This is our guilds Apple Core quilt and we used the AccuQuilt GO cutter for this project. A few years ago this cutter was all the rage and we got caught up in the excitement. Our guild invested in the cutter and many dies but we are not getting the use out of it as we hoped. I also have the GO cutter and rarely touch it. I thought this could be a good opportunity to give you the good and bad of the GO cutter.
- Cuts odd shapes quickly and easily like the Apple Core or Tumbler blocks.
- Applique pieced are great to cut out using this machine and better when you have the fusible web on the fabric before hand.
- Rag Die is my favorite as it cuts all the fringes for you, no clipping afterwards
- Get consistent cutting results...if you make sure your rolling it through with the lenghtwise grain.
- Can cut up to 6 layers of cotton at once
The Bad
- Wastes a lot of fabric compared to using a rotary cutter and I mean a lot!
- If you forget to load the lengthwise grain though the roller you can end up with two different size pieces. For example, if you cutting a 5" square on the crosswise grain you will get a 5" x 4 7/8" square. This can even happen on the lenghtwise grain if it is a looser weave fabrics.
- Only cuts two layers of flannel
- Dies wear out quickly and often have tiny uncut spots so have to use scissors to separate pieces.
- Can take a lot of effort to roll the fabric through with the manual versions.
So that is just my two cents on the cutter. I'm curious if you have one and what your thoughts are on it. Do you use it a lot? Is it collecting dust like mine? Do you have favorite dies? Can you add to my good list or bad list?
When our guild members were sewing the Apple Core blocks together I heard a lot of grumbling and they were very happy to finally be done and pass it along to me! The top had some fullness to it but nothing that a fluffy batting and some stippling couldn't cure!
I love my GO! cutter. Usually when it doesn't cut all the layers it means you need to change the cutting mat not that the die is bad. I find that cutting the fabric first before putting it on the die is much better because you can get pretty close to the edge and not have waste. It is the best for HST and no marking involved! Flannel is usually the tough one because really 4 layers of flannel can be too much if it is really thick. I love it for cutting a lot of squares at one time with the strip dies. It does take intention to use it and you really have to get in the habit to do it but I love the results. The applique dies are wonderful and you can make EPP hexagons easily with it now as well. Just my 2 cents. :-) K- lkw2x6-apq@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteGreat tip about changing the cutting mat! Thanks!
Deletemine gathers dust....
ReplyDeleteA shop here had one, it just never got lift off.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely love mine and use it all the time. Cut fabric ahead of time per instructions and waste is very minimal. I agree if the cuts are cutting all the way then it is probably a worn cutting mat. Use a new one.
ReplyDeleteI have both the Studio version and the Go Baby. I go in streaks with using them. But I have several quilts all cut and ready to go (and sew) when I go to a sewing retreat. And any pattern that has odd shapes or curves it can't be beat. I can cut a queen sized quilt in a half hour and all the corners are "clipped".
ReplyDeleteI just got my Go cutter as a gift in October, and only have a few dies so far, but used it to cut several hundred HST pieces for a full sized bed quilt. Wonderful! I cut the fabric into appropriate sized strips first, to cover the die and only overlap a bit, and found that I didn't have much waste at all, and in the end I had perfectly paired up triangles, ready to be sewn together, already with the "dog ears" trimmed and everything. I layered the fabrics so that the pairs ended up together that I needed (rather than all of one fabric, then all the other, I alternated).
ReplyDeleteI definitely find it more accurate than rotary cutting, at least for me.
I have a both a GO! and a GoBaby and love them both. I mark my dies so I know exactly where the blades are and what size I need to cut my fabric so there is little waste. Whenever I try a new pattern, I always look for ways to use the dies for my pieces. Like any other tool, the more you use it the better you get at using it. The tumbler dies, large and small, are great for quick baby quilts. So much faster then cutting by hand.
ReplyDeleteI have an Accuquilt Studio cutter. I absolutely love it! I have found that I end up with very little fabric waste. I have a lot invested in the cutter and dies but I use it all the time and would do it again in a heartbeat. I agree about changing out the mat. You can also change the angle of the mat as it lays on the die so you are not repeatedly cutting with the blades in the same spot.
ReplyDelete