Another update on my version of this fun free sampler quilt along for 2023! We are close to the end. All the free pattern for the 24 blocks are out and we have just the final layout to do next week to finish off.
You can find all about Sewcialites 2, a free sampler quilt along 2023 HERE>.
There are free video tutorials, so if you are a beginner, be sure to pick up all the tips Kimberly has for you as she sews the blocks in the videos. I love picking up various tips from different quilters as they teach me to become a better quilter.
While there’s no hard and fast rule in quilting, there are definitely some time-saving tips and piecing tricks that just make things easier that we can pick up by watching other quilters sew.
I learned so much from sewing along the last round for Sewcialites I,
You can see my first Sewcialites quilt (also a free sampler quilt) HERE>
I am all caught up at the point of me writing this blogpost. The blocks are sweet and I am loving them all. I had a lot of fun with the quilt along which was surely most important for me when it comes to making sampler quilts.
This week I thought of finishing up a quilt, but I ended up wrapped up with a sick kid for half of the week, so I didn’t have much time in my sewing room. But I did cross-stitch a bit more than usual. So that was nice too.
Last weekend I also spent time putting wallpaper in our little pantry at home where I spend time making coffee in the morning. So, I thought that it would be time for me to finish up a recent cross-stitch finish to put up too. I finished this piece earlier this year which I talked about in Flosstube #3 HERE. I wanted it to be put up in this pantry that I just recently revamped. The chart is by Brenda Gervais With Thy Needle & Thread, But Coffee First .
AccuQuilt is a company that produces die-cutting machines and fabric cutting dies for quilting and other fabric crafts. The AccuQuilt system is designed to make fabric cutting faster, easier, and more accurate. But is it worth it for quilting? and Does it waste more fabrics compared to the conventional method?
In this blog post, I’ll share my experience using my AccuQuilt and we’ll explore the pros and cons of the AccuQuilt system and help you decide whether it’s a good investment for your quilting needs.
I bought my Accuquilt Go! set a few years back where I posted an earlier unboxing video HERE. It costed as much to have it shipped all the way here to Malaysia. However, I decided that it was well worth the investment since I really would like to use it for managing scraps and to cut curves shape templates.
In general, here are some of the Pros and Cons of Accuquilt machines:
Pros:
Speed and Accuracy: AccuQuilt machines and dies are designed to cut fabric quickly and accurately, saving you time and reducing the risk of mistakes. The precision cutting ensures that all your pieces are the same size and shape, which is important for creating a quilt with even seams and a professional finish. I think this is the main reason that makes Accuquilt worth it. I just love that it saves so much time cutting and piecing! and it’s so much fun cutting with the machine too.
Versatility: AccuQuilt machines and dies are versatile and can be used to cut a wide range of fabrics, including cotton, denim, and even leather. The dies come in a variety of shapes and sizes, allowing you to create intricate designs and patterns. There are so many dies to choose from! and they usually haveSALE on overstock items which you can grab dies for up to 70% off.
Consistency: One of the biggest advantages of the AccuQuilt system is the consistency it provides. With traditional rotary cutting methods, it can be difficult to cut every piece of fabric exactly the same. With AccuQuilt, every piece is cut precisely the same, which can make piecing your quilt top together much easier.
Easy to Use: AccuQuilt machines are easy to use and require minimal setup. You simply place your fabric on the die, run it through the machine, and you’re done. This makes it an excellent choice for quilters of all skill levels, including beginners.
Light on the wrist and hand. If you struggle with wrist pain when using rotary cutter to cut lots of fabrics, You’ll love this. The electric Cutter is even better. The crank on the Accuquilt Go! is easy to turn and will not be hard on the wrist even after many cuts. But of course, take lots of break in any given tasks. If you have wrist pain, I recommend getting the Accuquilt Go! Big Electric Cutter instead.
Cons:
Cost: The biggest downside of the AccuQuilt system is the cost. Is Accuquilt worth it? The machines and dies can be expensive, which can be a significant investment for some quilters. However, many quilters believe that the time and frustration saved by using the AccuQuilt system is worth the investment. I surely feel like it was worth the time to use up my scraps easily, and have all the pieces cut in matters of minutes. And they are perfectly accurate! Plus, I think it is so much fun cutting with the Accuquilt than it is with a rotary cutter.
Limited Die Sizes: While AccuQuilt offers a wide range of dies, the sizes are limited. This can be frustrating if you’re looking to cut larger pieces of fabric or create a quilt with larger blocks. But, they also take in custom orders! Yes they do and they’re adding new dies with time and request.
Storage: AccuQuilt machines will need some space in your sewing room. It does fold up close but they are pretty heavy. I do love that it is heavy though as it does feel like it is sturdy and very well built. It is best to have it somewhere where you can easily use it.
Does Accuquilt waste fabrics?
The short answer to that is No. You can waste as much fabrics with rotary cutter too.
I know when I first wanted to purchase the Accuquilt, I had the same question. I thought we had to put a square piece of fabrics in with a certain size, and whatever is cut away from that piece will end up as waste. Well, apparently it is not like that at all. The initial fabric does not have to be a certain size, for as long as it is larger than the shape we are going to cut, it would cut. How much fabric will be wasted or mistakenly cut will really depend on the user. Just as we have to plan when cutting with a rotary cutter, we can also plan how we can minimise fabric wastage when using Accuquilt.
How to cut with minimal fabric waste
In the video below, I’ll share with you how I cut half square triangles for my current work in progress, The Scrappy Ocean Wave Quiltand how I minimise fabric wastage. I love fabrics, and I want them to go a long way. Quilting fabric is surely not cheap. Not only that I wasted the same amount of fabrics when rotary cutting, I SAVE a LOT of time cutting pieces and trimming. No more trimming the units with these exact cut pieces. So, I definitely feel like the Accuquilt is worth the investment. I am yet to use more of the curvy dies.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the AccuQuilt system is a great investment for quilters who value speed, accuracy, and consistency. While the cost can be a barrier for some, many quilters including me believe that the time and frustration saved by using the system is worth it. If you’re looking to create intricate designs and patterns, the AccuQuilt system is an excellent choice. However, if you’re looking to cut larger pieces of fabric or create larger blocks, the limited die sizes may be a drawback. Ultimately, the decision of whether to invest in the AccuQuilt system will depend on your individual needs and preferences.
So, is Accuquilt worth it?
If you do a lot of scrap quilt or make lots of quilts with repetitive units, Accuquilt will surely be a great investment.
Where to buy Accuquilt?
Accuquilt Website – they ship internationally using Fed-Ex and you can grab it at SALE price.
Time for another link-up party and I’ll share another finish too! This is certainly great accountability to get me going in the sewing room. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to finish something up too! I finish a table topper this week!
My Friday Finish: A Table Topper from leftover Blocks
This week I finished a cute table topper. The blocks were leftovers from this table runner project. I kept the leftover blocks, which didn’t make the cut for the table runner project. I made a pillow before with the other leftovers, but there were still 7 leftover blocks.
Since I made myself this promise to have something finished by Friday, I didn’t have much time to think too much. Usually overthink stuff before I sew them. I knew I wanted a topper for the storage unit in the hallway, and these blocks were perfect. Except that I needed one more block to make it complete.
If you’re a quilter, you’re probably familiar with the term “unfinished objects (UFOs)”. An unfinished object is a project that you’ve started but hasn’t finished. UFOs can be found in many areas of quilting, from piecing to quilting to the binding. In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the reasons why UFOs happen and how to deal with them.
So let’s begin with the question of why do UFOs exists.
Why do we have unfinished objects UFOs in our quilting pile?
1. Lack of Motivation
One of the most common reasons why quilters don’t finish their WIPs is a lack of motivation. Quilting can be a time-consuming process, and it’s easy to get burned out or lose interest in a project. This is especially true if a quilter has been working on a project for a long time or if they’re struggling with a particular technique. When motivation wanes, it can be difficult to find the energy to keep going.
I recently got some fun new things that I tried that worked so well that I had to share. These may not be quilting tools, but we can absolutely use them for our quilting routine!
In this post, I’ll share some fun non quilting tools that will help you to spray starch faster, organise fat quarters and clean your machine.
I am so excited to be sharing a new finish. And it happens to be Friday when I post this, so I thought, let’s kick start a Friday Finish Party on this blog.
Friday Finish Party!
I think a Friday Finish would be a good way to motivate me to get things to the finish line. Let’s see if I can keep up though. It can be small finishes or even big quilts. If you have a finish that you want to share, please upload your link or photo in this blogpost in the InLinkz section below this post. You have until next Friday to link up for this week.
If you have any problem uploading, let me know. I’ll try my best to help.
Back in 2011, I joined a block swap event where I actually requested the postage stamp block and the stripy HST.
I ended up with a mix-matched pieces and although I love each one dearly, it was really hard for me to put them together.
The blocks ended up in the Orphan block pile for quite some time because I really don’t know how to put them together.
I do love them though. They remind me of how fun it is being connected with other quilters around the world, and even though I may never get to meet the makers of these blocks, I have a piece of their work with me, and for that, I cherish it.
If you are new to the term flosstube, here are some details and some of my favourite floss tuber that you may be interested to check out too!
What is Flosstube?
Flosstube is a term used to describe a niche community on YouTube dedicated to cross-stitching and embroidery and some even share about quilting too!
Flosstube creators known as flosstubers share their works in progress (WIPs), finished pieces, tips, and techniques related to cross-stitching and embroidery.
The name flosstube comes from “floss,” which is the term used for the embroidery thread used in cross-stitching.
The community has grown in popularity over the years, with thousands of subscribers and viewers tuning in to watch their favorite creators share their passion for this craft.
Basically, the Flosstube World is a community where cross-stitching friends chat about their current projects, hauls, and other stitching-related topics.
My Flosstube has a new episode!
Did you know that I started a floss tube too? They are on my YouTube channel, but in these episodes, I keep the chat entered around cross-stitching projects.
Come and catch up with me and my sister in this latest episode, Episode #4 as we chat all about the cross stitch projects we’re working on on our plans.
Elizabeth Ann Can Stitch: Her chat is a happy time for me! She never fails to make me laugh and her projects are a lot of fun and I can see making the same projects as hers too. She also quilt!!
A recovered Monogamous Stitcher: Karen is just very organised and she is a prolific cross stitcher! She just has lots to share and I love her projects. She also make quilts and her quilts are showcase standard.
Antique Needleworkers : These two duo are the best! They have looong videos but are a delight to have as I sew and stitch. You have to watch
They sold out so many times already! It is such a great book
Making my first block for the Barn Star Sampler Quilt
I am finally going through my Anna Maria Horner’s stash and I have decided to mix it up with Tula Pink Tiny Dots and Stripes and the Tiny Beast Collection to have more varieties.
They’ll be the perfect bundle to make this fun star quilt with all those deep colours!
As I mentioned in the previous blogpost where I posted the list of the fun quilt along for 2023 HERE, I was only going to be using only Anna Maria Horner’s (AMH) Fabrics and some backgrounds.
However, as I picked my fabric for the first block, I know that I WAS NOT going to be brave mixing up all the florals bright motifs light how Anna always does with her quilts.
I still fell like I needed the smaller prints to get a good balance.
And it was so hard to cut off those beautiful prints with large motifs!
