Saturday, June 05, 2010

First Impressions On The Go! Cutter

I went into Lincoln today to check out a quilting store I had never been in.  It was a really nice store and go figure (pun intended) they had one of those Go! accuquilt things.  She showed it to me and let me try it out.  While it was nice, I think it's ridiculously overpriced for what it is.

There's no way I could carry it with my back as I lifted it up to see how it felt.  I could feel the strain on my back and the last thing I need is to really hurt it.  I wouldn't be able to easily put it away or get it out.  She showed me the dies and I thought they could put more designs on them to make use of the empty space.  However; that's just the frugality in me.  Why waste all that good space when you could add smaller squares or triangle pieces?  You could fit 5 designs on instead of 2 or 3.

With as much cutting as I do, I think I would go through the strip dies and plastic cover in no time.

Now..before you think I'm completely negative, it really does work with little learning curve.  I had 1.5 inch strips done in no time and it was dummy proof.  Just don't stick your hand on the die and press down.  The cutter is good quality and it lies completely flat.  You won't get your die stuck over a hump and ruin the fabric or the die.

Truthfully; I fell in love with the industrial version.  It was built better and the dies were on strong wood. You could get far more done one one die than going over and over with the home one.  However; the set I wanted is 899 on their website and I have no place to put it in a little tiny house.  After I thought about it,  I could probably put it in the basement and then make money on it doing cutting for other people once they figured out I have one.  Even if I just bought the studio by itself it was only 146 dollars more on sale via their website.

DH still wasn't impressed once he saw how one worked.  He said it was good quality but like me, thought it was ridiculously overpriced. 

3 comments:

Jo Major Ciolino said...

I should have known when you said "Lincoln" and went on to write such a logical and honest evaluation of the Go! cutter that you were talking about Lincoln NEBRASKA. I am in Massachusetts (where we have the "other" Lincoln) but I have always felt the same way about this cutter, and I cannot understand the fuss and bother. I'd love to find something to cut long, lovely, perfect strips - but I don't think this is it. And I can think of a lot of other things I'd spend the money on!
You are lucky to have the International Quilt Study center so close - I always visit when I fly home - to YOUR Lincoln - to see my family.
Thanks for your refreshing honesty, and reminding me of why I am so proud to be from such a sensible part of the country!

Jen said...

We have the studio version at the shop and although we use it to make up our pre-cuts I still think rotary cutting is quicker and more accurate even in large quantities!!! With the studio, you've got to make sure the fabric is at just the right angle so that you don't get bowed strips...which are easier to get than if you were to rotary cut them.

I guess I just don't get it and I even had a sizzix die cutter and dies for scrapbooking. It really doesn't take long before they dull and that was paper, it would be crazy with fabric!

rossandcarolyn said...

Well, I have to say I gave in and bought one about a year back, and the only thing I use it for is the strip cutting (6-8 layers at once makes for pretty fast work) and for shapes like hexagons - so I haven't wasted money on the dies, but I will say the price was a bit much for the limited functionality. :)