Come Stitch With Me

The aircraft at Dobbins ARB have been doing maneuver after maneuver after maneuver and it’s only mid-month. Heard some fighter jets in the mix, too. What gives? Normally we don’t get this type of air traffic until the end of the month when pilots need to complete their required flight hours. This just feels different.

The grocery store was busy again tonight. I bought only BOGO’s and went strictly by my list. It was still $40.00 for two bags of groceries. My preferred breakfast bars and high-protein oatmeal were out of stock. In fact, there were several holes in the grocery store shelves this evening with the freezer section being basically empty. Gas is currently $4.29 a gallon at the local QuikTrip.

Know what? None of these events is going to keep me from forging ahead with my plan to live life on my own terms once this school year’s over. I’ll still plant my garden, make quilts, volunteer with Sadie, open my sewing studio up to the neighborhood kids, attend book club, walk with friends, hike with hubby, go the the library, attend quilt shows, take classes, visit museums, nap, read, and yes, travel.

High gas prices won’t keep me from quilty travel. However, I will be more selective with events I plan to attend and classes I take. I’ll find creative ways to minimize expenses elsewhere without sacrificing fun and the opportunity to meet new quilty peeps and learn new quilty techniques. We only get one chance to live life…make it worthwhile. Slow down and savor the moment.

Short answer: No.

My answer: Yes, particularly if you make a lot of quilts, have hand/joint issues or are pressed for time. Definitely if you have kids/grandkids who want to learn how to sew!

Let me explain.

I own both a manual die cut system (AccuQuilt Go!, Sizzix Big Shot Plus) and a Cricut Maker.

I have a well curated collection of dies that cut basic shapes – strips, squares, HSTs and a few specialty applique shapes (hearts, snowman, gingerbread man, dog, cat, flower, bird). My 2-1/2″ strip die, 2-1/2″ square and and 5″ square dies are the ones I use most often. I recently ordered QSTs in 3″, 4″ and 4-1/2″ finished sizes to round out my basic dies used to create 6″, 8″ and 9″ blocks. The applique shapes are used for both raw edge applique in quilting and school-library related craft activities.

I bought a Cricut Maker because it was more cost effective to buy it than to invest in and store a complete set of alphabet and number dies. This machine allows me to cut any size letter in any size font, plus intricate appliqué shapes for fusible applique. To me, it was well worth the purchase for this alone – even though the machine is capable of much more.

Advantages:
1. My young sewing friend was able to cut her block fabrics using the AccuQuilt Go! (There’s no way I’m letting an 8-year-old use my rotary cutter.) She was so proud of herself.

2. HSTs and Flying Geese were a breeze to make with the FG die. Yes, it took a few minutes to figure out the best way to cut, layer and “fan” the strips, but OMG, I saved so much time and aggravation on the 150+ HSTs and 50+ FG I had to make for a quilt.

3. Scrap management is simplified and fabric waste is minimized. I took the leftover FG bits and and cut 1-1/2″ squares from them before I threw the rest away.

4. Shapes are more consistently uniform when cut by a die cutting machine.

5. The manual cutting system requires no power, software or app (plus device) to cut shapes.

Disadvantages:

1. The cutting systems and dies can get expensive. They do go on sale periodically for 40-50% off. Quilters downsize and list them on FB marketplace, set them out at local yard sales or estate sales for a fraction of the original cost. Try eBay and Goodwill. Your local quilt shop may also offer a die cut rental service where you can pay a small fee to come in and use their dies and cutting equipment.
   
2. Finding storage space for the machine and dies can be an issue if you have limited space. Again, buy one machine and only the dies you’ll really use. Yes, bundles are popular with AccuQuilt, but you probably won’t use every die in that bundled set. I keep small dies in a tote I can easily carry and longer dies & cutting mats lay flat on a shelf in my closet. The AccuQuilt Go! folds up for storage. The Sizzix Big Shot Plus does not.
   
3. Few patterns are written to include die cutting instructions. You’ll have to figure out the amount of fabric to buy for a project rather than relying on the back of the quilt pattern envelope. It’s no different than when the designer writes the pattern for 8 at a time triangles and you prefer to use triangle papers.
   
4. Dies from AccuQuilt & Sizzix are not interchangeable. You can use the 5″ and 6″ wide AccuQuilt dies on a Sizzix Big Shot Plus machine with an Adapter G pad, but not the other way around. Strip cutting dies ranging in various widths from .5″ to 5″ are available from both Sizzix and AccuQuilt. I tend to cut my own larger width strips, but find 1.5″, 2.5″ & 3.5″ strip dies to be extremely helpful. Unless you already have 10″ AccuQuilt dies on hand, you may find the Sizzix Big Shot Plus machine is your best bet to be able to utilize a variety of shapes from both manufacturers.

For me, the investment in a die cutting machine and a curated selection of dies was well worth it. I think the Cricut model just below the Maker (Explore?) would have also met my needs at a lower price point. Regardless, I look forward to working with my die-cuts to create more quilts and experimenting to see what all the Cricut Maker can do once retirement becomes a reality.

My young friend came over to begin working on her block today. She was truly focused for almost two hours and did an awesome job. We’ll finish up Monday afternoon. Then, she has to write the required paragraph that must accompany her creation. The block will go in the kid’s display at the big, regional quilt show in June. Hopefully, we’ll both get our quilt show submissions in this next week. I have to add a few buttons, quilt label and a hanging sleeve to my quilt, but I’m sure I can go ahead and do the electronic entry for the juried show. Quilts appearing in the show will be delivered the week prior to the show. I have time to do a hanging sleeve and label.