Speaking of gadgets, gizmos, and the like... [Cricut]

I've seen them at different Wal Mart stores and at craft stores but don't remember exactly where. Barbara in SC

In message , Dr. Zachary Smith writes

Well I have got a similar machine called Craft Robo It is made to cut out shapes and suchlike for using in greeting cards and scrap booking. I did a couple of things but I think it needs someone more technically minded than me to use it properly.

It only covers A4 sheets.

Looking on ebay some people manage to cut some lovely cards with it. I just typed Craft Robo in.

I got it by mail order and there is no one in my neck of the woods to show me how to use it. Alas it is back in its box on the top of the wardrobe. It is such a pity because my family clubbed together to buy it me for a Christmas gift about 3 years ago. Hugs Shirley

It really annoys me that they call this a cricket when the rules of English pronunciation dictate that with this spelling it should have a long /i/ sound (yes - there really are rules!). So I won't buy it! Actually I won't buy it because it's one of those things you have to keep feeding. The machine is only the initial investment. If you want to do anything you have to keep buying cartridges.

L>I had to get up two hours early this morning due to a massive and

I think it would be neat to have one to cut strips. I agree that there is some fabric waste when cutting some of the shapes. It's still a neat tool if one was making kits for a guild project or something like that.

Hi Pati,

I don't recall much through the migraine fog, but what I can recall was thinking more along the lines of curvy shapes for appliqu=E9 (animals, plants, teardrop kinda stuff, which is going to waste some fabric anyway) rather than anything you would do with a pizza cutter. They *were* demonstrating on some fabric, and bragging how it would cut materials up to a *whole* 9/10 of a millimeter!!! (My fingernails are thicker than that.) But if it *did* work decently, silks, satins, etc. that one would likely use for appliqu=E9 just might fly... But if it's not suitable, it's not suitable (anymore than I am for trying to cut shapes like that by hand.)

Doc

heres the one Pati wrote about. just had a look at this for the applique you wrote about. you'd have to buy a die each for the various shapes, how often you'd use those to justify the cost tho.

i use empty cereal boxes to cut out my applique shapes. i love the teardrop. it can be used up, down, right or left and with other shapes has a myriad of design possibilitys. i often cut three graduating sizes in one shape, just cuz. yup, the price is right and i keep them for future design work. i have oatmeal in my blood tho so i guess if ya got enough $ to toss around and would use them enough times.... fwiw, j.

Got one! The GO machine is specifically for fabric. I've used two of the templates--one that came with the machine (two sizes of squares and one of triangles) and the tumbler. I don't know that I'd say that it's economical, but it sure is fun. And surprise surprise, all of the pieces are the same size! (I know that I THINK that I'm cutting accurately with an acrylic ruler and rotary cutter, but trust me, the pieces are not always the same.) I understand that the rag template is one of the best sellers. Anything beats snipping all of those seams individually! The applique templates include flowers and leaves and vines. I haven't used one myself, but I understand that it works best on fabric that is already bonded to a fusible backing. After run thru the machine, they are ready to fuse to the background. There are several dozen templates available at this point and I understand that more are planned.

Definitely not a necessity. I can picture groups getting together to buy one machine and share it. Great if you're planning on making kits or quilts with lots of the same shape. Great for the right application.

joan

Same with this cricut machine they were hawking, so I'm guessing they're competing somewhat. The Go machine seems superior in that you can do multiple layers. This Cricut has a special add-on blade for that that they were including with the infomercial special. What bugged us was that they were offering it for a trial for $30+ but never once ANYWHERE said what the full price was - just that "additional payments were required" beyond the trial period. That really raised our hackles. I had to get online to find the price, which was easy, and varied.

Doc