Anyone have a Cricut? Does it cut fabric???

another alternative....

go to the hardware store and buy a bag of little washers the size you need... thin ones (some of the metal ones are pretty thin). Will only cost a few $$$.

Then you can cut the circles oversize (and not exact!!). Run a thread around the outside of the circle... drop the washer in the center and draw it up. Give it a spritz of a very "pale" starch... tap it with a hot iron and let it cool. Works GREAT! (this if for needle turn/hand applique)

Have fun! I bet it'll be beautiful!

I've done that for machine applique too. No raw edges to ravel no matter what machine stitch I use, and no need to use fusibles. Debra in VA See my quilts at

I'm doing it a similar way, but I bought a 1/2 inch circle punch and punched a load out of the iron proof template fabric. Some places suggest stiff card, but I found that and the starch didn't work so well and switched to the plastic, the washer idea is a good one though.

Cheers Anne

I use templates cut from cereal boxes and heavy starch. Works for me. Debra in VA See my quilts at

let me know if it works! I have often wanted to take fabric up to the kids' school and see if the die-cut machine will do those fancy shapes on my fabric. Too chicken to ask if I can try lol

Kellie

I'd love to know too. I almost bought a Cricut on Friday because both Joann's and Michael's had them on sale. I managed to refrain :-) I would reconsider the next time there is a sale if I knew that it would cut fabric.

Rita L. - who did quite enough damage > let me know if it works! I have often wanted to take fabric up to the

the only Cricket i have is my QI (dog)!! amy

A die cutting machine will almost certainly work, it has on everyone I've tried. Because your are applying pressure somehow to a blade the shape you want to cut, there isn't much that can go wrong. With a cricut or something like that, there is a possibility the blade would snag the fabric and not cut it properly, or that whatever you used to stick the fabric to the cutting sheet wouldn't come off afterwards, you have none of those worries with a diecutting machine.

Anne

The Circut machine is a laser machine and not a die cut. I would like to know if anyone has used the Circut on fabric. I asked a demonstrator at a store and they didn't know. They would not let me try a piece of fabric for fear it would do something to the machine.

I have extensive experience using an AccuCut brand die cutting machine on fabric. You must use the model with the acrylic sheets for accuracy on fabric. The Grande Mark model will cut eight or ten layers of fabric at a time. Occasionally the die does not cut single threads because of the way the blades are in the die. When this happens you just keep a small pair of snip type scissors handy and snip the thread as you remove the fabric from the machine. It is just like having a very tiny nick in your rotary cutting blade.

If you are using a die-cutting machine for applique shapes exact accuracy is not always necessary so the school machine designed for paper will be OK. If you plan to fuse the pieces, add the fusible to the back of the fabric before cutting.

AccuCut has dies especially made for quilters. Take a look at their web site

I used to do free lance work for them but am not currently work>Hi all .. .

A good die cutter like the Ellison or accucut will cut through fabric. I've done that at school.

L>let me know if it works! I have often wanted to take fabric up to the

Linda PATCHogue, NY

Well ... I tried that about 3 years ago (for circles and holly leaves for a Christmas project) and it STANK!! Yuk! It "chewed" up my fabric past recognition!!

But then, it's really possible that the goofy stencil/die was just plain dull. The whole set up, though fairly new, was really used and abused. The goofy thing was barely able to cut paper cleanly!! It would require about three VERY careful retries to cut one sheet!!

Hugs! Connie :)

Did you try the Circut or the AccuCut? Ellison and AccuCut use the same dies but the cutting action is different. The AccuCut is a roller machine and the Ellison is a pressure machine. I have not used the Ellison on fabric.

Susan

wow! that GrandeMark is cool but I would have to do a ton of quilts to make it cost effective! Didn't know the circut machine was laser. I would think fabric wouldn't do anything to the machine, but the laser might to the fabric!

Might try the fabric with the fusible attached to it at school. I doubt they would turn me down. Not like i am using their consumables... and I have volunteered several hundred hours this year already lol

thanks everyone for the insight!

Ellison sounds 'bout right ... it was a pressure machine for sure. I remember, because you practically had to be a linebacker to actually crank the handle enough to get it pierce the paper!! : /

Hugs!! Connie :)

The Cricut isn't a laser.. it has a tiny razor blade in this cylinder holder.. I only know because I bought replacement blades..

haven't had time to test it out with the fabric yet though :( maybe this weekend.

Howdy!

I heard that!

R/Sandy-- snicker> Well, the main pressure from Ellison involves HQ!

Thanks for the correction. I have the machine confused with another one. Sounds like it should cut fabric. Would like to try sometime. Fabric cut with a laser has a slight burnt edge. They say it doesn't bother the fabric only turns it brown. John Flynn cuts kits with a laser. I have tried his and they are good.

Susan