Weeding Lines

Created by Sunny Hart, Modified on Tue, 3 Mar at 9:00 AM by Sunny Hart

STEK EDGE • Canvas

Weeding Lines: Add a Cut Border for Faster Weeding

Create a weeding line outside a selected pattern so you can quickly separate the final piece from scrap film.

Purpose: Create a weeding line outside a selected pattern so you can quickly separate the final piece from scrap film.

Tool: Canvas -> Weeding Lines

Tip: Keep the pattern and the weeding line grouped. Ungrouping can cause issues in your canvas.

Why this matters

Problem: On printed, textured, or colored films, it can be hard to see where the pattern ends and where the waste begins after plotting.
What EDGE improves: Weeding Lines draws a clean cut line outside the pattern boundary at a controlled offset, so the waste area is obvious and easy to remove.
Result: Faster weeding, less confusion, and cleaner prep before installation.

What this feature does

What it is: A tool that generates a new line outside the selected pattern boundary at a user-defined spacing (mm or inches).
What it helps you do: Create a visible “buffer” cut so you can remove the outer scrap area and leave only the final pattern.
What it does not do (optional): It does not replace correct pattern selection or correct plotting settings. It only adds an offset cut line.

Videos

Video

Video 1 — Weeding Lines (Create offset cut line)

Covers: Selecting a pattern and generating a weeding line using a spacing value.

When to use: When film visibility makes it hard to identify the final cut area (printed, patterned, or strongly colored films).

Before you start

You need: A pattern opened in the canvas.
Recommended: Use this mainly for films where the cut edge is hard to see. For very uniform/clear films, you may not need it.
Terms used (optional): Weeding line = cut line outside the boundary; Spacing/Offset = distance between boundary and weeding line (mm or inches).

How to use it

Workflow

Workflow A — Recommended (standard weeding line)

Open the pattern in a canvas
Where: Canvas (either canvas)
Do: Load the pattern you plan to plot.
Expected result: The pattern is visible on the canvas.
Select the pattern
Where: Canvas
Do: Click the pattern you want to add a weeding line to.
Expected result: The pattern is selected.
Run Weeding Lines
Where: Canvas tools → Weeding Lines
Do: Click Weeding Lines.
Expected result: EDGE prompts for a spacing/offset value.
Set spacing (mm or inches)
Where: Weeding Lines input
Do: Enter the spacing you want between the pattern boundary and the weeding line.
Expected result: A new line is generated outside the pattern boundary at that spacing.
Keep the pattern grouped
Where: Canvas selection / grouping behavior
Do: Keep the pattern and the weeding line grouped.
Expected result: The pattern and weeding line behave as one unit and remain stable.
Weed the film after plotting
Where: Physical film after plot
Do: Remove the scrap area between the weeding line and the outside film, leaving the final pattern.
Expected result: The final pattern is easy to identify and ready for install prep.

Tips

Use a spacing that matches your shop workflow (the goal is visibility + fast waste removal).
Double-check your unit (mm vs inches) before applying the spacing.
This is most useful for films where the cut is visually “lost” in the material (patterns/textures/colors).

Common mistakes

Mistake: Ungrouping the pattern and the weeding line → Fix: Keep them grouped. Ungrouping can cause problems inside the canvas.
Mistake: Setting spacing too small to be useful → Fix: Increase spacing until the waste area is clearly visible.
Mistake: Forgetting which unit you are using → Fix: Confirm mm vs inches before applying.

Troubleshooting

Issue: Weeding line appears incorrect or hard to see
Cause: Spacing is too small, or you are zoomed out too far
Fix: Increase spacing and/or zoom in to confirm the offset line placement.

Issue: Canvas behavior becomes unstable after creating a weeding line
Cause: The weeding line and pattern were ungrouped
Fix: Undo, recreate the weeding line, and keep the result grouped.

Wrap-up

You created a weeding line around a pattern using a controlled offset. This makes it easier to identify scrap vs final piece after plotting, especially on patterned or colored films, and speeds up prep before installation.