Hi everyone, it's Jessica fro ExpressionsVinyl.com, and today I want to show you three big secrets to become a weeding pro. So let's get started!

Secret #1: Tools

The first secret is your tools. You don't need to go to the craft store and buy a whole slew of tools, you just need a few. Our first one is the Siser Weeder. It has a really sharp point so that you can pick out the middles of your designs easily, and I'm going to show you how I do that. So I've got most of this weeded here and I'm just going to pick out the middles of my letters that need weeded. And this is really sharp and just tucks right in and makes it super easy!

The next tool I have is a folding utility knife, and you can get this at any hardware store. It has a blade in it that you can change, and I am just going to use this to trim off my edges. I also use it for weeding, as I can use the tip to get into tight corners if I don't have my Siser Weeder handy.

The third tool we have is our self-healing mat. This is helpful when we're using our knife or using our poker, if it pokes all the way through, you don't want to ruin your table, so a self-healing mat is really handy to have!

Secret #2: Weeding Box

Our next secret is the weeding box. You can make a weeding box in both Silhouette Studio or Cricut Craft Room, and if you are unfamiliar with how to do this, check out our post dedicated specifically to weeding boxes. (They are THAT cool, they need their own post!)

Secret #3: Cut as You Go

My last secret to becoming a weeding expert is cutting your vinyl as you go. I just trim the vinyl that I don't need anymore, as I go, then I have a lot less in my hand to work with. Especially when I'm working with a really big piece, it's really nice to just trim around as I'm weeding that out. It may seem like common sense to everyone, but for the longest time I would just try weeding the vinyl in one large pull, and then struggle to make sure it wasn't falling back on itself, trying to contain the large ball of sticky scrap in my hand. Cutting away the excess as you go, really does help in alleviating the errors when weeding...no more accidentally losing the dots on your "I's"!

So those are our three big secrets: Tools, Using a Weeding Box, and Cutting as you go. If you use these tips, in no time, you will be a weeding ninja just like me! :)