A few questions for Acuquilt GO users
 

I'm thinking it's time to switch from rotary cutting to machine (electric) cutting, because every time I cut even a little bit, I end up with a multi-day back crisis.

Say I'm making 1-1/2 by 3" finished flying geese and 3" finished HSTs. Are the dies labeled for finished size units? Are there directions that explain these things? I've watched videos, but these issues aren't addressed.

Acu-Quilters are always asking Bonnie Hunter during her mysteries what die size to use, and she doesn't give the answer because she says 'it gives too much away.' Can anyone explain this?

Thanks!

Yes, Accuquilt does list the unfinished and finished sizes. As far as BH goes, I think because at the end if the day, she might consider listing the dies if she were to be compensated properly, but are they gonna pay her a commission? Seems like free adevertisement for them and more work for her. I have no clue as to why she doesn’t list them, that is just my thought.
I don’t use my Acuquilt much, but when I do, it is very nice, you will love it! It really does make cutting easy and quick.

Thank you, tallchick!

I found a !00% feedback seller on eBay selling the model I'm looking at for a substantial savings. She said she has moved on from quilting (!) to other crafts. The machine would not come with directions. From your recollection, did your Accuquilt come with comprehensive directions that I wouldn't want to be without?

Update: I found one on sale from a vendor in Arizona, so that will come with the directions!

I love my Accuquilt. I bought it when it first became available to buy and have lots of dies. Everything you need to know how to use it is on Accuquilt youtube channel. Bonnie Hunter has a ruler she designed to make all the cut sizes of her mysteries. I've noticed since her ruler has been available she uses it in every mystery. I know she has a studio model and does most of her cutting using that. She always uses the basic size of units and there are dies for those sizes. I have found that having an exact 1/4" seam the cuts made with the Accuquilt do not need squaring up after sewing the blocks. If they do then my 1/4" is not exact.

Don't you waste fabric using these cutting machines? That's what I thought when I was looking into them. I have enough scraps, don't need to make more. Don't you have to cut the fabric to fit the die before hand so you're cutting anyway?

Love the system.

Yes, there are instructions and user videos for the FG. You will probably want the individual dies for each shape as there isn't one die in that size. Scroll down to "details" to see the 2 dies needed.

https://www.accuquilt.com/go-flying-...ie-bundle.html

You can also use #4 and #5 from the 6 inch set. I like the individual dies as there is usually multiple shapes to cut so more units in one pass of the die.

Under the "vote now" tab on description there is a down-load for a reference chart that is helpful.

There is lots of information on the AQ site under the tab "Learn" .

good for you Joe'smom!!! If we can't adapt to life in order to follow our bliss, what is the point of life?

Accuquilt is having apparently a huge sale today, read it on Pat Solan's FB group
https://www.accuquilt.com/special-offers.html
If you are going to invest in dies, this would be the time to do it!

I hear about wastes so much by people that watched a demo or doesn't have one. The demo is for showing how it works the fastest way possible which means covering the die. At home you take a little time to cut the fabric pieces to fit the shape not the die. I have about 1/4" waste around the cut if I measure the size of the shape. Usually I eyeball the size of the fabric I need. For cutting scraps I put the fabric anyway it will fit to cover the shape. I have all the basic sizes of squares, rectangles, hist, quarter hsts, strips, diamonds, and circles. I like the BOB dies to get block cut at one time. I have the Go Me (Baby) and it's harder to use then the big one because it takes a good push to get it going sometimes but my grands use it so it isn't that bad. The dies are almost double or triple the price from when I bought mine from years ago and honestly not the same quality. I can tell a difference from the new dies from the older ones for the Go machines. I had to reglue the foam to a lot of the new dies. The older ones are still intact and the foam seems better.

I don't find a lot of waste using my cutter. Not enough to worry about.
My only problem is that many times I make patterns that don't use any of my dies. And I also don't have a dedicated space for mine so it's a bit inconvenient right now. I need to fix that because it's a wonderful invention.
I have the Go and the Mini and I use the min i a lot. It's small and easy to set up. As I said I need to find a dedicated space for my big one.

I have had my Accuquilt GO since 2010. Bought it after watching it on "Simply Quilts" and a demonstration at the Road to California quilt show. It was being displayed by Eleanor Burns' Quilt In A Day. What sold me at first was the 2.5 inch strip die and the clam shell. When I first saw it I thought there was going to be a lot of waste too. But that's just not the case. You need to watch the videos and know how to put the fabric onto the dies so they don't stretch on the die going thru the cutter and you will never be disappointed. I watch the weekly shows on YouTube and/or FaceBook. When I made my first HST quilt with no cutting off dog-ears and they all measured up without cutting I decided to buy my first Qube. (A Qube puts a group of dies that all fit together to make a specific size block. I like bigger blocks so I bought a 10 inch Qube.). To me there is no waste. And if you like applique and embroidery there is a lot more fun. I love sewing quilts for family and friends not making heirloom quilts. They are to be used and enjoyed so don't want to worry about a "scant" 1/4 inch seam and when to use it. With Accuquilt it's always 1/4 inch. Hope you enjoy it, I can't say enough good things about it. It's an investment but well worth it for me.

The Accuquilt site has some great videos to teach you how to use the system. You have to listen to a lot of banter to find the details, but they are there. Also remember the videos are designed to get you to buy something new, so don’t get sucked into that trap, at least until you understand the system. Note the Qubes cut components 1/2 and 1/4 of the size they are labeled, so an 8” Qube makes components 2” and 4” finished. There are good sources of dies. Eleanor Burns gives free shipping and there is another dealer that is good too , but I can’t remember her name! Something like LadyBug or Ladybird. There is also an Australian company whose dies fit perfectly in Accuquilt cutters. Since they include a mat with the die, the cost is actually equivalent. Look up Blue Wren dies. They arrive in the US in 3-4 weeks from when you order.

Ebony Love of LoveBugStudios.com

I have had the system for a long time. I have been a bit frugal with the dies that I have bought. I try and think if the size and shape are something I use frequently. My first dies were probably the 2.5 inch strip cutter which is probably my most frequently used die as that is the size I used most often for binding plus in piecing. Early dies also included the 2.5 inch square die, 2.5 inch half square triangle, and 5 inch square one. I like the single shape in mulitple dies the best as I make bed sized quilts. With the 2.5 inch square die which has nine of them on the die and if I place the 6 layers on the die, that would be 9 X 6 or 36 2.5 inch squares cut with one pass. I usually only use 4 layers as it is easier to roll and I feel I get a better cut doing that but that is still 24 squares with one pass. Bonnie for a while was using the triangle in a square block in her mystery's and those are time consuming to cut so I add a couple of those dies to my collection. I find I really don't have as much waste as I thought. I have drawn an outline of the cutting space for each die 1/4 of an inch from the blades. So, for example on my 2.5 inch square dies, the blades are arranged so you have three rows of 3 shapes. The amount of fabric to cut this would be a 7.5 inch square but I want to make sure I get the full square so I cut my fabric 8 inches wide which gives me an extra 1/4 inch on either side. I most often just leave the strip the full length, make the first cut, then move the fabric up again and keep cutting the entire length. When I was cutting the squares with a rotary cutter and ruler, I found that I was needed to square up the fabric occasionally and was actually wasting fabric then to. I think it was because my ruler would slip or my blade would wobble. On some dies like equal angle triangles, you can save fabric by flipping the fabric as you cut out your shapes. Of course, some shapes like circles are going to waste more fabric. I am glad I got the set up as it has saved me hours on all the mysteries I have done.

I preordered one as soon as saw it was available in 2008. I bought all the dies that were made for it then too. I'm still using the same Go machine.I bought a new Go for a back up when the company was sold last year and had amazing sales. I also stocked up on mats during the sale. Mats wear out and they are very important to having accurate cuts. I would not pass up a good sale on mats.

The chart on the Accuquilt website includes both finished and cut sizes for each die: https://www.accuquilt.com/media/asse...hart-QQJ31.pdf

Thanks to everyone for posting on your experience and these great links. I'm really excited about it!

Is there a way to save or mark this thread for future use?

I own the GOBig Electric - had to go to it because between my hands and back I can't dod much with a rotary cutter. By now I have a bunch of dies - I try to buy them only when they are on sale or on clearance. I have a couple of the Cube (6" and 12") boxed sets, but there are sometimes duplicates if you buy too many boxed sets so I now buy mostly singles. I try to buy the pieces that will work together (3", 6", 9", 12") so I can mix and match pieces to make blocks. If I find a block I like that is 8" or 10", I try to modify it so I can use what I have.

I, too, prefer the dies that cut multiples of the same size piece - that way I can use large pieces of fabric and finess it so I have minimal waste and a limited amount of hand cutting. The BOB (Block on Board) that have all the pieces for a block are a pain since I don't want all the pieces of a block in the same fabric and it is annoying to have to cut the fabric small enough to cut all the pieces in the correct color. For me, minimzing waste is a game I play and with the fabric stiff, even if the grain is a bit off it doesn't affect the finished size since even when sewn there is really no stretch.

There are several tricks to minimizing waste. I starch my fabric so it is very stiff. As soon as I get a die, I use the very fine tip sharpie to mark a 1/4" line around the blades. I have found the combination of stiff fabric and a little extra around the blades keeps most of the fabric from slipping into the space between the blade and the spounge surround.

My biggest complaint is the mats - they are expensive and they wear out. Again, I get creative and I move and rotate the mat so I have slits all over and maybe some holes before I replace it. I have found that as long as the mat covers the blades any direction works. Mats rarely go on sale but when they do I stock up.

I have pressed my mat with a hot iron (pressing sheet over it) to fill in the cracks for one more use out of it if I'm desperate. I haven't seen the mats on sale since Accuquilt company was sold. I'm sure the mat material is sold for gasket making for industry but haven't found a source for large pieces. Gasket material is not cheap but I think the mats are over priced.