Today I want to give a quick plug for a new toy I just got – the Sizzix Fabi cutter. This came to me courtesy of Sizzix and FaveQuilts.com. They gave me a startup kit in exhange for a review of the product which you can read here.
They didn’t ask me to post about it on my own blog, but I had so much fun playing with it that I couldn’t help but share what I’m currently doing with it!
The Giveaway
But first things first – the folks over at FaveQuilts are giving away a starter kit which includes the cutter and 3 flower templates. The other dies shown in the picture above are available separately. They sent me a few extras to play around with. 🙂
The deadline to enter is June 15th at 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on their website, not mine.
My WIP
I chose to design a modern wall quilt based on the circle die they sent. (I may turn this into a quilt along in the fall once I finish up my summer sewing deadlines – so stay tuned!)
Abacus by Christa Watson, designed in EQ7
I’m happy to cut squares and rectangles the old fashioned way, but the Fabi die cutter sliced through circles like they were nothing! They were super fast and accurate, too!
I was able to back each piece of fabric with fusible adhesive and run it through the machine with no problems. The cuttings are even fun, too!
Here are my precut circles pinned to my design wall. The paper backed adhesive doesn’t stick to flannel, so I had to use pins to hang them up. This is my first experience ever with a die cutter, but so far I’m loving what I’m seeing!
How about you? Have you ever used a die cutter before? What do you think of them? I’d love to know!
Christa Quilts 
I won a die cutter but have barely used it, mainly because the dies are so expensive. I have read a bit about the silhouette, which doesn’t use dies at all. Instead you program it and I think it laser cuts. It sounds pretty cool!
thanks for the close up photos of the circles and their trimmings. Impressive how cleanly it cuts.
I bought mine because the tendinitis in my hands and wrists keeps getting worse. I mostly use it for 1.5″ and 2.5″ strips. Cuts like a breeze. Ebony Love at lovebugstudios has a die cutting system, and lots of YouTube tutorials, for those looking for more info. Hope this is helpful!
i don’t have one but would love to
I always wanted to try cutting fabric on one of those, particularly to cut hexagons, circles and hearts. It’s good to see that it works.
I have a Sizzix and love it. I began using it for the applique shapes. like flowers and angels, but now I use the quilting dies, as well. The videos are very good. I like what you have done with the circles. I have the hexagon die and made a table runner in scraps. It was fun and came out great. It doesn’t replace a rotary cutter, but it is a nice tool.
I use an accutrim. Allows you to make cuts quickly.
Cant wait to see how you quilt this gorgeous one.
hi christa, i have entered their contest for this fabric cutter and i need it in a very bad way. i have severe degenerative arthritis in my back and hips and go to a acute pain clinic twice monthly. now i saw a surgeon yesterday about an ongoing colon problem and am having a colonscopy next week and next month i will have at least half of my colon removed and will be laid up for a long time. with an income of less than four hundred dollars monthly for disability buying one of these fabric cutters is out of the question. i have quilted for over forty years. all of my quilts are hand pieced, hand quilted and donated. i won a little fabric and would love to get it cut before my surgery. i love your blog! i have learned so much from you! you always inspire me. babscorbitt at gmail dot com
Oh, I love your WIP with the circles. I have not used a die cutter before. Never really wanted one until I saw your creation!
I was the same way until I got this one – now I can’t wait to explore all the possibilities!
Christa, you are killing me! A die cutter wasn’t even on my radar and now I think I can’t live without one! So I am reading thru the comments to see what your followers are saying…now off to google Sizzix machines! I just started EPP and never thought about the connection of making hexagons! A whole new world has been opened!!!!
I have a Go cutter & have never gotten perfect sections. Shapes are always at least 1/8″ off. I starch, I add paper, nothing helps. And the dies with multiple shapes don’t cut cleanly. I have to use my rotary cutter anyway. This product has never lived up to the advertising for me.
That’s interesting to know. I’ve just used the Sizzix one so far and I’ve been super happy with it so far 🙂
I have used a Go cutter at our local quilt store and like it. It is hard to know which one to buy. I can see one in my future. Lovely quilt.
These look fantastic and so easy. I live near the Accuqullt headquarters so I have used their cutter while on a tour there earlier this year. Really quick and easy. Our guild was thinking we could use a cutter to help with our charity quilts and I think this would be fun and affordable to use. Love those extra dies. I can’t wait to see what you do with the dress die.
Thanks! My daughter has her eye on the dress dye, for sure!
I’ve never been interested In a cutter before now BUT I just learned to make a hexie in a totally new ( and very easy way ) for a Flower garden design . No paper piecing, it starts with any size circle you choose, ( I’ m using an old CD as my template) you then fold and tack the circle and in 6 folds you have a hexagon . So I need a ton of circles… I saw this on Pokey Bolt’s t.v. Show. Quilting arts and was amazed it’s not more popular. I’ve always loved Grandmothers flower gardens but never liked Paper piecing
I just got an Accuquilt Studio a couple months ago and absolutely love it! One of the best purchases I’ve ever made! I always have a Hexie EPP project going. The fact that I can now cut out thousands of hexies in minutes is fabulous! 🙂
I just got my Accuquilt Studio die cutter a couple months ago. I always have a Hexie EPP going. I’m absolutely amazed at how quickly I can now cut thousands of hexies in minutes! One of the best purchases I’ve ever made!
I love your WIP. Can’t wait to see the finished quilt. I’ve used paper die cutters many times, but not ones that cut fabric. They are precise and such a time saver. So I look forward to trying a fabric die cutter out.
In addition to quilting, I am also a Stampin’ Up demonstrator. We have used essentially the same machine for several years for our card making. Stampin’ Up had briefly promoted a fabric line and this is when I began to use the machine in my quilting. I have many dies that can be used and the ease of cutting multiple layers of fabric is amazing! It is a lot of fun. Enjoy!
Love the abacus pattern, Christa. I bought a Go, cutter not too long ago so I could do a circle quilt of some kind. Think I may have found my next pattern purchase!
I have a go! And a cameo love them
CHRISTAS you are the most inspirational quilting writing person I know! Go Girl!
Where to start…
1 I have to say your quilt is amazing . That design ….enlarged of course would be cool on a college dorm bed….say with 8 in circles . HMM . SOMETHING TO PONDER.
ANOTHER THOUGHT YOU INSPIRED… Those silly little scapegoat pieces lleftover from the circle…What can I do with them ? They are a circle in a square right? With a cut a one side. Can they be linked together or appear to be linked at the cut? Mmmm.
I noticed you are pinning your circles to squares that you’re going to join together. Why not use a whole cloth or strips?
Finally I love the die cutter I have uused differ ones at school for many years . I was given a Sizzix Expression from my daughters one year. It was use for both paper and fabric. My issue is the dies are so expensive. But if I do ever get to buy the die pack of my choice would be circles triangles and hexies. Good luck.
Once upon a long time ago, I frequented a shop that had a machine that could be used by their customers. It was great for cutting out geometric shapes…circled, hexagons, triangles, etc.
Will be fun to see your quilt – you are always to creative.
I have been lucky to be able to use a Studio GO when I attend adult education class for quilting. I cut a ton of tumblers, they have been nice to have as a leader and ender at the side of the sewing machine. The template cut the corners so the pieces are easy to line up. I also cut some drunkard path pieces, and charm squares. Wonderful to have the pieces cut and ready to sew.
Thanks for letting us know about the drawing.
I love your abacus pattern, would love to join in a quilt along this fall. Also thank-you for the review!
I have a GO! die cutter and love it, I’d like the Sizzix too as they have some des the GO doesent have and you can use the GO dies on the Sizzix machine with an adapter!
I have a Go Baby and I love it. I thought it was foolish when I’d read about folks using die cutters for squares and strips – until I got one. Now I make my own charm squares from all my scraps with the 5″ square die. I understand now. I also have the multi-size hexagon, tumbler and tri-recs dies. I try to buy ones I wouldn’t enjoy cutting by hand. The cool thing about most of the triangle-type shapes is the way the corners are automatically trimmed for easy match-up when piecing. Makes for great accuracy!
I hear so much about die cutters, but have never used one (or seen one up close for that matter!). I can imagine they would be perfect for circles; it’s always so hard to cut an exact circle.
Can’t wait to see what you do with those fun circles!