I got the Go for xmas last year and love it. I am a fairly new quilter and lurk on here all the time (love all the quilts you guys have made!) and so more experienced quilters might have a different view on it. But for me, it really helps alot. I made a queen size quilt using the 3.5 in tumbler. I cant imagine cutting all those tumblers individually and so the Go made it doable for me. I also used the 2.5 strip die for the binding...very easy! It is very accurate and its one of the things I love about it but you do need to make sure you lay your fabric on the die properly to follow the grain so it doesnt stretch. There are you-tube videos that explain how. However, I think the dies are expensive and the cutting mats dont last that long. The cutting mat I used to make the tumbler quilt was completely ruined by the time I finished the quilt. The other thing I love is accuquilts customer service. About 1/3 of the way thru my tumbler quilt, somehow one of the blades bent. I called them and they immediately sent me a new die even tho I had bought the die 4 months earlier. After making my quilt, the tumbler die is still really sharp. So far it seems like the dies last a long time. Personally I would not go with the baby. There arent as many dies and the dies are smaller.

I received the Go last year for Christmas also. I wanted it to cut shapes that are not easy to rotary cut. I have the large and small tumbler dies, the large drunkard's path, the fall and holiday dies,stars and circles plus the value die that came with the cutter. I want to use up my scraps by cutting them into the tumbler shapes, etc. There are lots of good tutorials on utube as auntevie said. I watched lots of them before DH surprised me with it for Christmas. I think my DD had a hand in it too! lol
This winter I want to do a lot more cutting with it.
Linda OH

I do not have one and I don't typically make quilts with any unusual shapes so I'm not likely to get one. Whatever I want to cut I can easily do with the rotary cutter. I am not speaking from personal experience, however I have a friend who received one for Christmas last year from her daughter. She often says she would have rather had a gift card and spent the money on fabric instead of on an expensive tool she never uses. If you are thinking of getting one, be sure to check Amazon.com; their price has gone from $350 down to $200. You can get a slightly used one on eBay for even less.

Kate

I have the Go and I love mine! It does not cut as many layers as they advertise and I press and cut as to not waste fabric. I find mine is very accurate!

I use the 5 & 2 inch die the most and I was able to cut my scraps in these sizes fast.

The Baby would be difficult to secure to a table to turn the handle (IMO)! I saw one in action and it slips easliy.

It will never replace the rotary cutter but I enjoy using mine.

Rosa

I have a Go and like it due to my arthritis
cons: dyes can be expesive to buy. Also the mats
Watch for sales. I've been getting evrything on Sales
Oh! the handle can be hard to turn

You all are making me think I should offer to 'adopt' my friend's Go. Or I could foster it for her until she's ready to have it back!

Kate

I never use mine~ever~and I don't want to spend more money on dies and mats. It does take up room and space. I am not disciplined enough to use it and get used to it. I do think it would be great for making specialty cuts for applique and kids' quilts & wall hangings which I do not make.
I keep reading pattern instructions are going to be written to include the "Go" dies in the future. I see some now.

I can only imagine using it for a very few specialty cuts - the tumbler block would be one.

The applique shapes - they have some good ones, but nope, don't want or care. I don't applique and I never will.

Drunkard's Path - I already have templates, and it's not a quilt I'm going to make often.

The strips - all sizes easily done with a ruler and rotary cutter.

Triangles - still easily done for both 1/2 square and 1/4 square triangles with rotary cutter and ruler.

I do think one of the local quilt shops has one to rent in-store - i.e., bring in your fabrics, and either they or you use the machine. I'm not sure about their parameters for use, because I haven't had a need yet. If I decided I needed a tumbler quilt, I might use that service.

Would I like one - maybe! It looks fun! But I need more than fun for that price.

Funny, I was just looking at these as well. I like words/letters on quilts and applique and was looking for an easy way to cut them and to have good fonts/sizes ready for them. But the alphabet dies are very expensive (around $200 in addition to the Go which is needed since they don't have a set for the Baby). They have a smaller set just for "BABY" with 3 dies, but I'd want to be able to spell everything.

I am still on the fence about this. The dies are expensive especially the ones I would want...like the alphabet. Some of the others are not too bad, Amazon has some of the best prices. I don't have a problem cutting strips with my ruler and rotary cutter, I don't use "shapes" much in my quilting or sewing for that matter. I guess I will just wait and see. If I come across a project that calls for a specific shape and a lot of them, I will look again.
Thanks for the input. Now, do any of you have that bias tape maker???? From the reviews, it doesn't work so well for the tips not included with the machine. I think I would get more use out of that than an accuquilt.
It does pay to stop and consider whenever you get a "wild hair" about something you see! :) I am glad I have learned this.

I HATE cutting quilts and I'm really horrible with the rotary cutter, so when I heard about the Go, I was really excited. However after actually looking at one, I realized that it is rather wasteful of fabric and that goes against everything my grandmother taught me about sewing!

Bias tape makers: you mean the little ones you run the strips through and iron? I have a few sizes and they all work great. Very inexpensive and very handy. Google "Clover bias tape maker" or go to Joann's and you'll find every size for under $6.

Kate

I think murphy is referring to the (too expensive-my opinion) Bias Tape Maker machine - link below.

Making Bias is so easy - I would never even consider that machine.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bias Tape Maker

Hmmm, that machine only makes single fold bias. I never use that in quilting. I always make french-fold bias for my bindings.

I saw a quilting show where they used a saftey pin on the board cover and just pulled it thru.

I use double except on baby quilts.

That is the machine I was talking about. I haven't really done any price shopping, but with a coupon from somewhere they may be more affordable. As with the accuquilt machine, I am just pondering the value of such a machine. How much would I really use it to justify the expense kind of thinking. I have those "non-machine" bias tape makers and pin the fabric to the ironing board and pull and iron thru. Still burn my fingers though.
Maryc how do you make french fold bias?

French fold binding can be made either bias or straight of grain. Here's one tutorial.

Here is a link that might be useful: French fold binding

They are having a special on the studio accuquilt, and I was thinking about it, but it doesn't come with any dies, and they are pretty pricey. Plus you can't travel with it and it looks like it takes up a bunch of space. I think I'll hold off and maybe eventually look again at the Go version.

Robbi

Thank you Mary, I have been making it that way all along. Just didn't know it was also called French Fold binding. I like the name better than "quilt binding".
Murphy