QuiltnLady1

DH is buying me the Accuquilt go big for Christmas (need to reduce stress on hands and arms) - I don't have it yet but I am overwhelmed by the cost and the choices of the accessories so I have some questions.
-- Do you buy the dies from Accuquilt or is there a better (cheaper) place?
-- Which dies are the most useful?
-- Which mats are the most useful?
-- Are the cubes worth the money?
-- Is there a good video about how to use the machine?

Thanks much!!

Cari-in-Oly

I believe Accuquilt products are price controlled, that is, Accuquilt controls the price other merchants sell their products for. I've bought dies at JoAnns on sale but then found the same sale price on the Accuquilt website.
As for which dies are most useful, it's different for everyone. Think about the types of quilts you most often make and the shapes/sizes of the pieces you most often use.

Cari

anonymous

They rotate through their products and put them on sale different weeks, often 40% off. Ex. would be all studio dies on sale, next sale would be GO dies, etc.. Sign up for their email notices for what is on sale. If you spend a certain $ amt. shipping is free. I have the studio cutter and love the strip dies. For studio dies the groupings of dies go by block sizes, I think this correlates to the GO cubes. I do think these groupings are a good deal, but only if you make a variety of types of quilts. I do love my cutter and dies, but it does take a big gulp to push the buy button and get over the cost.

Weezy Rider

The Studio can use other dies, but it might not be worth it unless you plan to do an awful lot of cutting and have the room.

Accuquilt will have sales on their own dies. They had one just before Christmas. They also give "rewards", not much but every little bit helps.

You will have to decide. If you do a lot of applique, a Sizzix might be better. You can cut fabric with all Sizzix dies and they have a huge selection of dies for cards. If you want to applique a cat, Sizzix has more cat dies, plus the cat toys and feeding bowls to go with the cat. A Sizzix pro can take Accuquilt dies.

If you do straight piecing, the regular blocks are good. They now sell them by the size. If you look on the Accuquilt site, there are free pattern books with almost every block a Qube will make. 72 different blocks are quite a few.

Strip dies are more expensive, but they do have cutting marks on them so you can cut a 3 1/2 inch strip and recut into squares with the same die.

Why don't you go to the site and look? They also have tutorial videos. Take some time and watch.

bkay

It will come with a couple of dies. Other than that, as Cari said, choose the ones you use. I only bought a couple. I bought the 5" square because I use that size a lot (I spy swaps). I also bought the 2 1/2 inch strip, as that's the size I use for binding and for sashing. You just need one mat per die and it has to match the size of the die. Doesn't the die come with one mat? When the mat wears out, you have to get another one.

I have the go baby. I wish I'd bought the bigger one.
bkay

PaperPrincess

Which one are you getting? If you are getting a cutter in the GO! line, then you are limited to GO dies, and as mentioned, Accuquilt controls the price. If you are an ebay user, you can find used dies. You can't use sizzix dies as they are too large. If you are getting a Studio cutter, then you have more options. You can use studio dies, or any other commercial 1" thick die. With a shim, you can use sizzix and/or go dies.
As far as which dies are most useful, only you can answer that. What types of quilts do you make? Do you cut a lot of strips? Squares? Triangles? You might want to pick a favorite pattern, or choose one from the accuquilt website and buy the dies for that pattern.
The mats are sized for the dies, and in general, you can use a larger mat with a smaller die, but if you used a mat smaller than the die, you would only cut part of the shape.
The accuquilt site has a video for almost every die. There are also tons of youtube videos.

ragamuffin

I bought the Go Big with the 8" box with it but have not used it yet. I usually make 12" blocks and I think I should have bought the 12" instead of the 8". I have had both shoulders operated and need it to cut for me. I think you are good to go with the Go Big unless you are planning to cut a lot more and then go with the Studio. What a present! Kiss that man over and over!!!

rryder

It all depends on the type of quilts you like to make.

If you like to make quilts that use a lot of smallish shapes, like half square triangles, then you'd probably want to get some half square triangle dies.

I tend to use my 2" square, 3.5" square and 5" square dies more than any of the others that I have because I like to cut scrap pieces that are smaller than a 10" square into sizes and shapes that are easy to store in my tiny space and those 3 sizes are ones that I can use in the kinds of quilts that I like to make. I have one of the cubes, the 9" block. That one has a number of dies (including the 5" one) that I had been looking at as separate purchases, so it was worth it to me to get that one since I knew I would use most of those dies.

If you go on the website, you can see which dies are included in the cubes and decide if that would be a reasonable way to go.

Rob

QuiltnLady1

Thanks -- my preferred block size is 12" and I tend to make log cabins, stars and bargello. I looked at the cubes and my eyes glazed over with all the options.

Since I have never used the Go, does anyone know of a good video that could help me get started?
Thanks again

Annaquilts

I have a Sizzix Big Shot Pro but can use Go and Studio dies on it. I have a lot of strip dies but seldom use those. Many people like cutters for the strip dies and that is why I ended up with those dies. The dies I use the most and have now collected a good number of are dies that will make multiples of quarter square triangles, half square triangles, triangles for flying geese, dies that cut small squares 4, 3 and 2 1/2 inch, 5 inch. Also curved dies like for wedding ring quilt blocks and drunkards path. Maybe first collect dies that make different 12 inch blocks, so 6, 4,3 and 2 1/2 inch squares, also dies that make 3x6 inch geese, 4 inch half square triangles, 3 inch half square triangles finnished to make those stars. It is hard to say what fits your needs. I strongly prefer large dies that cut multiples of the same thing and seldom use dies that cut only one square, triangle etc. I do really like a die cutter and they help if you have issues cutting like osteo in the wrist etc.