Working with Paths in Illustrator...

Hi there. I'm relatively new to Illustrator, I'm using it for my TShirt biz. Specifically what I use it for is to create an "offset path" that I send to a "cut" layer... then this cut layer is sent to my contour cutter machine that cuts out my design. Does this sound fimiliar to anyone? My problem is this... I click on my image and illustrator creates one path (my print layer, appears as a blue colored path), then I create an offset path (this is the path I assign a different color then send to my cut layer). The problem is that when I create the offset path and hit enter, the program is changing BOTH the print and cut path to my "cut color" and wants to send both paths to the cut layer. I've then been forced to manually delete the print path before I send the image (cut path) to my cutter. I know this isn't correct, as the program is supposed to ONLY send the offset path to the cut layer. Any suggestions? THANK YOU !

The only way you can do what you want to achieve is to copy your print outline and paste into the Contour Layer. After doing that go into Object menu, down to Path, then out to Offset Path, do your cut lines and then delete your print outline. Then you can turn your layers off and on to be cut on your plotter. You should be able to change the colour of your offset path to anything that you want so long as it is in the same layer.