Introducing GO! New York Beauty Die

December’s Die to Try™ is a classic beauty of a block – the GO! New York Beauty-9” Finished Block on Board or BOB die, that is! This block has been around for quite some time, and has been known by different names including Crown of Thorns, Rocky Mountain Road and Sunrise, but thanks to Mountain Mist printing the pattern on their batting wrappers in the 1930’s under the name New York Beauty, that is now the most common name for the stately block.

The New York Beauty block has often been looked on as a challenging piece for quilters, as it includes both curved and pointed piecing, and it’s often created using foundation paper piecing, but this new die is here to change all of that!

GO! New York Beauty-9” Finished

AccuQuilt has transformed this die from a challenge for experienced quilters to something anyone can make if they know how to sew a ¼” seam. Why? For starters, the die takes away any cutting errors, giving you perfectly cut pieces every time, but there’s even more. Looking at the die, you’ll see the shapes clearly laid out and labeled with screen printed letters. The pieces are laid out to help you reduce fabric waste when cutting a 4-color block. The pieces also have specially designed dog ears, allowing you to perfectly align each piece as they are sewn, but what makes the die really special are the notches that it cuts for you, which make all the difference when it comes to sewing the curves in this block.

Detailed block assembly directions can be found on the die’s packaging. They are also available on the die’s product page on AccuQuilt.com as a free download. The die is designed to cut a 4-color block, and will do it in just 2 passes through a GO! Bolt or one pass through a GO! or GO! Big.

Embrace Those Curves!

Quilters have been known to shy away from blocks that involve sewing curves in the past, but there’s really no reason to fear sewing curves at all, and we’re here to help you every step of the way. After all, the die is doing the hard work of cutting your perfect pieces with the notches to match up, all you need to do is pin and sew, and as always, you should start by sewing a test block!

Following the block assembly directions, your first step is sewing together the pieced arc. Note that there are notches facing both directions for you, and be sure to keep your pieces pointing the correct directions. The last step will be sewing on the end pieces, shape E. It’s important to note that this piece is directional, which is why the cutting directions have you fan folding your fabric over the shape.

Time for the first curve! Match up the notches for shapes A and D, pinning each set together. I also find it helpful to pin the beginning and end of the seam. When sewing curves, remember to sew with a smile on top, so shape D will be on the top in this case. This allows you to easily guide the fabric under the presser foot on your sewing machine. If at any point the material under the presser foot starts to bunch up, stop sewing with the needle down through the fabric so you can slightly raise and lower the foot. This will release the tension in the fabric and allow you to keep sewing a nice flat seam.

Continue following the directions and you will have a stunning block in no time. Here’s a video tutorial to help guide you!

With your test block under your belt, let’s take a look at some projects to inspire you on ways to use this great die. All of these patterns are available as free downloads on AccuQuilt.com.

GO! New York Reflections Throw Quilt

Feel the bright lights of the big city with this quilt that shows off different ways to use and place your GO! New York Beauty blocks. The center of the quilt shows off 4 blocks together, forming a large circular design while the outside of the quilt shows the blocks in pairs forming half circles and single blocks in the corners creating a quarter of a circle. It’s really fun to see the shapes come to life in this quilt, designed for AccuQuilt by Suzy Webster of Webster Quilts.

GO! Bright Lights, Beautiful City Throw Quilt

Get ready to create a piece of Art Deco art when you make this lovely quilt. In this pattern designed for AccuQuilt by Jennifer Strauser of Dizzy Quilter, the GO! New York Beauty – 9” Finished die combines with the GO! Qube Mix & Match 9” Finished Block with Companion Sets Angles and Corners to create this radiant project. The cherry on top is the scrappy binding that’s easily created using the GO! Scrappy Binding die.

GO! Sunrise, Sunset Pillow

Can you combine different GO! Block on Board blocks in the same project? Of course, and just look at this stunning result! This pillow was designed and created for AccuQuilt by Lissa LaGreca of Loving Lissa using both the GO! New York Beauty and the GO! Grandmother’s Fan dies together, emphasizing the design with color and fabric choices that are sure to please and fit almost any décor.

GO! New York at Night Throw Quilt

Now, here’s a quilt that’s sure to give you the vibrant feel of Times Square at night, full of bright lights and crowds creating an electric atmosphere. This project was designed and created for AccuQuilt by Ellen Ault of Handmade 3D using two Block on Board dies again – but giving a totally different effect! In this quilt, the GO! New York Beauty-9” finished die is partnered with the GO! Crossed Canoes to create a stunning pattern with a unique secondary pattern, drawing you into the neon colors of the quilt. With this quilt, the lights really are bright on Broadway!

GO! Wildcat Throw Quilt

Here’s a whole new way to look at blocks made with the GO! New York Beauty die that’s really something to purr about! Pamela J. Morgan created this whimsical quilt for us, surrounding these happy cats with flocks of Flying Geese, enough to keep any cat busy for days but you’ll create them with ease with GO! Dies to cut them for you!.

Remember, the GO! New York Beauty-9” finished die is part of AccuQuilt’s Die to Try program, meaning it may only be around for 1 month or while supplies last and it’s only available to purchase from AccuQuilt.com and your local AccuQuilt dealer, so run and grab this beauty today!