AccuQuilt Cutter: First Impression (Friday Foto Fun #79)

Happy Friday!  Last weekend, I did a live stream on Facebook using the AccuQuilt Cutter for the first time.  AccuQuilt is one of the industry sponsors for the Island Batik Ambassador program this year, and they sent each of the ambassadors a Ready, Set, GO! kit.  Our April challenge is to make a baby quilt utilizing the AccuQuilt cutter.  I had never used a die cutter before this and have had apprehensions about using one.  A cutter (from any brand) is not cheap, and there are just so many parts!  I can't be the only one who felt a little overwhelmed with die cutting.

So here's my first impression...

The cutter is SO EASY to use!!! You can check out the video of me figuring out how to use the cutter on my Facebook Page, but it's not hard.  It also comes with a CD and lots of instructions.

All you do is put up to 6 layers of fabric over the die with the foam side up, put the cutting mat over the fabric/die, and manually crank it through the machine.  TADA!  You got some cut pieces.  I was able to cut a lot of pieces in a short amount of time.

All of these pieces were meant to make a block that was included with the dies.  However, I made one of the blocks and realized there were a billion y-seams in it.

I have learned y-seams before but have since forgotten, and I didn't feel like making 25 blocks that had a billion y-seams each! If you haven't learned y-seams before, here's a tutorial video from Victoria Findlay Wolfe.  She's who I first learned how to make y-steams from.

I went back to the drawing board and picked an easier pattern to do for my challenge quilt this month.

I cut the entire quilt out in no time at all!  There is a little bit of waste since you are cutting pieces from the fabric, but there is trimming after sewing!  It's totally worth it!

Have you used a die cutter before?  If not, what's stopping you?