# Split Monogram Ornament

OCT 16, 2023

Here's the latest with [Cuttle](https://cuttle.xyz/).

-   New template: [Split Monogram Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Split-Monogram-Ornament-emQJOhwpkKA3)
-   Improvements to [Family Names Tree Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Family-Names-Christmas-Tree-Ornament-3TGvZj8E49p7)
-   **Weld And Score** modifier (beta) now available in the Modify menu

## [Split Monogram Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Split-Monogram-Ornament-emQJOhwpkKA3) ❄️

![](https://cuttle-content.imgix.net/blog/split-monogram-ornament/c334966bbb095996ff46cd71a0156ada6be007c17bffe6c55c16c7b845b7c175.jpg?auto=compress,format&q=60&fit=max&w=720&h=720&dpr=2)

We released a new [Split Monogram Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Split-Monogram-Ornament-emQJOhwpkKA3) template. You can type any name to generate a one or two layer ornament. You can also customize the background, fonts, and more!

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/blog/split-monogram-ornament/aceff034ce00f53033e97b92acbe0d787fcbc491897918a1858255ac5dbcb196.gif)

## Improvements to [Family Names Tree Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Family-Names-Christmas-Tree-Ornament-3TGvZj8E49p7) 🎄

We added several features to the [Family Names Tree Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Family-Names-Christmas-Tree-Ornament-3TGvZj8E49p7) based on feedback from you all.

### Making names wider but not taller

As you may know, you can make individual names bigger or smaller by adding +’s or -’s at the end of the name. By default, this also makes the names taller or shorter to keep the letters’ proportions.

Several folks asked if there was a way to make a name wider but not taller.

To address this, in the **Names** section we added a new `scaleMode` parameter. The “stretch” and “space” modes will change the width of the names without changing the height of the letters.

Here’s a diagram illustrating these new options:

![](https://cuttle-content.imgix.net/blog/split-monogram-ornament/f4e71d099dca2d8f2433c55d2a170e989ce940a3154d92c3eb1979fa954412e6.png?auto=compress,format&q=60&fit=max&w=720&h=720&dpr=2)

### Extending the lines

A few people asked to be able to extend the lines past the names. In the **Names** section there’s now a `lineExtension` parameter which you can increase if you want longer lines.

![](https://content.cuttle.xyz/blog/split-monogram-ornament/55ffd30628f2a2a5e63f9d2ed672bf330bc4fee756e49fa14d17f3e8e25b771e.gif)

### Making a trunk instead of the year

In the **Year / Trunk** section, you can now check the `useTrunk` parameter to replace the year with a trunk shape.

![](https://cuttle-content.imgix.net/blog/split-monogram-ornament/6fc4b158a291d47ade91fd6a17f5a5fcb73e925656482c910e356c9294e58965.png?auto=compress,format&q=60&fit=max&w=720&h=720&dpr=2)

## Weld and Score modifier 👩‍🏭

The **Weld And Score** modifier — which we prototyped for the [Paw Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Paw-Ornament-irWGANS1uLkF) — is now available to use in the Cuttle editor!

Select two or more shapes and do **Modify** > **Weld And Score**.

This modifier works similarly to **Boolean Union (Weld)** except that it creates score lines (in a color of your choice) everywhere where one shape overlaps on top of another shape.

Here’s a basic illustration of a **Rectangle** on top of a **Circle**:

![](https://cuttle-content.imgix.net/blog/split-monogram-ornament/f73cb98d7f9e52879d1426fcb3d15961f55a1c073a4264d4f6fd6d496f6b99e2.png?auto=compress,format&q=60&fit=max&w=720&h=720&dpr=2)

Notice the bottom right corner of the Rectangle is blue. That’s your score line.

Often you’ll use this with **Connected Text** on top of another shape. Here I’ve made a ring by taking a **Circle** and doing **Modify** > **Outline Stroke**, then placing **Connected Text** on top and finishing off with **Modify > Weld And Score**.

![](https://cuttle-content.imgix.net/blog/split-monogram-ornament/093b4656da9cf2e927a772f6c7bc661dafdf84469371c97218b6166c8bd07877.png?auto=compress,format&q=60&fit=max&w=720&h=720&dpr=2)

Another tip: by default **Connected Text** will itself weld all its letters together. However, in **Connected Text** you can change `welding` to “Weld individual letters” so that each letter is separate. The reason to do this is that you can then apply **Weld And Score** so that each letter pops!

![](https://cuttle-content.imgix.net/blog/split-monogram-ornament/9a7f885c175fff81b2e138efa610254b76a334ac7d0de0a15aa8621fd3862810.png?auto=compress,format&q=60&fit=max&w=720&h=720&dpr=2)

This is the effect we use for the [Paw Ornament](https://cuttle.xyz/@cuttle/Paw-Ornament-irWGANS1uLkF). I’m excited about using **Weld And Score** on individual letters like this — it’s a unique effect and would be very tedious to create in any other vector editor!

**Weld And Score** is still in beta so let us know if you run into any issues!

## Other Improvements and Fixes 🐞

-   We improved a lot of the behind-the-scenes infrastructure for the Cuttle editor. Opening a project or template should now load faster!

![Small circular photo of Toby](https://cuttle.xyz/images/blog-authors/Toby.jpg)

Toby Schachman