{"slug": "inkscape-silhouette", "name": "inkscape-silhouette", "category": "browsers", "category_name": "Browsers and extensions", "description": "", "recommenders": 5, "commenters": 5, "warners": 0, "score": 4.366, "rising": 0.69, "first": "2025-11-29", "latest": "2026-08-20", "why": "I use an Inkscape extension to send my own designs to a vinyl cutter that works perfectly well", "why_is_quote": true, "has_verdict": false, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 0, "compare": 0, "warn": 0}, "spark": [2, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 2, 0, 0], "listed": true, "loved": [], "caveat": "", "short_quote": "I use an Inkscape extension to send my own designs to a vinyl cutter that works perfectly well", "kind": "", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": "github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette", "official_url": "https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette", "pricing": "", "aliases": ["inkscape-silhouette", "Inkscape-Silhouette"], "verdict": null, "praise": [{"label": "", "summary": "", "quotes": [{"id": 790036320, "item_id": 49377270, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49377270", "by": "ramses0", "date": "2026-08-20", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "very serviceable and convenient to work with", "excerpt": "Cameo -> inkscape plugin => https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette \"\"\"Run sendto_silhouette.py --help for information on CLI usage.\"\"\" I've used it before (from the inkscape-plugin gui, not tried the CLI version). Typical open-source \"slighly janky\" (at least ~5 years ago...), but very serviceable and convenient to work with, hopefully only getting better over time!", "context": "", "use_case": "driving Silhouette cutters from Inkscape", "switched_from": "", "story": "Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker"}, {"id": 789928592, "item_id": 49370537, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49370537", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-08-19", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "there's an actively maintained open source Inkscape plugin that lets you \"print\" your design straight to the cutter", "excerpt": "If anyone has an old Silhouette vinyl cutter sitting around gathering dust, there's an actively maintained open source Inkscape plugin that lets you \"print\" your design straight to the cutter: https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette I wrote about it a couple years ago: https://blog.bityard.net/articles/2022/June/diy-vinyl-cut-motorcycle-emblem", "context": "", "use_case": "driving Silhouette vinyl cutters", "switched_from": "", "story": "Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker"}, {"id": 768671168, "item_id": 48041948, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48041948", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-05-06", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use an Inkscape extension to send my own designs to a vinyl cutter that works perfectly well", "excerpt": "Yes! I use an Inkscape extension to send my own designs to a vinyl cutter that works perfectly well but has LONG since stopped being supported by its manufacturer or any other closed-source tools. The extension is inkscape-silhouette (https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette) and is apparently being maintained by a makerspace in Germany.", "context": "", "use_case": "sending designs to vinyl cutter", "switched_from": "", "story": "Inkscape 1.4.4"}, {"id": 748309328, "item_id": 46769333, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46769333", "by": "jdboyd", "date": "2026-01-26", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I usually use the Inkscape-Silhouette extension", "excerpt": "I strongly recommend Cameo machines from Silhouette. I don't know if their software runs in Wine on Linux, but they aren't actively hostile to 3rd party software. I usually use the Inkscape-Silhouette extension, but there are others that appear more polished, so I don't know why I don't explore more, but the point is that there are more options on both Linux and other platforms. I've used mine for vinyl lettering and", "context": "Linux user with Silhouette Cameo", "use_case": "driving Silhouette cutters from Linux", "switched_from": "", "story": "Running the Stupid Cricut Software on Linux"}, {"id": 737435026, "item_id": 46089689, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46089689", "by": "charlie-83", "date": "2025-11-29", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette which works perfectly", "excerpt": "The silhouette software is proprietary but I am using Linux + inkscape + https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette which works perfectly (except I can't get the Bluetooth to work but that's probably a me issue). It's less user-friendly (but more power-user friendly) than the official software and doesn't have all the templates and ready-made designs but that isn't a problem for me. I would like to get a laser ", "context": "", "use_case": "Cutting Silhouette devices from Inkscape", "switched_from": "", "story": "Building road signs at home using a Cricut Machine"}]}], "caveats": [], "who": [{"by": "jdboyd", "context": "Linux user with Silhouette Cameo", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46769333", "date": "2026-01-26"}], "tags": [], "use_cases": ["driving silhouette cutters from inkscape", "driving silhouette vinyl cutters", "sending designs to vinyl cutter", "driving silhouette cutters from linux", "cutting silhouette devices from inkscape"], "compared": [{"slug": "inkscape", "name": "Inkscape", "co": 4, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49365841", "title": "Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46051332", "title": "Building road signs at home using a Cricut Machine", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48040622", "title": "Inkscape 1.4.4", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46761761", "title": "Running the Stupid Cricut Software on Linux", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"recommend": 2}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-09": {}, "2026-10": {}}, "versions": [], "version_unnamed": 0, "family_ref": null, "runs_on": null, "lines": [], "quotes": [{"id": 790036320, "item_id": 49377270, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49377270", "by": "ramses0", "date": "2026-08-20", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "very serviceable and convenient to work with", "excerpt": "Cameo -> inkscape plugin => https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette \"\"\"Run sendto_silhouette.py --help for information on CLI usage.\"\"\" I've used it before (from the inkscape-plugin gui, not tried the CLI version). Typical open-source \"slighly janky\" (at least ~5 years ago...), but very serviceable and convenient to work with, hopefully only getting better over time!", "context": "", "use_case": "driving Silhouette cutters from Inkscape", "switched_from": "", "story": "Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker"}, {"id": 789928592, "item_id": 49370537, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49370537", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-08-19", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "there's an actively maintained open source Inkscape plugin that lets you \"print\" your design straight to the cutter", "excerpt": "If anyone has an old Silhouette vinyl cutter sitting around gathering dust, there's an actively maintained open source Inkscape plugin that lets you \"print\" your design straight to the cutter: https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette I wrote about it a couple years ago: https://blog.bityard.net/articles/2022/June/diy-vinyl-cut-motorcycle-emblem", "context": "", "use_case": "driving Silhouette vinyl cutters", "switched_from": "", "story": "Unlocking a locked/deactivated e-waste Cricut Maker"}, {"id": 768671168, "item_id": 48041948, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48041948", "by": "bityard", "date": "2026-05-06", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use an Inkscape extension to send my own designs to a vinyl cutter that works perfectly well", "excerpt": "Yes! I use an Inkscape extension to send my own designs to a vinyl cutter that works perfectly well but has LONG since stopped being supported by its manufacturer or any other closed-source tools. The extension is inkscape-silhouette (https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette) and is apparently being maintained by a makerspace in Germany.", "context": "", "use_case": "sending designs to vinyl cutter", "switched_from": "", "story": "Inkscape 1.4.4"}, {"id": 748309328, "item_id": 46769333, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46769333", "by": "jdboyd", "date": "2026-01-26", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I usually use the Inkscape-Silhouette extension", "excerpt": "I strongly recommend Cameo machines from Silhouette. I don't know if their software runs in Wine on Linux, but they aren't actively hostile to 3rd party software. I usually use the Inkscape-Silhouette extension, but there are others that appear more polished, so I don't know why I don't explore more, but the point is that there are more options on both Linux and other platforms. I've used mine for vinyl lettering and", "context": "Linux user with Silhouette Cameo", "use_case": "driving Silhouette cutters from Linux", "switched_from": "", "story": "Running the Stupid Cricut Software on Linux"}, {"id": 737469233, "item_id": 46091827, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46091827", "by": "timhh", "date": "2025-11-29", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "", "excerpt": "There's also this thing that I wrote. I've been meaning to update it for a long time but life... http://robocut.org/", "context": "", "use_case": "", "switched_from": "", "story": "Building road signs at home using a Cricut Machine"}, {"id": 737435026, "item_id": 46089689, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46089689", "by": "charlie-83", "date": "2025-11-29", "version": null, "stance": "recommend", "quote": "https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette which works perfectly", "excerpt": "The silhouette software is proprietary but I am using Linux + inkscape + https://github.com/fablabnbg/inkscape-silhouette which works perfectly (except I can't get the Bluetooth to work but that's probably a me issue). It's less user-friendly (but more power-user friendly) than the official software and doesn't have all the templates and ready-made designs but that isn't a problem for me. I would like to get a laser ", "context": "", "use_case": "Cutting Silhouette devices from Inkscape", "switched_from": "", "story": "Building road signs at home using a Cricut Machine"}]}