Fabric cutters
 

There are several fabric cutters available. There's Accuquilt Go, Sizzix, and there may be an electric one. Which cutter is the best for an everyday quilter like myself?

Mary

I use a rotary cutter and a ruler. It's less expensive, more versatile, and wastes less fabric than other options.

I agree with dunster, as long as my hands and arms hold up I am staying with my rotary. I love playing with beautiful fabric and enjoy the cutting process.

There's a thread here somewhere about Accuquilt and there is another system called the Fiskars Fuse that is designed to work with lots of different dies, with their adapter sets.

I don't have any of them myself, but am considering an Accuquilt cutter for cutting things like circles and rag quilt blocks.

Accuquilt rocks!

I have tried most all die cutter machines even the newest ones that are digital. Any national quilt show will have then all ready to try out. I like the Accuquilt best. If you have wasted fabric you aren't using it right. That goes for any of the die cut machines.

I use the sizzix big shot pro and can use accuquilt dies as well as sizzix dies. The go dies have to be shimmed but are no problem and I recently got a couple accuquilt studio dies and can use those as well with a little care. (Not sure I could use really long studio dies, the ones I got are relatively short.).
The thing is that dies as well as cutter are expensive so you only want to get ones that you will use regularly.

You know....I don't think I've ever seen Accuquilt at a show. I went to the PIQF last year and I don't recall seeing them there; that's the largest quilt show I've been to. I'll be going again this year, I'll have to keep my eyes peeled! It's possible they were there last year and I just missed them; I wasn't in the market for a die cutting system at all last year so they weren't on my radar.

I have the Big Shot and bought one die...2 1//2" square. It doesn't waste fabric and help with accuracy.

I have the big shot pro. I LOVE it. For both fabric and for papercrafting (I have a regular size big shot as well).

I have the Accuquilt GO and like it. But it's not helpful for cutting everything you need. Right now I'm making 6 inch finished blocks (all different) with oddly sized pieces and I'm using my rotary cutter.

I have a Accucut Go with 3 dies. Everytime I go to buy a die, I think why did I ever talk my husband into buying the system as the dies are so expensive even when 25% off. I like my June Taylor strip cutter. If I decide to do another rag quilt, I may buy the die for it.

I have the GO and I love it. I do not find that cuts made with it waste fabric. Just like any other new tool, there is a short learning curve.

I am the same way :)

I have accuquilt baby wish I had gone for the larger version. I use it for curved pieces and am very selective about the very very very expensive dies. My friend has the 21/2" strip cutter must use it some time to decide if it is worth the money. I have weak wrists especially after breaks and operations on both so some times just don't have the strength to cut long stripes .
I would order a family Christmas present of the accuquilt plus dies you feel you need in a list of importance. Does santa come early?

I tried the Sizzix at a quilt show recently and wasn't impressed - it was a mini class to make a jewellery roll. Albeit it perhaps wasn't long enough to give it a really long test, but sufficient to know it wasn't for me.

One thing I swear by however, is the June Tailor Shape Cut. I had DH hand carry two of these back from Houston and they are the best thing ever! I make my own strip sets and charm packs in no time.

I've just borrowed a sizzix from a friend of my mum to see if I like it, in exchange for her borrowing my fiskars hexie punch. Unfortunately though, she uses it for card making so there aren't really any dies with it that would be off much use to me! She had one that I could use for applique and that's about it. She didn't even realise it could be used for fabric! I don't know whether to buy a die that I would use for it so I can give it a proper test or not, could be a waste of money!

did you try the Search function? We have had discussions on the various Accuquilts, the Brother Scan n Cut, and others.

I'm sticking with a rotary cutter and mat right now.

You can buy dies fairly cheaply on Amazon. I have the original Big Kick. I bought a couple of dies from Amazon and am quite pleased. I did buy it for card making, but got the Silhouette. The Silhouette doesn't emboss, so I kept the Big Kick.

I'd bought a table cover pattern that used 4" squares and HSTs. I used the Sizzix, and that cover matched seams on first shot better than a lot I've cut.

I tried those June Tailor things and don't like them. I prefer the Slidelock and a rotary cutter.

I just tried the Silhouette on a custom applique. Stabilized the fabric and it was almost a perfect cut. Would have been perfect had I bothered to change the blade. (few threads hanging off edges.)

I have the GO and many dies......but I still use my rotary/mat too. It depends on what shape or how much I am cutting of a shape whether I do it manually or with die cutter........I do love the accuracy if the GO, and it has made cutting some shapes so much easier........so what's a little waste.......it's worth the speed and accuracy

I have the Sizzix Big Shot. It saves me so much time when cutting out, perfect for cutting out scraps and very accurate. I also have shape cutter which is great for strips and squares using yardage or large pieces of fabric and obviously I also use a rotary cutter and mat. I bought my Sizzix with a good discount and have found a good supplier for dies and for me the cost is well worth the time saved and accuracy I achieve.

I really like my Accuquilt Go. Yes.. The dies are expensive, but they should last for years with a little care and periodic cleaning. I use it for consistency in cutting and sewing triangles. (HSTs) There is very little waste if you pre-cut the strips you need. My hands hurt too much if I do a lot of rotary cutting. Also, I have a tendency to slip when rotary cutting, ending up with cuts that are no longer accurate.

As an example, I had to cut out 300 hearts for my future DIL for their wedding. The part that took me the longest was cutting the material into strips and then squares but the Accuquilt Go die for hearts cut them in no time. I can't imagine trying to do this any other way.

I have the GO and am enjoying using it. There is little waste and the accurate cuts make the extra expense worthwhile. I'm slowly, but surely, reducing my scrap bins to useable cuts.

My 2 sisters, mother, and myself, bought a used studio cutter with over 35 dies some new, we have had so much fun cutting out quilts, and so accurate. We feel we got a great deal for $950. My sister is going to make a take five and we have the die, she was so excited .

I use the Sizzix Big Shot all the time. You can use some of the dies for multiple uses. Example: When I need several 2 1/2 in, squares, I cut the strips with the strip cutter. You can then fold each strip four times and lay several of these strips back on the strip cutter and have over 250 accurate 2 1/2 in squares cut with three passes through the machine. As others have said, I don't mind a little waste if I can have consistent, accurate cuts.

I've just ordered an apple core die for the sizzix that my mum's friend has lent me. I thought I really needed to try it with something I could piece and didn't want to try anything boring! I figured that I would need to buy a template for an apple core anyway so might as well just go for the die. Then if I really like using it, I'll ask for one for christmas! Feels like a good plan! (and quite unlike me - usually I will get an idea into my head and then just buy it! I'm terrible, but at least I'm thinking this one over properly! That's progress in my view!)

Several friends have fabric cutters that they bring to all day sews so all can use them. It seems to me that they are more useful for machine applique than for anything else. I can't see the point of using them to cut strips or squares. And there is a terrible amount of waste with them. Perhaps someone who already owns a cutter would let you experiment at bit to see whether it would really suit your needs. froggyintexas

I use rotary cutter and mat

I done a lot of research on which die cutting machine to use, I ended up with the GO! Very little waste of material, perfect cuts every time, barely any stress on my wrists and I can make my own Jelly Rolls & Charm Packs to suit my pattern & colorway. Also if your die gets warped the will exchange is at no cost. This is one of the 1st things I purchased when starting to quilt. Even my now 13yr grand daughter has loved it for the 3 yrs I (we've) had it. I also love my June Taylor cutter too when I just have a few strips to cut, so all in all they are both great but for a lot of strips I'll take the GO every time.
Jeri

I love june taylor shape rule it,s wonderful but yesterday the fuse cretivity sistem arrived home. And several sizzix dies apple core included.
Love it!!!!!
In joanns the fuse is very cheap!!!! And you can use go and sizzix dies
You could see it in my blog. Sorry but i don,t know how to upload pic with my tablet. The link is in my signature.
I hope i,ll be helpful

Everyone has said how there is very little waste when using a die cutter. As I'm going to play with one soon, I was wondering if anyone had any tips for how to waste as little fabric as possible? do you cut out a square of fabric to use or do you fold it cleverly?

You'll get a lot of different responses to this. I watched some Skizzix demos which were a YouTube type thing. It was awhile ago and I'm not sure if I went in through the company's site or just through You Tube. The demo showed folding. I cut mine into the same size as the template and cut several layers at a time to have hardly any waste. I'm sure a search of "how to die cut fabric" will show up some tutes. Maybe someone will come up with a good link.

Looks a lot like GO BABY in size...since my only language is English I couldn't read your blogspot, but pics were interesting. I have a GO, but the cost of the dies is getting out of hand..might be worth adding to cutter/die collection.........will look into it. Glad toy are enjoying your new Roy....I have to admit they are fun to use and the accuracy of cut is phenom........