letawellman

This works somewhat well... not so much for the longer/taller dies, but the shorter ones this does OK. And before you buy them at WalMart, check your local Thrift store, you can find these racks for a dollar or less there.

As far as the rest of the OP's question goes...
Definitely get the extra cutting "mat/pad" (this is the part that goes on top of the fabric after it's on the die). These do wear out fairly quickly. When using them, be sure to "stagger" how you place them across the die - if you keep placing them the exact same way, the die will cut into them deeper and deeper, eventually cutting all the way through.

If you're an applique person, they have numerous dies that are perfect for applique.

Definitely think about the shapes you use the most. For example, it seems that Bonnie Hunter uses the "tri-recs" triangle in a square rather extensively, especially in her Mystery Quilts. The corresponding Accuquilt die was a lifesaver for me on this (Accuquilt actually has 3 sizes of this die). The HST dies are awesome as well, and of course the strip dies.

Before you buy one of their "block" sets, look to see just which dies that entails, and THINK about how you would (or would NOT) use them. It's not a bargain if you only use one particular die from the set.

I agree with the remark about using a Sharpie on the foam to better differentiate where the blades of the die lie. Most of my dies are older (before they started doing the "two-tone" effect), so this was critical for me.

juliea9967

I have a bunch of dies, and have used most of them. However, the ones I use most frequently are the strip dies. I really think they are the bread and butter of the dies. You can use the strip dies to cut sashing, borders, bindings, squares and diamonds. The other dies I use the most are the quilt block dies, like the Hunter's Star. I would never have tried to make a Hunter's Star quilt without the GO die. No ways was I going to cut all those little triangles and strange shapes by the hundreds with my rotary cutter and hope I cut them true enough to make all the little pieces fit together properly. With the GO die it was so easy, and all the little pieces fit together perfectly. I hope you end up loving your GO as much as I love mine

Geri B

...and accuquilt is having a pretty good sale til end of month...I'm looking at 1 or 2....

Carol34446

Had a vet, now gone, and he used to say"getting old is NOT for the weak", Boy was he right.

Peckish

Here you go. On the left is a newer die, with the 2-tone color foam. On the right is an older die, and you can see how I outlined the shape I was cutting.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]565940[/ATTACH]


The foam side is the top side, not the under side. You put the fabric on top of the die, the cutting mat on top of the fabric, then put it through the cutter, which presses down on the mat.

Neuras

Thank you Peckish! That makes perfect sense now

Neuras

Julie, thanks for the advice! Someone else has just mentioned that their best purchase was the strip die. Would you recommend the 2.5"? I have a budget to still care for...

I have a bunch of dies, and have used most of them. However, the ones I use most frequently are the strip dies. I really think they are the bread and butter of the dies.

juliea9967

Neuras,
The 2 1/2 inch strip die is probably the one strip die that I use the most. I use it for all my bindings, I make jelly rolls with it and I cut all my 2 1/2 squares for 9 patch quilts. I definitely use this one the most. In fact it was one of the first strip dies I bought.

quiltingshorttimer

I just started a 83x83"quilt using Ricky Tims Kool Kaleidascope pattern where I'm using a total of 3 (3 different sizes) and 1 partial kaleidascope and need lots of strip sets. Yesterday I cut all of them using the 1/2,1,1 1/2" die, 2.5" and 3.5" die--all in 45 min! I love this accuquilt Go Big--today had not hand or shoulder soreness!

Neuras

Do the dies come with their own matching size cutting mat each? Thank you