Pre-Cuts and Scraps.....What to do?

If you are like most folks, then you are cutting back and working on de-stashing and using up scraps to make some fun things for Spring......and other celebrations of life (birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, new babies etc.)  What ever the occasion is for you and your family, I think you may just find some inspiration in the two new books I have reviewed for Martingale & Co. 

Since I get to select the books I want to review, it is almost a sure bet that I'm going to like them or there is there is something about the book that grabbed my attention....either the author or the subject....there is always a thread I'm wanting to tug to see what unravels.

More Loose Change, 14 Quilts from Nickles, Dimes and Fat Quarters

by Claudia Plett and Le Ann Weaver

How many charm square packages or layer cakes do you have in your stash right now?  Fat Quarters and Fat Quarter Bundles?  I have to admit that I have 2 Layer Cakes and 4-6 Charm Square packages.....and probably 6 Fat Quarter Bundles if not more.  Why do I have them?  The only one's I know why I bought were a few of the Charm Square packages I bought for a I-Spy block exchange.  After I bought them I felt bad because they were pre-cut and I kept them instead of including them in the swap (felt like I was cheating by not cutting my own).   The rest....I don't remember....but I really liked the fabric.  I want these fabrics to be used so I don't end up with "moldy oldies!"  Hence my interest in More Loose Change, 14 Quilts from Nickles, Dimes, and Fat Quarters.

Claudia and LeAnn have put together a very fun book.  They have coded their patterns $, $$, and $$$ (Simple, Intermediate and Experienced) for skill level.  I just so happen to fall into every one of those categories....depending on what day it is.  The introductions talks a little about charm squares (nickles), layer cakes (dimes) and quarters (fat quarters) as well as color arrangement.  I think the book is well written....plenty of photos and diagrams and the wording was clear (you know that is really something when I say that....cuz I have the hardest time understanding sometimes).

Honestly there is not a pattern in this book that I would not consider making but the two that I would consider making first are: 

"Liquid Assets" appealed to me because of focus fabric inside the circles.  Here they have chosen fish fabric and the circles look like port holes.  I could just as easily see any other fun print inside the circles and the outside fabrics complimenting what ever your theme would be.  The other thing that really surprised me was the way they put their pattern together.  I think this looks like a rather difficult pattern and guess what?  I'd not.  I'm not going to give their secrets away....let me just say they show you how to maximize the use of your fabrics while showing you how to get the fun results below.

The other pattern that I want to show you is their "Pumpernickel."  As I'm writing this I can't remember how many photos I'm allowed to use from the book....clearly if you were writing books you would not want the world to post all of the patterns on the internet....so if I've gone too far....I might have to come back and delete a photo or two....I'm always flying by the seat of my pants....and of late....my thin memory.

Here they have used black as a background and I like that.  I see lots of colorful quilts set on black or white to enhance the other fabrics used.  Think about how many fabrics you could use up if you made this quilt....and who would not love to be the recipient of a "Pumpernickel" quilt?  I would....so get to stitchin' : )

S is for SCRAPS, 18 Great Quilts

by Gayle Bong

The scrap table at my guild meeting is always full of free fabric.  Does your group or guild have a free table at their meetings?  If not, you might want to consider starting one.  I am always marveling at the free fabrics that return to the guild meeting for show and tell after they have been transformed into beautiful quilts.  S is for SCRAPS, 18 Great Quilts made me think of all of those transformed beauties so I had to see what Gayle had to say about scraps. 

When I read a quilting book, the first thing I notice is how the person writes.  When I am reading I want to feel like I can almost hear the person speaking to me....more of a conversation than a recipe is my preference.  Gayle has done just that.  Her writing style is personal and informative.  She has provided lots of tips for organizing your scraps and a variety of ways to consider grouping your fabrics for a project. 

"Joy in the Morning" is an example of what I would consider to be a "easy" project that would make a lovely quilt for almost any occasion...including charity quilts.  I can't share how Gayle recommends putting this pretty pattern together but I can tell you that it goes together very nicely and Gayle has given you plenty of good directions and diagrams.  There are 17 other patterns that work very well for using up scraps.  I'm feeling guilty for all the photos I've already shared so I'm not going to continue on and on.  Suffice to say I definitely think  S is for Scraps would be a great addition to every-one's quilt reference library. 

While reading both of these books, More Loose Change and S is for Scraps, I was thinking about my own stash and the tools I find to be so useful when quilting.  Starting with pre-cuts can really cut down on prep time before stitching.  If you don't have pre-cuts you can certainly make your own.  I thought I'd post a few ways to make your own pre-cuts faster if you have the fabric but not the pre-cuts. I also included two tools I love for bindings.

Under 20.00
Creative Grids Template Set On Point Charming 5 Square
Creative Grids Quilting Ruler 5 1/2in Square
Cut a Round Tool Midi
Perfect Half-Square & Quarter-Square Triangles

Under 40.00
Shape Cut Plus Template

Over 50.00
Manual

Sizzix Big Shot (dies required)
Sizzix Big Shot Pro (dies required)
GO! Baby (dies required)
GO! Fabric Cutter (dies required)

Electric- Great for those with arthritis or any other concerns that make manual cutting difficult

Sizzix Big Shot Express (dies required)
Sizzix Vagabond (dies required)

BINDING-  under 20.00

When it comes to binding....these are some IHAN favorites

CutRite Bind Up Template 
 Simpli-EZ Bias Ruler

Hopefully these are tools you already know about from reading the IHAN blog.  If not, check them out by clicking on the words as they are linked.  You can also read more about them by reading the reviews of these products on the sidebar of this blog....see....right over there on the right hand side of the blog...yes...right there :)

If you are still with me and you want an opportunity to put your name into a drawing for More Loose Change  and S is for Scraps (one book per winner-two winners will be chosen) then leave a comment on this post telling me which one you would like to win and why you want the book.  Two names will be drawn at random on Saturday April 30, 2010.  Good luck!

Smiles,
Kelly

Follow Up on IHAN Product Review for Sizzix/Westminster Big Shot, Big Shot Pro and Big Shot Express

Since my  last post I've received several e-mails asking lots of questions.  Instead of answering each person I'm going to write a post and do my best to answer everyone's questions.  I'm sure there will be more over time, feel free to either leave a comment or e-mail IHAN. (IHaveANotion@yahoo.com)

1.  Which do I like better, my GO! Fabric Cutter by AccuQuilt or my Big Shot by Sizzix/Westminster?

I like them both and I don't think one is better than the other, just different.  I tried to point out the differences I noticed in my previous post : size, weight, storage, effectiveness, tips etc. 

2.  Why did you buy the Big Shot if you already have a GO! Fabric Cutter?

Because that is what I do....I test sewing, quilting and needle art notions and supplies and report my experience here on the IHAN blog.  I probably own 20 plus pair of scissors....many different manufactures....do they all cut?  Yes.  Why do I have so many pair.....because many are different and are good for specific projects, I like to have them at my sewing area and in project bags....and because I love scissors.  Yes, Brint - The Scissor Man- still loves me even though I own scissors made by others. 

I might consider bringing my Big Shot to a stitch-in because it is smaller.  By the time I've taken my machine and all my other necessary supplies I'm not likely to bring the GO! Fabric Cutter.  Just my way of doing things.  Everybody has their way of doing things and that needs to be taken into account here. 

4. Are Sizzix/Westminster and AccuQuilt coming out with more dies?

I was told that there will be 16 new Sizzix Dies in October (probably won't be available until Jan. 2011...in my experience).   My best guess is they will be shown in Houston for Quilt Market and they will take orders for shipping in the new year.  After all, that is what Market is intended for, shop owners to purchase for the next season.  I just happen to be impatient and when I see it, I want it and I want it right then and there....LOL.

I know AccuQuilt is coming out with some great new dies soon as well.  Click here to see the latest (and there is one that is not listed here too....oh the suspense is building!!) I'm very excited and can't wait to get the Dresden Plate and the 3.5" Drunkards Path. 

3.  Are the dies from both companies interchangeable?

The GO! Dies are slimmer than the Sizzix Dies so by themselves they will not go through my Big Shot Machine.  However, you can see below,  I made a shim and then put the GO! Hearts Die through the Big Shot and it worked just fine. Let me explain a bit further: the Sizzix acrylic cutting mat was on the bottom of the sandwich, then my personally made shim (3 pieces of slim hard cardboard taped together) the GO! Hearts Die and on top I used the GO! Cutting Mat.  I found with the shim I had made I could not get the Sizzix acrylic mat to fit through the machine.   

( I could have taken more or better photos-but I just didn't and it is late and night when I do my posts typically and I'm just too ready to go to bed to be re-taking all the pix so they look "professional.")

Then I tried a Sizzix Die with the GO! Fabric Cutting Machine.  It did go through the machine but look at the cutting mat bowing up in the air.  It was a very tight fit and the cutting mat curled up because of the pressure.  I was very cautious because I obviously did not want to break my GO! Fabric Cutter!!!  I have to say I would not likely do this again because there is not really enough clearance to continue doing this without serious risk of breaking my GO! Fabric Cutter.  

 

That was my experience.  I have been told by Sizzix that the Big Shot, Big Shot Pro and the Big Shot Express will all take the GO! Dies (keep in mind the width of some of the GO! Dies clearly would not fit into the Big Shot or Big Shot Express...they are just too wide....the narrower ones work just fine.  The wider GO! Dies will fit into the Big Shot Pro because of it's wider bed).  I have not tried them all myself, just the GO! Hearts Die with the Big Shot and then the Sizzix Bigz Sunflower and Poinsettia Petals Die in the GO! Fabric Cutter).  I have been told by Sizzix that their machines work with the GO! and Studio Dies but that their Dies do not work in the GO! Fabric Cutter.  I don't own a Studio Fabric Cutter nor any of those Dies so I can not personally say I've done it or have seen it done. 

The Sizzix website says that the Big Shot, Big Shot Pro and Big Shot Express works with every Sizzix Die ever made.  So I'm concluding that really opens up the applique shapes quite a bit and would include the Sizzix Alphabet Dies as well. 

There are also differences in how each machine is made and the materials used(metal, plastic, rubber etc.) in making each of the machines.  I don't plan on going into all those details.  If you are interested in that information I would suggest you contact each company and inquire.

The GO! Dies come with a free pattern printed on the packaging and there were no patterns on the Sizzix Dies Packaging that I purchased.  Both companies Dies did have instructions for use and tips for use printed on their packaging which I found very helpful.  They also print their warranty information in the product manuals.

Warranty Comparison:
According to the AccuQuilt website the Studio Fabric Cutting Machine comes with a Lifetime warranty. 
The GO! Fabric Cutter Machine have a One Year Limited Warranty .   The warranty says if you experience a manufacturing defect within one year of purchase, AccuQuilt will repair or replace the cutter at no charge.  It also says to return the cutter to the place you purchased it.

 

As a consumer, you would have to return your GO! Fabric Cutter  or GO! Dies to the place where you purchased they are defective. If you purchased your GO! Fabric Cutting Machine from an on-line store like IHAN, their warranty says you would have to return it to that store and thus you would have to pay the shipping to return it.  I see this as an obvious drawback because if there is a manufactures defect and you have already paid once to have it shipped to you, I would not want to pay again to get a replacement.  On my part, I don't want to have to pay shipping back to a distributor and be charged again to have a replacement sent to me and then I would have to send it to my customer.   

I did have a situation where a customer paid to send their defective GO! Die back to me for replacement.  I compensated the customer for their shipping expenses.  I contacted AccuQuilt and they were very accommodating in getting my customer's defective die replaced without further expenses being incurred by myself or my customer which I greatly appreciated.  

According to the Sizzix website the Big Shot Express has a One Year Limited Warranty  and the Big Shot has a 3 year Limited Warranty.  The Big Shot Pro has a 5 Year Limited Warranty.  The photo below is of the manual that was enclosed when I purchased the Big Shot.



The Sizzix Warranty indicates that you contact the Sizzix Customer Relations and they will pay for the return and replacement of your product.  That is only the case if they determine there was a manufactures defect.  If Sizzix finds that you have misused the machine or used it commercially the customer will be responsible for the return postage. 

As a consumer and as a business owner, I must say I prefer the Sizzix Warranty.  I own the Big Shot and the warranty is 3 yrs vs the 1 year I have on my GO! Fabric Cutting Machine. 

Note: The warranties take effect from the date of purchase so save your receipt!!  I typically keep my boxes too just in case I need to send something back to a company so I can safely package it for shipping. 
That is what I know today.  When I learn more, I'll let you know.

Smiles,
Kelly

Sizzix and Westminster Fabrics introduced Quilting By Design at Spring Quilt Market 2010

I had heard about the Sizzix and Westminster Fabrics Quilting By Design prior to going to Spring Quilt Market.  I had them on my list of must see New Notions. 

.

I wanted to see first hand how this new Big Shot Pro worked.  This is Denzel Quick and he was demonstrating the  Big Shot Pro when I walked up.  This die cutting machine reportedly will cut through paper, card-stock,  fabric, balsam wood, and tin.  I was told it would cut through most anything of this sort because it has a beveled edge on the blades.  I've seen it cut through paper, card-stock and fabric but not the others.  I didn't have a tin can handy...LOL.

Denzel folded the fabric over the long dies and then ran them through the Big Shot Pro.  This machine requires a pair of plastic resin cutting pads, one on top and one beneath the die.  Essentially the die is sandwiched between the two cutting pads with the fabric on top of the die.

Below you can see the "sandwich."

The wall of Dies were great eye candy for sure!!   Sorry about the flash, but at least you get an idea right?

They were embossing fabric and making rubber stamps using the Big Shot and the Big Shot Pro too.

This is the embossed fabric sample that I saw being made and below you can see the back side where the card-stock was attached.  You would not be able to remove the paper because the fabric would not hold the shape.....it is the paper backing that allows the embossing to hold.  I think this would be great for art projects where they would never be washed. 

Above is a rubber stamp made with adhesive backed rubber.  I think that is really neat that you can make rubber stamps too.

The wreath above and the garland below were made by folding the fabric accordion style prior to running it through the Big Shot Machine.  Oh did that give me some ideas....how about you? 

 

While at Market I noticed that when the fabric was removed from the dies there were small strands of fabric still attached.  I thought it was because the dies they were using had been used so much that perhaps they were dull.  However, I found the same thing to be true when I was using the Big Shot Machine while I was recently at Checker Distributors.  I sent an e-mail to the gal who I met from Sizzix and inquired.  She told me that using a piece of paper on top of the fabric will help eliminate that problem.  So I went back to Checker Distributors with more fabric and three different weights of paper to do an IHAN test.

Here you can see what I humorously call a hanging chad.  I guess a hanging chad is better than a dangling participle ay?  LOL

You can see the paper cut through each time.  No problems there.

 

However, even with the paper I still had hexagons with strings attached to one another.  The threads can be snipped of course but I was assuming I would get a clean cut every time.  That did not happen.

I also had the fabric get stuck in the hexagon die like you see here.   I'm not sure if this was operator error and I used paper that was too heavy. 

When I saw this pretty applique die I just had to try it out.  The folks at Checker Distributors are so kind and they let me open it to give it a test drive.  Since I had gotten a hanging chad with the hexagon die I thought perhaps I would with this die as well.

 

But as you see, I did not have any problems at all.  The fabric cut clean the first time through.  I have to say IHAN tests are not scientific as I'm no "expert" unless you consider the fact that I do travel around to try all the latest and greatest Notions so I will have a clue as to how to use them and how they work.  Other than the hanging threads I was very pleased with how the Big Shot performed.

The only other die I saw used was the 2 1/2 inch strip die that cut the "jelly roll" strips.  I would love to try all the dies but I don't have access to all of them without purchasing them.  One thing for sure, if I find anyone doing demos that has all the dies, I'll be there.  I love playing  "Consumer Reports" in the Notions department...LOL. 

When I learn more about the Sizzix Big Shot and Big Shot Pro and Dies I'll be sure to post again.

Smiles from the little shot here at IHAN,

Kelly