more die cut shapes

I really like playing with die cuts and for a while now I've been trying to justify the purchase of a Sizzix. Go check out what Connie has been doing with hers over at Quilting by the River and you'll see why. If I didn't already own the Go! I wouldn't have to justify it -- but if I didn't have the Go! I wouldn't know how much I love playing with these things. It's a vicious cycle.

The Sizzix has smaller dies that are much less expensive, and -- unlike the Go! dies -- can be bought with 40% off coupons at Joanns. Which makes them about twelve bucks a piece. They've also got dies to cut gears and keys and locks and a bunch of other things that make my heart to pitty pat. I've got a sudden need to make a whole quilt covered in applique gears.

I got some money for my birthday, which was very quickly converted into a Sizzix Big Shot and four dies.



I spent two days trying to work up the nerve to take it out of the packaging and assemble it. After just about destroying a pair of my sons' craft scissors trying to get through the heavy plastic, I found the neat perforated hatch on the bottom of the packaging. It peels right off.

Putting the handle on was no problem at all. Have I mentioned that I hate hate hate assembling things? There's one screw, and they include the little wrenchie thing.

This intimidating thing is a multipurpose platform? I don't need it for the dies I bought. But I will need to figure it out, because now I want to emboss things.



The Sizzix uses two clear plastic cutting pads. One goes under the die, then you stack the die, the fabric, and the second cutting pad.



In addition to the cute little shapes, Sizzix has some quilting dies that I'm drooling over. Look at the bottle shape. I saw a bottle quilt in a book several years ago and it's been on my quilty bucket list ever since. There's also a 4 1/4" Robbing Peter to Pay Paul.

So far, I'm absolutely in love.


Weekly Stash Report

I still can't decide how I want to to count sheets. I added five to my stash this week, to be used for sashings and bindings. So I guess that means I've got to count it as yardage in, right?

Fabric Used this Week: 1/4 yard
Fabric Used year to Date: 27.75 yards
Added this Week: 20 yards (sheets)
Added Year to Date: 86.75 yards
Net Added for 2012: 39 yards

To see more weekly stash reports, click over to Patchwork Times.