Free layered SVG maker for multi-color vinyl
Split a design into one SVG layer per vinyl color, free and in your browser, with nothing uploaded. Stacked mode runs each layer under the ones above it, so a press that shifts half a millimetre doesn't leave a line of bare shirt.
Updated : A one-colour or fully transparent picture now gets a note above the preview saying why nothing was traced and what to try. What's new
Stays on this computer · no signup · no watermark
Faster with the free Chrome extension: right-click any picture on a website and send it straight to the converter. Add to Chrome · what it does
Extension installed. Right-click any picture on a website and choose Makerfern → Open this picture in… to bring it here.
What this preset does
These are the starting values when you open this page. They are Makerfern's defaults, chosen to be sensible for the job, not a manufacturer specification. Every one is adjustable in the settings panel.
| Setting | Starts at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Layers | Stacked | The outline color (the one around the outer edge) becomes the base and includes the area under every color above it. |
| Colors | Automatic | One layer per distinct color. Lower it to reduce the number of vinyl sheets. |
| Smallest piece | 1.5 mm | Checked separately on each layer, because each layer is weeded separately. |
| Recolor | Per layer | Click a swatch to match the color to the vinyl you actually own. |
Pressing a stacked design
- Cut each layer on its own sheet. For heat-transfer vinyl, mirror every layer.
- Press the base layer first, briefly. Peel the carrier.
- Place each next layer on top in the order of the layer list, which runs from the bottom up.
- Finish with a full press through a cover sheet.
How many colors is too many?
Every color is another sheet, another weed and another press. Heat-transfer vinyl also gets thicker and stiffer with each layer. Where a design has two similar shades, try one fewer color: the layer list shows how many pieces each layer has, and merging two near-identical layers often removes the fiddliest ones.
Recoloring doesn't change the cut, only the preview, so match the swatches to your real vinyl to check how the finished piece will look.
Stacked isn't always right
Before cutting heat-transfer material, check the iron-on mirroring guide. Ordinary carrier-backed HTV and Cricut Printable Iron-On need different orientation checks; inspect every mat rather than relying on the word “iron-on.”
Stacking adds material under the upper colors. For adhesive vinyl on glass that's invisible. For heavy glitter or flock it adds bulk, and for cardstock you usually want pieces that sit side by side. Switch to Flat in the settings for those.
Questions
What order do I apply the layers in?
Top to bottom of the layer list is bottom to top on the shirt: the first layer listed is the base.
Can I merge two colors into one layer?
Lower the color count in the settings by one and the two nearest colors merge. There is no manual merge yet.
Can I sell what I make with it?
Yes. Everything Makerfern makes is yours to use and sell, free or Pro, as long as you have the right to use what you start from: your own photos and drawings, or pictures whose license allows it; somebody else's art or characters only with their permission. Makerfern adds no watermark and takes no rights in your file. One Pro covers every tool: there is no per-tool plan.