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Old 04-22-2020, 12:53 PM
  #29  
BonnieJP
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 751
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Originally Posted by Austinite View Post
I have a Sizzix Big Shot Plus and I love it! I use it all the time, I just used my 4.5" x 8.5" rectangular die (finishes at 4x8) to make a lovely patchwork for a friend, it took less than an hour to cut out, then when it was time for binding I used my 2.5" strip die for that. No wrist, arm, or shoulder pain, I'll never go back to doing all my own cutting.

pros: no pain, easy to use, no electricity needed, Sizzix dies are available on Amazon and on their own website and very reasonably priced., super accurate cutting (you do need to make sure to use the dies correctly), you can use Accuquilt branded dies with an adapter which I have
cons: Big Shot Plus doesn't fold, uses more fabric than rotary cutting, the plastic that goes under and above the die does get used up and need replacing (I went to a plastics company rather than buy them from Sizzix), have to find a place to store the cutter and the dies, and like I mentioned, you need to lay the fabric the correct way or you'll get super stretchy bias edges.
I have the Big Shot Plus too. I saw a YouTube where someone replaced the Sizzix clear acrylic pad (the one that winds up so scratched) with a self healing cutting mat. I bought an oversize (24" x 36") self healing mat and my husband cut it down to size for me. The self healing cutting mat cost $28 and will give me 3 self healing "pads". I can use both sides just like the Sizzix acrylic pads, but the mat self heals and should last a lot longer than the Sizzix acrylic pads that get scratched with each cut. You do have to layer the pieces a little differently though. I found the best cuts were made when I stacked my pieces as follows (starting from the bottom up):
  1. cardboard
  2. Sizzix die
  3. fabric to be cut
  4. self healing mat
  5. old (very scratched) acrylic pad
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