Gadget Suggestions?
 

Howdy y'all :c)

On April 12th I will be going to the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati! I went last year and spent an obscene amount if money, very little if it on fabric. I was wondering...does anyone have any suggestions for quilting tools for someone (me!) who absolutely HATES the cutting part of quilting? I need stuff that makes the cutting process faster and easier? I would sure appreciate it! :c)

Donna

I'd go for the Alto's Quilt Cut. My friend bought one a few years ago at Lancaster and absolutely loves it. I wanted one as well but was just too cheap to get off the $$. But it holds the fabric very securely and with the sliding rulers/angle measurements I really think it's the cat's meow. Guess it depends on the types of cuts you generally do or type quilts you make. Lots of applique - maybe a go cutter. Lots of strip quilting - strip cutter. Possibilities are endless. Sorry to enable...

I'm not sure about buying at a quilt festival, but I would purchase an Accuquilt Studio for cutting -- if I had a permanent place for it (not really portable) and the money. It's on sale at the Accuquilt site for $410 right now. Of course, there is considerable additional investment for dies and mats, but those can be purchased gradually (and at discount sites online) over time.

For rotary cutting strips, I wouldn't be without my June Tailor shape mat. To make this mat (and any rulers you may have) infinitely better, purchase the Grip Strips from http://www.guidelines4quilting.com/GripStrips.html . I have tried almost every ruler gripping aid on the market, and these far and away are the BEST. Again, though, you don't need to wait for a quilt show to purchase them.

I am counting the days until the IQS again this year! I haven't decided if I'm going to take off Thursday and Friday and go both days or just one day. This will be my third time going. I have the Altos Quilt Cut and have used it some. I bought it in Knoxville the last year the AQS was there. I also have the Accuquilt GO and the Sizzix Big Shot Pro. I use the BSP more than anything. I know Accuquilt and Sizzix were there last year, but I don't recall that they had a Studio with them. I did see lots of dies and mats, though. Watching the gal demo the Altos Quilt Cut is neat, too.

However, I'm sure my rambling didn't help much!

I would like a little more info on the Big shot pro is it made especially for fabric or is it the paper cutting machine

Deb Tucker's rulers are great. I have tge Square2 and Rapid Fire Lemoyne.

This is Not an Advertisement. I just really like them

If I had the room I would get the sizzix big shot pro. You can use all the sizzix, and accuquilt go dies

I never know what is going to catch my eye and snag my wallet. This last year is was a quilt kit.

The Big Shot Pro will cut fabric or paper. The Accuquilt Studio dies work in it just fine with no adapter--the regular GO dies do need a shim on adapter, but work fine. I have the Studio rag die and it worked great in my BSP. It is heavier than the GO and easier to turn the handle. It is larger, though, and takes more room.

Ditto NJ quilter I also would suggest investing in a Martelli mat. They last much longer than other mats and it seems as if they are kinder to your rotary blades, as they also last longer.