore
  • USA – Unable to locate an online dealer at this point. To find a local dealer in your area, click this link – Locate an Authorised Dealer
image_pdfimage_print

Filed Under: Brother ScanNCut Tutorials, Canvas Workspace, ScanNCut, ScanNCut DX Tagged With: print to cut, scanncut, scanncut dx, tutorial

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary George Hilbun says

    March 29, 2021 at 1:08 am

    soooo, are you telling me that I should buy an activation card because my cutting will be better? easier?

    Reply
    • Alanda Craft says

      March 30, 2021 at 11:11 am

      It’s not necessarily going to make cutting better or easier. What it will do however, is allow you to bring images into Canvas and work from there rather than trying to scan the image on the machine. For the image I used in the video, I did try and scan it on the machine and it just didn’t find the outline well at all. So I brought it into Canvas and it did a perfect job of finding the outline. At this point, without the activation card I wouldn’t have been able to line up the paper on my mat for the actual cut. That’s where the registration marks come into play. So really the activation card is only there to allow provide the registration marks so it cuts perfectly around your image.

      Reply
  2. Wendy says

    April 2, 2021 at 9:25 am

    I wanted to get this but I can’t find any place where it’s available in the US and Brother doesn’t even have it on their website in the US.. I looked again today because of your email and nope, still not around.

    Reply
    • Alanda Craft says

      April 2, 2021 at 10:11 am

      I can’t find any either for the US. Brother may have a specific ruling for the US that these cannot be sold online. They do that with certain sewing machines as well. So you may need to locate an authorised dealer in your area to see if they have one in stock. I have added a section at the very bottom of the post above that has links to where you can buy them in other countries (they may post internationally).

      Reply
  3. kath fullelove says

    April 3, 2021 at 2:48 am

    where can I buy the scan n cut activation card and how much does it cost please
    kath.

    Reply
    • Alanda Craft says

      April 4, 2021 at 10:53 am

      Just check out the links at the bottom of the post Kath and you will be able to find out where to purchase the card.

      Reply
  4. Myra Loret says

    January 31, 2022 at 12:52 pm

    I purchased the card from Australia and they sent me the code via email. I have just read through the instructions above and cant wait ti try it. Thanks for making them clear enough for an old head like mine to understand

    Reply
    • Alanda Craft says

      February 2, 2022 at 9:28 am

      Happy we were able to help Myra. You are going to have lots of fun with your ScanNCut. 😊. We do have courses available to help master the ScanNCut, including a free getting started course for the DX machine. Here is a link https://www.alandaonline.com/product-category/brother-scanncut/

      Reply
  5. lisa says

    February 25, 2022 at 3:46 am

    Is this just for the new DX machines or will it work on the old cm600 (uk) machines as well.
    Thank you for all you help, you explain things so that we can follow very easily along.

    Reply
    • Alanda Craft says

      February 25, 2022 at 9:48 am

      It only works for DX machines Lisa.

      Reply
  6. Rita says

    February 25, 2022 at 4:21 am

    I bought mine in the UK and they also sent me the code via email as I couldn’t get it anywhere else in Europe.

    Reply
  7. Cherryn Ellison says

    February 25, 2022 at 11:09 am

    I live in New Zealand and had to get print to cut add on from Echnida Australia because no dealers were stocking this product.

    Reply
  8. Yvonne Jinks says

    February 25, 2022 at 11:29 am

    Very interesting. My understanding is that they are currently not for sale in Canada, which I think simply harmonizes with our southern neighbour.. Must admit that I have not experienced problems with cutting any digital prints and resizing is fairly simple in my printer settings.. Thank you for this update.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

FOLLOW US!

  • Amazon
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Welcome to Alanda Craft - We are Wanda & Paula, two friends who love to craft. Our goal is to show you techniques on how to improve your crafting skills. Learn how to use your ScanNCut, your Dream Machine, make quilts and create quick and easy sewing projects! Learn, Create, Enjoy!

Recent Posts

  • Can you use denim for quilting? A Complete Guide
  • What is Quilting Fabric?
  • Making Money on Etsy: A Beginner’s Guide to Selling Printables
  • Heart Quilt Block Tutorial
  • Make a Valentine’s Day Card Using the Aufero Laser 2

Popular Posts

10 Ways to Use Up Your Fabric Scraps – Easy Projects166K Total Shares
Quilting for Beginners – The Easiest Quilt Ever – Step-by-Step Tutorial105K Total Shares
Machine Binding a Quilt: A Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide for Beginners (with video)88K Total Shares
Origami Fabric Bag Tutorial: Easy to Make Market Tote Bag86K Total Shares
Crumb Quilt Technique Tutorial – Crumb Quilting50K Total Shares
Easy Quilted Christmas (or Fall) Table Runner47K Total Shares
Quilt As You Go Quilt With Sashing – Reversible Quilt44K Total Shares
Quilt Block: Jack in the Box Quilt Block Tutorial34K Total Shares
Quick & Easy Pot Holder Tutorial – Using Layer Cake Squares28K Total Shares
10 Fabric Jelly Roll Projects27K Total Shares

Footer

  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
Copyright 2020 - Alanda Craft - AlandaCraft.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.