Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

[everest123]

Hi there - I am the lucky recipient of an Amazon gift card which would allow me to purchase an Accu-quilt Go cutter and a couple of the dies. I have been hemming (no pun intended!) and hawing over this for several weeks now. My thought is to purchase the Hunter Star and 2 1/2 inch strip dies. I would love to hear from those of you who have (or had) the Go about whether or not you would do it again. Since it is essentially free, I am very tempted but am afraid I would use it once or twice and then it would gather dust. I did search the forum for posts and it seems like most who replied are happy with their purchase. Please - help me decide!
thanks in advance
Laura

[asta]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I use my Go Baby quite often, I do a lot of applique projects so I love the shapes my most used are the snowflake, leaves, car, train, flowers. I also use the tumbler die quite a bit, I do not have any of the strip or square dies since I have no problem cutting these shapes with the rotary cutter. Is nice to have the dog ears cut from the triangles tho.

[am2901]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I have used my Go Baby for 2-1/2" strips so many times that it has been worth the purchase price (I paid full price). You get perfect strips without the "curve" so frequent when cutting long strips by hand. I've used the Hunter's Star dies two times for one large block each time (which I surrounded with small squares for baby quilts), and really liked the way the Star pieces went together. I do plan to use the Star dies for an entire quilt soon. I have several other dies but I don't use them very much.

[Vonnie]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I love out accuquilt die cutter and dies. You can cut your own jelly rolls and honey buns. Also half square triangles. You should try to find people in your area where you can borrow dies that you might only use once or twice. But, also look at what type of quilts you like to make. And buy the dies for that.

[Alpha O]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

Accuquilt has gone to the Qube system, The Qubes contain most of the dies to make certain size blocks.

You could buy a Qube with the same size blocks as the Hunter's Star - if you get strips - the strip dies have marks to cut other blocks, filler strips, etc.

I did it the original way, by the die.

There's pamphlets on the site of what you can make with each Qube. It would pay to look everything over well.

[K. McEuen]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I'll ask you a question - do you have a place to set it up and leave it set up?

I have a Go, which is quite a bit bigger than the Baby so it takes up more space, weighs more, etc. I don't use mine enough to justify what I paid for it because I don't have a place to leave it out. By the time I drag it and everything it needs out, I'm tired and don't want to mess with it. They are nice to have, but I know I would get a lot more use out of mine if it had its own space.

[Kateskloset]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I have the baby, I wish I had the Go, there are so many dies that I want that will not fit in the Baby. I love mine. I don't get to use it often, there's always a design I want to make using a pattern. I find my piecing is more accurate when I use it, I bought the Qube and love it as well. Go for it, give yourself a chance, it may take a little bit for you to warm up to it...it took me a year! Get the Go and a few dies and then you can add the Qube later, they are pricey.

[Murphy224]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I love my Go cutter and like you, got it "free" with an Amazon gift card. I do not use it every day, nor even every month, but when I want to cut circles, hearts, flowers, stars, etc I am extremely glad to have it. I use it mainly to cut those shapes that are difficult to cut by hand and can not be cut with a rotary cutter. My suggestion is, if you haven't already, to go to the Accuquilt web site and look around at the patterns, dies, and ideas available. See if they fit your quilting needs or ideas. I have no problems cutting strips, squares, rectangles etc with ruler and rotary cutter and don't want to spend my funds on those. Some people have problems cutting strips and if so, the strip dies are a must.
If you are into machine embroidery, there are lots of designs that coordinate with the dies, so you can cut your fabric with a die and use your embroidery machine to applique it down. I made a Christmas circle quilt with that method and it was quick and easy.
I have no regrets about my getting my Accuquilt Go and would buy it again in a heartbeat.
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[Dakota Girl]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I have the GO, Hunter's Star, 2/1/2 in strip cutter and about 14 other dies. The GO is the only way to go for me.

[everest123]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

Thank you all for your responses - I think I will go for it!

[Alpha O]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

The trouble with the Qube is finding the sizes and dies listed for those of us who do buy separately.

The only Churn dash listed is 12" Qube or with a studio die. I've been able to take sizes down by changing a 4" block to a 2".

I finally did get it, but there should be a list of dies and sizes. Those of us who started by the die seem to be getting shafted with no info.

I've complained a couple of times and no answer.

[Amarillo19]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

I know you've already made your decision about buying the Go but thought I'd add my thoughts. I have one and love it. Some of the things I love are how accurate the cutting is. It makes it so much easier to match pieces. Also each die comes with a pattern to make a quilt with it. I don't leave mine set up; it's easy to put up and down. I probably have about 15 dies but when I got my Go it came with several dies. However, it's like potato chips- you always want one more.

[Deegles]

Re: Question for Accu-Quilt Go owners

My logic when I purchased my cutter:
1. I have a rotary cutter that already can cut straight lines and angles. I try to stay away from those dies.
2. Applique dies are neat because it is so fast and accurate
3. Curved dies are awesome. If any of you have ever done a clamshell pattern, apple core pattern, or drunkards path pattern, these take a long time to cut out with (even if you had the acrylic template which is expensive, it is up to you to be accurate.

I have done two tumbler quilts and made them completely different.

I have done an apple core quilt, which went together really fast.

I am working on a clamshell quilt (this is extremely advanced and gets put away because it is tedious)

I will be building a drunkards path quilt making turtle squares one of these days because my mother and I share the cutting system and the dies and a qube.
If there is an accuquilt dealer in your area, they are trained to show you how there is no fabric waste and to utilize the 2 1/2 inch strip set die with the 45 degree angle incorporated into so you could make a lone star quilt, a rhombus quilt, and the list goes on and on.