Free highland cow SVG files

Cutting all that hair

A Highland cow is mostly hair, and hair in a cut file means two things: pointed tufts round the edge and fine slits inside. Every file is 100 mm on its longer side. On the Highland cow face the horns run from about 10 mm wide at the head to a rounded tip, the tufts on the cheeks and ears are 4 to 6 mm wide at the root, and the slits that draw the locks of the fringe are about 1.4 mm wide. In vinyl, weed the ragged fringe line first, pulling along its length, then lift the lock slits with a pin. In card, cut at 100 mm or larger so that the points of the tufts stay crisp.

The Highland cow silhouette has no inside cuts at all and stands on four flat hooves, so it is the one to use small, in wood, or as a part in a layered scene.

Which Highland cow for which job

The faces are exactly symmetrical and fill a square, which suits tea towels, tote bags, tumblers and round door signs. The Highland cow with flowers and the heifer with a bandana are the farmhouse favourites. The calf and the cow with her calf are for nurseries and new baby cards. For a ginger cow in colour, use the layered file, or cut the face from brown card and back it with cream so the slits show pale.

How to open the files

• Cricut Design Space: choose Upload, pick the SVG, and add it to the canvas. Set the width you want; the shape is already welded.
• Silhouette Studio: Designer Edition and above open the SVG. The free Basic Edition does not, so open the DXF instead.
• LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and Glowforge: import the SVG, then set the layer to cut, score or engrave.
• Inkscape, Illustrator and Affinity: open the SVG. It is a plain filled path, so you can recolour it, add a stroke or combine it with your own work.
• Printing or sublimation: use the PNG, which has a transparent background.

Each design page lists the file’s narrowest part at seven sizes, so you can tell whether it will survive at the size you plan to cut.

Questions