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Looking for a simple and easy way to calibrate a projector for sewing? Then, check out the Project and Cut software program.
Project & Cut was developed by Clinton Blackmore as a way to help take away frustrations of manually calibrating a projector for sewing.
The program is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux devices.
Let’s dive in and take a look at calibration and projecting patterns using Project & Cut.
For a full video walk-through, check out the video below.
Table of Contents
How to Download and Install Project & Cut
Anyone can try out Project & Cut for free by going to Projectandcut.com. There is a built-in 21-day free trial. Click on your operating device and it will be downloaded to your computer.
If you get any security messages make sure to click “Learn more” in the message and “keep anyway”.
Once your 21-day free trial has expired, you will need to purchase a license to have continued access to the program.
Licenses can be purchase HERE and are only $20 US. If you have several cut stations (classes), please purchase one license per cutting station that will be using the program.
How to Calibrate a Sewing Projector Using Project & Cut
Calibrating your sewing projector using Project & Cut is a simple and straight forward process.
You will need:
- Project & Cut downloaded to your computer
- Tape measure
- Cutting mat or poster (to get 90-degree corners)
- Flat surface (bowed surfaces will not calibrate correctly)
Turn on your projector and open the Project & Cut program. The home screen is an instruction page, if you would like to read through it.
In Calibration mode, you can customize the color theme and border on the screen. Options can be accessed through the main menu, View>Appearance. Or by using the quick menu shortcut right-click (CTRL+ Click Mac).
There are many different color theme options and border types for the calibration page. Click through and see which one you like best on your cutting mat.
Step 1: Drag and Drop
Open the “Calibration” tab. Drag and drop the four corners on the computer screen to four corners on your cutting mat or surface. You can make the rectangle smaller than your entire image, but it should be within a foot of your projected edges for best results.
Step 2: Measure
Once you have the corners of the calibration rectangle lined up with a rectangle on your cutting mat, you can measure its size.
Measure the horizontal width of the rectangle and type in the measurement on the calibration tool in Project & Cut. Note that you can use inches or centimeters.
Repeat for the height of the rectangle.
Step 3: Project
Your projected image should now show in accurate scale and dimensions!
Project & Cut will save this calibration for the next time you open the program. There is no need to re-calibrate unless you change the position of the projector.
How to Open and Project Patterns in Project & Cut
Once your projector is calibrated, you are ready to project and cut patterns! Each pattern will need to be opened inside of Project & Cut to be calibrated.
Click on the “Projecting” tab or in the top menu choose “Mode”>” Projection”.
You can drag and drop a pattern that you already have open in a finder window on your computer, or click the button in the center of the screen that says “Open PDF”.
Open PDF will open a finder window on your computer where you can locate a pattern.
Your pattern will open in the projection screen.
There are a few different modes you can use while viewing patterns:
“Preview” Mode: Preview mode will show a zoomed-out view of the entire pattern. You can access the “Preview” mode through the top menu Mode> Preview. The rectangle box shows how your current “Projection” mode orientation view is presented. You can rotate, flip, and invert colors in this view.
“Projection” Mode: Projection mode can be accessed using the tabs on the left or from the main menu Mode>Projection. This is the mode you should use while cutting out your patterns.
You can drag and drop your pattern, flip, rotate, and invert colors. Here are a few tips for getting the most out of projection mode.
Layers and Pages: You can access layers in a layered pattern by going to View>Layers and Pages or using the shortcut CTRL + L (Cmd +L on Mac).
If you are using a pattern with multiple pages, such as A0 files with large pattern pieces on separate pages, you can use this menu to switch between pages.
“Stitching” multiple pages together like “PDF Stitcher” is not currently supported.
Full Screen: The lefthand tabs can be turned of to give you more visible cutting space by going to View>Tabs. Then, go to View>Toggle Full Screen or CTRL + F (Cmd +F) to maximize your viewing area.
Border: You may notice a rectangle around your pattern that corresponds to your calibration rectangle. You can leave this on, or remove the border by right-clicking (CTRL + Click on Mac). Go to Appearance> No border. This menu can also be accessed from the main top menu using View>Appearance>No border. There are several other options available as well.
Flip, Rotate, Invert Colors: Project and cut allows you to rotate the pattern, flip, and invert colors. These features can be accessed through the main menu under “View” or using the shortcut quick menu, right click (CTRL+Click on Mac).
Alternatives to Project and Cut
While Project & Cut is a fabulous option for DIY sewing projector setups, it is not the only option out there.
PatternProjector.com is another great way to calibrate your projector with ease. You can check out the full article here.
Others, still may prefer to use the “old way” of manually calibrating a projector. If you have a permanent sewing projector setup, you may prefer to manually calibrate your projector. This allows you to project from any program on your device that has precision zooming including Inkscape, Affinity Designer, or Adobe Illustrator. These programs allow you to make digital pattern alterations and project directly from the program if you desire!
Conclusion
Project and Cut is a great program for anyone looking to quickly and easily calibrate a projector for sewing. Those who have had trouble calibrating a projector in the past may find this program a great addition to their sewing setup.
Calibration doesn’t need to be time-consuming, even in portable setups. This program lets you quickly calibrate so you can get back to doing what you like most, sewing.
