I have one of the strip cutter dies and they would be fine for doing vines and trellises sort of compositions....As for the fabric usage. if you are careful to cut the squares to fit the die size before you cut the shape you will cut down on the amount of material loss. still it is a little bit more than if you traced and cut on the fabric by hand...It ends up being a personal choice. You can make an edging also with some of the patterns. It requires folding the material so you can have a continuous repeat. Offering to rent the cutter. or providing a cutting service at your quilt store is an option as you say. Don't forget to take into account the varied tastes of quilters...Can cause you to stock up on dies real quick. If start with basics then go on...should be fine.