I remember the first quilt I made using only quilt shop fabrics. The stress of making the first cuts was terrible! I stood downstairs at my cutting area literally sweating those first cuts. Now that I'm more experienced, I'm not so nervous, but I still don't like cutting from a kit. If I make a mistake, there isn't enough fabric to fix it, and the fabric lines are likely long gone from my LQS. I prefer to purchase the yardage in my color choices and make the quilt 'my own'.
For basting, I lay out my quilt top, batting and back, aligning the marked centers, pin along the middle and then fold back the layers to spray baste, one side at a time, then remove the pins and do the other half. It works especially well on a folding banquet style table.

I like variety so I cut some, piece some, cut some more etc. I can't imagine cutting 100 yards of fabric at one time like someone earlier did. I will collect fabric for a project over time but don't cut it until I'm ready to make the quilt. It would stress me out to have unfinished projects so I may work on a few small projects at once I've never had more than one quilt in process at once. I don't mind sandwiching since I started using glue. You can do it in stages on a small surface. By putting the batting down first it stays put and so there is no taping. I put the glue on the batting and then put the quilt back on top of that and smooth it down. When it's dry I flip it over, put the glue on the batting again and then lay the quilt top over that and smooth it down. I used to dread the sandwiching process but not any more.

I too love to cut fabric by hand although I do have a Accucut which I use also.

I can relate to the pleasure you find in cutting because I did, too.....for my first few quilts. I think it was the precision of it that appealed to me...the control, to a control freak like me, was satisfying. I don't enjoy it as much now, when I'm more anxious to just "get on with it" -- the piecing, I mean. But I do understand!

I just got the Go, and think I made a mistake, as cutting didn't bother me. I bought the 2.5" square die, and the 2.5" strip die. I bought it, as I don't have enough time, and thought it would speed up things so I could sew. I haven't been wasting much fabric, as I think of the best ways to cut, and I use scraps in scrap quilts. I also use 1.5" squares to swap, and any strips over 1.5" for string quilts..

I am another one who really enjoys the process of cutting. I have 3 June Taylor shape cutters and they speed the process. Today, I finished a quilt that called for templates. I cut the templates from an old cutting mat and they were great. I was able to get the fabric shapes cut perfectly. When I made templates from template plastic, I was always cutting into them and having to re make the templates. I do heavily starch my fabric before cutting. Now, if only I could learn to enjoy making a quilt sandwich.

I feel the same way - the cutting machines did not appeal to me either, but for Christmas I got a "quilt-cut 2" - it allows me to still cut, but improves my accuracy 100%, the fabric and the ruler are held down firmly, love it and don't know how I cut before I had it.....

Ohh, that's a clever idea! I even have an old Olfa mat that has been too abused to recover. I wondered why I was saving it....

I just spent all day cutting scraps--I love doing it. Order out of chaos! :)