Pre-cutting for Accuquilt......Experienced Cutter Advice Needed Please!
 

Yep. Another Accuquilt question! I got one for Christmas and just now gave it the first spin. Loved it! So quick and easy! Now, for my next project I need to cut 4 1/2 inch squares. The Accuquilt chart says to cut your strips 5 1/2 inches wide, a full inch larger. Do you experienced cutters do that? I hate to waste that much if it isn't necessary. Also, if I buy the 2 1/2 inch strip die, would you get the one that cuts two strips or three. Thanks a bunch for any advice.....I always can use it!

When I precut for my Go!, I add only 1/2". Have had no problems with that. 1" is too much, in my opinion.

My 2 1/2" die cuts 3 strips at a time - but easy to drop down to 2 or 1 strip if that is all you need. But using 2 1/2 die, I can 6 strips cut at once. And I cut just a little over 1/2" for squares and strips. Be sure you mark your dies, by using a sharpie. Google youtube accuquilt go and so many tutorials come up and there is a really good one for marking your dies. The marks help so much to get the fabric on the dies in the right place to create perfect cuts. Good luck.

I agree with Marsh. the 2 1/2 strip cutter is my very favorite die!!!

Thanks y'all! I kind of thought 1/2 inch was plenty, too. I've just taken a quick peek at youtube so far and it does look like there are ton of videos and ways to use the cutter. I'm just a little timid and fearful of ruining my beloved fabric.

I have the Baby Go . I will confess that I don't do piecing if I can help it. I wanted it for the applique shapes. I prepare the fabric by putting the iron on fusing stuff on the back of the fabric before I put it through the Go machine. It makes great iron on designs. I will admit that I don't like having to measure and fold the fabric so carefully to just cut strips or geometric shapes. I think it wastes a lot of material. If you are going to do a lot of iron on fused applique it works great.

I'm not able to help with your strip cutter question, as I don't have the strips; they are generally easy and quick for me to cut accurately with a rotary cutter. For triangles and the small size tumbler, I LOVE it! No dog ears, no over lapping odd angles... And very little waste. An inch, no way. I've gone as close as 1/4", and if you're careful, not a problem - although until you're more comfortable with it, I would probably use 1/2".

I considered getting a couple of the applique shape dies, but as I do very little applique, and would almost certainly not use any of them for more than one quilt, they just aren't worth the cost for me. For the tiny bit I do, I just trace onto freezer paper or fusible.

And remember to mark your dies. I use a sharpie metallic. Silver seems to work the best. On a strip cutter, I extend the blade lines out to the end of the dies, and mark the entire length of the 2 outside blades. Then I mark a perpendicular line where the blades end. This way it's easy to position your fabric because you know exactly where the blade is.
I actually have the Studio, and if I have the option of a couple different strip dies, I always get the narrower one, this way you don't even have to subcut your fabric because there is room for the excess to ride along in the tray.

just a smidge larger than the die... 5.5 is waaaaaay too much fabric..

I agree get a silver sharpie and outline the die of they are not two toned.. and even if they are grab a ruler and mark 1/8 outside the blade to use a s reference. if you line your fab with that line you have enough.. Just remember the more layers you add the more likely the fabric will 'slide' so until you know how your machine reacts use 2 then 3 then 4 layers to make sure you're still cutting accurate..

An inch is probably a bit much! I'd start with a 1/2 inch and work your way down to where you are comfortable. As you get more experienced fan folding, it will get easier!