by Gigi » June 15th, 2015, 10:32 pm
Toni -
Since you are a brand new user, I would first ask if you have been through the learning center and successfully cut lightweight card stock and have a feel for that. Cutting fabric is not something I would recommend you learn to do in the early weeks of owning a machine.
You may need to stiffen the fabric for better results. You can search the forum for "fabric" and find a wide variety of topics and all kinds of fabrics discussed. Some use iron on interfacing like wonder under, some use a light spray starch to give it more rigidity for easier cutting. I just would not try to master that until you have mastered regular cutting. If you are already there - great.
You have to change the speed and pressure for everything you cut. You can use the software to cut the fabric or set it on the machine. While you are trying to find the right pressure, I would use the machine setting and uncheck the software setting.
I think it could be tearing for a lot of reasons - the fabric is too thin/flimsy (needs stiffening), the blade is too low, force is too high, speed is too fast.
Jo has done a video on cutting felt in contact paper and you could try that, but I would certainly use her as a resource since you purchased your machine from her. She has had great results cutting fabric.
Hope some of this helps - and search the forum for tips and tricks
Silver Bullet Admin/Tech Support
Happily using an 24" Silver Bullet Platinum
Gigi