QUILTS & FABRIC: PAST & PRESENT


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Dot Cutters

News From Dotland


Those of us enrolled in the Karla Menaugh school of applique have long used removable office dots for the templates for our circles.


Stick the dot on the back of the fabric.
Cut out the fabric with a small seam allowance.
Glue the fabric over the dot, getting a nice round circle.
Applique by machine or hand.
Cut out back of dot.
Remove paper.
Uh OH!
Office dots, even the removable kind are too sticky.

I've been thinking. What is going on in the scrapbooking world that could help? I went shopping.

Here's what I found.

A Fiskars Squeeze Punch that cuts 1" circles.
There are plenty of other circle cutters out there, but this one seems to be easier on the hands.

Woo!
Multiple dots cut out of freezer paper.
Now I can iron them on the back of the fabric and remove them easier.

I have to confess that my major hopes were dashed, however. I thought this might cut fabric but--- No Way. I tried fused fabric, I tried fabric with freezer paper on it. It just isn't sharp enough.



But I'm happy with freezer paper dots. There is no stopping me now.

The next shopping expedition:
A paper cutter to cut out 1-1/2" hexagons.

And if you got a ginormous dot cutter you could do snowglobes



Or anything....





Read more about Karla's machine applique techniques in our book
Susan McCord, which you can buy from the Pickledish store at the Kansas City Star website.





12 comments:

  1. Inklingo just came out with a new circle collection. Prints the circles with cutting lines and sewing lines right on the fabric. Perfect Circles every time.

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  2. There is something new on the market but I haven't tried it myself and have yet to talk with anyone who has. It's called AccuQuilt Go! Fabric Quilt Shape Cutter. Just google it. Wonder if any of your readers have tried this machine or seen it in action?

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  3. That looks like a handy dandy dot cutter and I know I need one too!
    Wendy

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  4. Being an office dot afficianado myself, I wanted to scoff at any new technique. BUT, this is brilliant. Just brilliant. I am off to purchase one myself. Keep us posted on the hexagon search.

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  5. I think between quilters and scrappers, there can't be any more tools to be invented. But sure as I say that, a new one comes out, and we wonder how we ever lived without it!

    Jayne

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  6. There is a scrapbook punch that makes 1 inch hex pieces...

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  7. I make dots by hand, I like them a little whonky;)
    When I do something that needs perfect circles, I use freezer paper.

    Debbie

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  8. Absolutely brilliant idea! Thanks for sharing.

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  9. The 1in hex punch already mentioned will be on my shopping list :-)

    A friend has loads of Fiskars shape cutting gear in her stash, so will suggest she cuts me some shapes!

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  10. Sizzix has hexagon dies in many sizes. Unlike Accuquilt hexagons. there are 4-5 of the same size per die. I hope there will be dots on a quilt along block for the CW blocks. I want to make some!

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  11. I like the circle punch thing, wish it came in a lot of different sizes. I'm currently working on a lollipop quilt and I'm getting tired of cutting out circles.:) Enjoyed your post to the blog as usual.

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  12. My local True Value hardware carries metal washers in all sizes. Cut fabric bigger than washer, baste-around the edge of the fabric, insert washer, pull thread to tighten and spray starch and iron dry. When cool, snip thread, remove washer and have perfect circle for applique!

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