I love my AccuQuilt machine for cutting scraps into usable shapes. It helps me turn an unruly pile of leftovers into neat squares, stripss, and other pieces that are ready for future quilts.
But is it the best tool for cutting ordinary strips?
After my latest cutting session, I’m not convinced.
My AccuQuilt Experiment
I needed 2½-inch strips for one of my current scrap quilts, so I pulled out the AccuQuilt strip-cutting die. Since it can cut nine strips at once, it sounded like the quickest and easiest solution.
At least, that was the theory.
First, I had to prepare the fabric and carefully line it up on the die…..
That took longer than I expected. Then I discovered that I hadn’t cut my fabric quite wide enough to cover the entire die. Instead of nine strips, I ended up with eight strips—and one wider leftover piece.
The fabric was also a little thicker than normal. The die cut through most of the layers, but it didn’t completely cut through the top one. I had to go back with scissors and separate several sections….
That wasn’t a complete disaster, but it did mean more waste than I wanted.
By the time I finished, my supposedly quick stack of nine strips—make that eight strips—had taken quite a while.
Time for a Side-by-Side Test
After that experience, I decided to cut the next eight strips with my rotary cutter and 24-inchruler.
I placed a two-pound weight on one end of the ruler to help hold it firmly in place. That made cutting the long strips much easier and kept the ruler from shifting…..
I cut two strips at a time, starting by trimming one edge, then cutting a 5-inch strip…
…and then sliding the ruler down and cutting the 2.5-inch strip.
The rotary-cut strips were faster to cut, easier to manage, and produced virtually no waste…
Were they as perfectly accurate as the AccuQuilt strips? Possibly not. But any differences were so small that they won’t matter in this quilt.
So, Is AccuQuilt Worth It for Cutting Strips?
For me, the answer is no—not for plain strips cut from yardage.
The time needed to prepare and position the fabric, along with the possibility of waste or incomplete cuts through thicker layers, outweighed the convenience of cutting several strips at once.
In this case, my rotary cutter and ruler were simply faster and easier.
That doesn’t mean I’m giving up my AccuQuilt machine. Far from it! I still love it for processing scraps and cutting shapes that would be slower or more difficult to cut individually.
But for a stack of ordinary 2½-inch strips?
I’ll be reaching for my rotary cutter, long ruler, and trusty two-pound weight.
Sometimes the simplest tool really is the best tool for the job.
What about you? Do you use an AccuQuilt machine to cut strips, or do you prefer your rotary cutter and ruler?
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Don’t you hate it when you KNOW you have something but can’t get your hands on it?
That happened to me this past week, as I started thinking about quilts to make with ALL my 2.5-inch strips.
I was thinking about making something with a lot of half-square triangles, but those wouldn’t use up my STRIPS….squares yes, but strips….no.
Then I remembered trying one of Bonnie Hunter’s tools for making HST’s from strips. But where was the tool? I could NOT find it!!
I started searching in my accordion ruler holder…..
…but didn’t see it anywhere. I did find the “Easy Angle” ruler and the “Quilt In A Day” ruler…..
….so decided to try those first.
The method for the Q-I-A-D ruler was to sew a 1/4-inch on each side of the strips…..
… and then place the ruler on the sewn line and cut the triangle through both pieces of fabric……
I tried one, and it was slightly smaller than 2.5-inches. I adjusted where I was placing the rule and was able to get a consistent 2.5-inch size on the other three.
But when I sewed the block together, I REALLY didn’t like working with the bias edges on the blocks, although the finished size was pretty close to perfect…..
Next, I tried the “Easy Angle II” ruler. In this case, you lay the strips right sides together and use the ruler to cut these shapes…..
….which are sewn together…..
….and pressed to make HST’s…..
Those worked fairly well, except the ruler was big and gangly, and I had a hard time with it slipping around.
Bonnie’s ruler is basically the same as the Easy Angle, but it is smaller and easier to use.
BUT….WHERE IS IT????
Come back on Thursday and we will search together!!
How do you make HST’s using strips??
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On Tuesdays, I provide a tip, technique, or product review. Please subscribe to the blog to ensure that you don’t miss ANY of them!!
It is always exciting to have a quilt accepted into a show… until it comes time to get that quilt ready to submit!
Then you have to ensure you have ticked all of the boxes…..
Hanging Sleeve
Label on Quilt
Label on Pillow Case
I have normally already done the first two, but this third one is ALWAYS done at the last minute and in a HUGE hurry.
Almost every show requires a few basics… Name of Quilt, Quilter’s Name, Address, Phone number, and email address.
Obviously, 4 of those items won’t change very often….only the name of the quilt.
THAT is where Rosie’s genius comes into play…..
She made one large label that has all of the relevant quilter information…..
….. and sewed that onto the pillowcase.
Then she made a SECOND LABEL with the name of the quilt…
…. and sewed that onto the pillowcase, using a larger stitch.
This is the result….
The PERMANENT INFORMATION label stays on the pillowcase at all times, and the quilt name label is easily removed and replaced with the next acceptance!!
Such a SIMPLE SOLUTION to a frustrating task!
Thanks, Rosie!!
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On Tuesdays, I provide a tip, technique, or product review. Please subscribe to the blog to ensure that you don’t miss ANY of them!!
Option 2: Make a glorious mess and tackle it all at the end?
These photos were taken about 30 minutes apart while I was working on a baby quilt. 😄
Photo 1: Creative chaos.
Photo 2: Everything back in its place.
I always start out planning to clean as I go, and that sticks for the first hour or so.
But then I get so focused on quilting that the mess keeps growing until I can’t stand it anymore. Then I stop everything and do a full cleanup before moving on.
So… what’s your style?
Team “Clean As You Go” or Team “Clean It All Later”?
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On Tuesdays, I provide a tip, technique, or product review. Please subscribe to the blog to ensure that you don’t miss ANY of them!!
