Today I have My purple tulip top with a tip on auditioning the stripe, and a Fantastic Site Wide 20% off coupon, if you were thinking of a die cut machine, this is the time to do it! Let's get started...
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For my 4 block tulip wall hanging from my 'Celebrate the Seasons' I added an outer border 2" wide. The star in the center is with a strip and created doing 'sew and flip' . Let me show you that
TIP:
Place your squares on all for spots
Fold back to see the direction of the stripe.
Pin in place so you don't accidently rotate it, ask me how I know this tip.. wink!
It's SO MUCH easier to learn something new by using your scraps and staying focused on what is important, learning.
In the video I'm walking you through the whole process of how I cut up scraps to create my 'Free Quilts' like the green one behind me. I show you using the Gemini Die cutter step by step. it's SO easy!
Over the coming months I’ll have some projects for you and other fun ideas using the Gemini and Build A Block system. I can’t wait to share more with you!
I recently hinted that I found a wonderful new tool when I was at the trade show in Houston, it's arrived!
My friend Katy Jones wrote me before I went to the show. She works with Crafter's Companion company and asked me if I'd like to take a look at the die cut machine they make. If Katy asks me, I'm going to take a look! I've known Katy for a long time, she has been on my podcast, and she is a super talented quilt maker and friend.
The Crafter's Companion company is run by an amazing lady, Sara Davies. She has designed a lot of super useful crafting products. Her die cutting system is cooler than cool! It is a little different than other die cutters I’ve seen and I couldn't wait to get a demo from Katy.
The Gemini is fully electronic, so there’s no hand crank. You push the die and fabric sandwich into the machine and it does all the work for you. This is perfect for anyone with dexterity issues as well as those of us who could really grab an extra hour or 2 in the day. It’s so fast! Each of the dies are stored in a cute little set of drawers, so they’re easy to place on your table or on a shelf without taking up too much valuable space.
For beginners, there’s a block book right in the box with 20 different blocks in different sizes to start you on your journey and a sampler quilt pattern to test your new skills.
There are MANY more dies than the one box. Like a die to cut 2.5" strips. I'll be showing that one in the future!
They don’t have a sharp blade edge so they don’t dull. The cutting works from pressure, pressing the shape out using a cutting edge
Each die, so each size and shape you want to cut, is separate so you can cut multiple shapes and sizes at once to minimize waste to practically none
Inside the Build A Blockset you get squares, half square triangles and quarter square triangles in sizes from 1.5 to 6.5” with seam allowance included, and dog ears already trimmed. It’s as simple as cut, sew and press for perfect points every time. Please note that on the website they list 'finished sizes' . Example - for a finished 2" square, you cut with the 2.5" die like I'm showing above.
They’re great for fussy cutting – because you can lay the die right on top of your fabric and center to pick out the design you want to feature
They really work, and they work so well! There’s no missed threads to snip with scissors, it’s a clean cut every single time
You can cut fabric, vinyl, leather, felt, cork, craft foam, batting – all kinds of materials. As well paper and cardstock.
Keep reading to see a video on it in action!
My friends Katy Jones and Jen Tryon do lots of videos about the machine for the company.
Watch Jen demo the machine for us. It really is as easy to use as she is showing. My shipping department even tried it out, Jen showed him how!
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While I was out of town, Katy made up a darling quick and easy project to show you using my Star block from Merry & Bright.
Here are the step by step photos of how Katy cut out the star mat with the Build A Block die system to make this table topper. Because you can cut 6-8 layers of fabric at once, this project is perfect for a last minute hostess gift over the holiday period. You can also lay both sizes of square onto the folded fabric at once, cutting multiples of each size. This project was finished in just a couple of hours!
Design tip – if you’re using a low volume background fabric, flip over some of your pieces and use the reverse side. It’s subtle but gives a soft faded and vintage look to the finished project.
Layer the fabric, dies, and cover, just like Jen showed us in the video above.
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Over the coming months I’ll have some projects for you and other fun ideas using the Gemini and Build A Block system. I can’t wait to share more with you!
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