Solving Cutting Problems

I have learned work arounds for my arm issues on everything but cutting. Since I've been concentrating on UFOs it hasn't been a huge issue. Today I finished quilting the last overdue wedding quilt, so new starts are just around the corner. I needed to figure out how I was going to handle cutting. I've tried doing one 30 minute rotary cutting session per day, but even that is too much. I need something that allows me to cut fabric with less stress on my arm. 

I have an Accuquilt Go cutter, and I like it, but I've never had a dedicated spot to put it. DH was thinking I should buy the Go! Big Electric, but I was really struggling with the cost of that, and they hardly ever go on sale. What I really have been wanting is the Accuquilt Studio, which is easier to crank than the Go cutter, can use all the dies I currently own with an adapter, AND, it can also use all the Sizzix brand dies with an adapter. Of course, it also uses Studio dies, which are more expensive than Go dies, but go on sale far more frequently, bringing them to about the same price as the Go version. I was still debating which cutter I was going to get, but I knew an upgrade was in order. 

No matter which way I went, I knew I needed a dedicated space for the cutter, and I knew I'd still have some rotary cutting to do no matter which cutter I got. The cutting table I had was big enough for a die cutting machine, but not big enough for that and a rotary cutting mat at the same time. I originally looked at various carts and tables to hold the die cutter. Accuquilt sells a cutting table, for $999. Quilt in a Day sells one designed for die cutters, for $1,100. I looked at larger cutting tables, I found several over $2,000. None of those were fitting my budget, I felt bad enough just buying a new cutter. 

I started looking at kitchen island carts, and those were much more affordable. I wanted the cart to be able to store all the dies, and finding one that worked with the strip dies is tricky, because I needed cabinet all the way top to bottom, with no drawer above it. I found one on Wayfair that I liked, and would work great with either the Go Big or the Studio. It was just over $300. That was a much better deal than any of the other options I found, and it would fit at one end of my cutting table. 

The thing is, I just couldn't bring myself to buy it. I knew there had to be a better solution. DH suggested we go to the two reclaimed building supplies shops in town. One is called the Re-store, and the other is the Habistore. They sell all kinds of things from houses, restaurants, hotels, you name it. Door, windows, screens, cabinets, appliances, and regular furniture. We went to the Re-store first, and I found some heavy duty metal file cabinets, that we could push together and make a new cutting table, but we'd have to build a platform for a top to make it the right height. DH offered to make the file cabinets work, but I wasn't sold on that idea. They were out of kitchen cabinets the day we went. 

We then went to the Habistore. All their profits go to Habitat for Humanity, so I like shopping there. They happened to have several cabinet options available the day we went, and the thing about kitchen base cabinets is, they are already the correct height. Here's what we came up with.

I bought two sets of pot drawer cabinets, each 30" wide, so this side is 60" worth of cabinets.

I moved my scrap user system into these drawers, I know, time to make some quilts with my scraps! I've been too busy with UFO's this year to use any scraps, I've only made more! Next year I hope to make a dent in these. 

The cabinets I chose for the other side were only 48" wide, so I added a two foot wide set of shelves that's 12" deep to make up the difference. I've yet to store anything in these yet, but I'll be moving my dies over here.

I decided to keep two sets of the plastic drawers I had under my old cutting table, and I stuck them on the end. These have all my big thread cones, bias tape, and patterns, along with some misc. stuff. 

DH cut a piece of melamine for the countertop, and we bought the edge tape for it, but I haven't applied it yet. My old cutting table was 36" x 48". My new cutting table is 49" x 75" Total cost for everything, cabinets, shelves, countertop, edge trim? $255. That's less than I was going to pay for just the kitchen cart to hold the die cutter, and I upgraded the cutting table and all the storage. The base cabinet pot drawers I bought and put my scrap user system in are still being sold new, for $400 each. I paid $56 each. I don't mind the cabinets being used, they still have a lot of years left in them. The two sides don't even match, but I'm not worried about that either. Great storage solution for less money. That's a win! Room for a die cutter and room to rotary cut? That's a win!

DD#1 wanted my old cutting table, and she's got room for it in her kitchen. She was really wanting some extra counter space, and that table is counter height. The two sets of plastic drawers I am getting rid of she wanted too, so all of that is ready to go to its new home. 

I spent hours reading reviews, watching YouTube tutorials, checking forums, and reading blogs to determine which cutter I was going to buy. This article really turned the tide for me. I do have some of the mobility issues she mentions in favor of the Go Big, but the advantage of being able to use any dies on the Studio was HUGE. I'm also pretty sure I can turn a crank with my left hand. To top it off, the Studio is currently on sale for 33% off, and dies are 40% off. Not that I'm telling or anything, but, does anyone want to buy a GO! I won't need it anymore.