'What about the waste?' is something I get asked a lot when I talk about my Sizzix big shot. Surely when you are using a die rather than ruler and rotary cutter or templates and scissors you can't position your fabrics in the same way and you are bound to get wasted fabric?
I will admit, I used to think the exact same thing before I tried using the Big Shot.
Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised by the amount, or more to the point lack of, waste involved with using Sizzix dies.
I'm going to show you how I would use the dies when I want to get the maximum benefit of the fabric, and the least amount of waste.
Firstly, I position my fabrics so they are just covering the cutting blades, rather than using the edges of the die as a guide . When I lay the fabric on the die, I can feel for the indentation of the blades. I wouldn't press down on the die without the fabric there to protect my fingers, but because the fabric is there I am safe - there's no risk of getting a nasty cut!
![waste 1]()
I add multiple layers, as normal and roll through the machine.
This is the waste from a fat quarter. Not bad, is it? I discard these very skinny strings, but you could use them if you were especially frugal and creatively minded. Maybe to weave potholders, or coasters? Or for children's crafts? Maybe even pop them in a bird feeder and let the birds use them for building nests?
![waste 2]()
On dies with unusual shapes, such as the hexagons, there is a little more wastage, but not a huge amount. Not when you follow the same principle and feel for the indentation of the blades under the fabric. These smaller dies are ideal for using with charm squares. I always seem to have the odd 5" square leftover from a charm pack, and they fit onto these perfectly with minimal waste.
![waste 3]()
The slightly larger scraps from cutting more unusual shapes are perfect for trimming down and making string quilts, like this spiderweb quilt.
![spiderweb - close up]()
I hope this has put your mind at ease if you're thinking of buying a Sizzix Big Shot or Big Shot Pro!
Katy
'What about the waste?' is something I get asked a lot when I talk about my Sizzix big shot. Surely when you are using a die rather than ruler and rotary cutter or templates and scissors you can't position your fabrics in the same way and you are bound to get wasted fabric?
I will admit, I used to think the exact same thing before I tried using the Big Shot.
Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised by the amount, or more to the point lack of, waste involved with using Sizzix dies.
I'm going to show you how I would use the dies when I want to get the maximum benefit of the fabric, and the least amount of waste.
Firstly, I position my fabrics so they are just covering the cutting blades, rather than using the edges of the die as a guide . When I lay the fabric on the die, I can feel for the indentation of the blades. I wouldn't press down on the die without the fabric there to protect my fingers, but because the fabric is there I am safe - there's no risk of getting a nasty cut!
I add multiple layers, as normal and roll through the machine.
This is the waste from a fat quarter. Not bad, is it? I discard these very skinny strings, but you could use them if you were especially frugal and creatively minded. Maybe to weave potholders, or coasters? Or for children's crafts? Maybe even pop them in a bird feeder and let the birds use them for building nests?
On dies with unusual shapes, such as the hexagons, there is a little more wastage, but not a huge amount. Not when you follow the same principle and feel for the indentation of the blades under the fabric. These smaller dies are ideal for using with charm squares. I always seem to have the odd 5" square leftover from a charm pack, and they fit onto these perfectly with minimal waste.
The slightly larger scraps from cutting more unusual shapes are perfect for trimming down and making string quilts, like this spiderweb quilt.
I hope this has put your mind at ease if you're thinking of buying a Sizzix Big Shot or Big Shot Pro!
Katy