Pics showing accuquilt "wastage" using rag die
 

My brother and his family gave me the 8 1/2" rag die for Christmas (we celebrate it early). I am totally in love with it. I got great shoes from llbean too but this die is just awesome!!! I made myself one quilt before - a rag quilt and swore I would never do one again - it killed my arthritis and took me a week to rag.

It took me minutes to cut two crib size quilts this morning with the die. I cut squares 9 1/2" and the die is 8 1/2". I took pics so people can see the "wastage"

This is a 9 1/2 square:

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMAG0243.jpg

This is the square on the cutter:

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMAG0247.jpg

This is a pic of the wastage - sorry the pic is blurry:

http://i1102.photobucket.com/albums/...t/IMAG0246.jpg

I will gladly waste the inch of fabric (that I save for dog beds) not to have to cut those edges.

Hmmm. I have the Studio so I can cut more layers, but I don't even pre-cut the squares. I just fold the fabric and plunk it on overlapping the blade edges and shoot it through.

I would waste more than an inch not to have to cut those edges...maybe I could send squares to you and you could "edge" them for me? lol

Thanks for sharing this. I have been wanting to purchase the acuquilt, but hesitated because I thought it would waste too much fabric.

I have the rag die and love it. I put piece of vellum or tissue paper on the die before the fabric. This keeps all the threads out of the die. When I hear someone complain about the fabric waste using a die cut machine I know they have never used one or seen one used correctly. I get more waste then you do though because I use layer cakes for all my rag cuts. I eliminate all fabric cutting when I can. I like sewing not cutting. Try the big 9 1/2" hex die. It's great. I cut the fabric shape in half for a different pattern. I use the 6 1/2" tumbler die a lot too. I also cut those down the middle and resew. Thanks for the pictures.

I agree the wastage is better than arthur coming to visit.I wish they would make a die for the 1/8 plus square size to make HST.Arthur is visiting me now in my RT.wrist from cutting 4 7/8 and 2 7/8 for HST in the cover quilt on American Patchwork and Quilting.

Last week I had a bad RA flare in my left hand, which of course is my cutting/sewing hand. Over the weekend I looked at the Accquilt stuff. I have one question for you all: I think from looking at these machines you have to turn a crank to move the fabric through. Does it turn easily - thinking of hands that are arthritic.?

I have a rag quilt in my UFO pile. I've been thinking about whether it would work or not to run my "quilted" blocks through my GO so the rag part could be cut. I would probably have to do one at a time because of the thickness.

You do have to turn the handle, but I have carpel tunnel and it is not too bad. The more you use it, it seems to work easier. I love mine.