Tuesday Tips from Eleanor Burns

"AccuQuilt cutters are the best thing since sliced bread!" ~Eleanor Burns

The 136-page GO! Sampler book from Eleanor Burns is a fantastic addition to the GO! enthusiast’s library, but it is also perfect if you are new to the GO! Fabric Cutting System.

GO Sampler Book Coverjpg

Eleanor’s book includes everything from selecting the right GO! Fabric Cutter to organizing your GO! dies to positioning and cutting your fabric correctly.

She has built this book around our GO! Mix & Match 6” and 9” Block Sets and provides detailed instructions on how to create numerous block designs.

You can look forward to Eleanor's GO! tips every Tuesday on our blog!

Selecting Your AccuQuilt^®Cutter and Dies

There are three AccuQuilt Cutters to choose from. The space saving design of GO!® and GO! Baby® makes them easy to fold up and store, as well as to take to classes, guild meetings, retreats and quilting bees. These two machines are light weight, and are hand operated with a turn of a handle.

The third cutter is the GO! BIG® Electric Fabric Cutter. This is the ultimate machine! It’s the biggest and largest cutter. With just the press of a button, you can cut two dies at a time with up to six layers of fabric. You don’t feel any strain from traditional rotary cutting.

Fabric Cutting Dies

Use the eight dies in the Mix and Match Collection to create an infinite number of blocks and patterns. The AccuQuilt website illustrates seventy-two at this time.

All dies from Mix and Match fit in a GO! Baby® fabric cutter, including 6" x 6", 5" x 10", and 6" x 12" sizes. They are made with “Two Tone” Foam, making it easy to cover metal blades inserted in the foam. It’s next to impossible to cut yourself on the blades, however you should always use caution. The seam allowance, notches for matching, and trimmed corners are on the dies.

Setting Up Your AccuQuilt Center

Set up at least a 24" x 40" work surface at your elbow height. Consider enough space for these items:

• AccuQuilt cutter of your choice

• 18" x 24" Cutting mat and rotary cutter

• Eight Mix and Match dies for your size blocks

• Storage Rack to organize dies

This vinyl-covered wire rack holds eight dies with mats, keeping them upright and supported. Order #55115

• Mats that match die board size

• Storage for extra dies and mats

• Waste Basket

• Die Pick #55105

• Stiletto, Scissors, Tweezers

• Piece of rubberized shelf liner Place underneath cutter so it doesn’t slide.

Open cutter on end of table most convenient to turn wheel on GO! or GO! Baby. Plan an electrical outlet for GO! BIG.

Position tools that help with the cutting process, including scissors to cut unwanted connected threads on fabrics, and tweezers or picks to pull out stray threads from the dies. A waste basket next to the table is invaluable!

Organizing Your Dies

Opening Dies

Open new packages by lifting up cellophane flap on bottom end of new die. Wrapper can be removed without damaging it and can be placed back on die if desired.

Marking Your Mix and Match Collection Dies

Instructions are given for thirty-four 6" and 9" blocks using eight dies. Other dies can be purchased for 8" and 12" blocks; however, they are not referenced in this book. Once you understand techniques for making these blocks, you will be able to make all blocks in all sizes.

Organize your set of dies on a storage rack by referring to die number. With a permanent marker, write numbers 1-8 and size of block on sides of dies for easy reference.