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Book Review & GIVEAWAY – Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines

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Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines is a new book out by Libby Ashcraft.  It is ideal for crafters who use the ScanNCut, Silhouette and Cricut.

Filled with plenty of colorful photos and diagrams, you will find the following in this 96 page book:

  • Introduction and overview of various cutting machines
  • Glossary of common terms
  • Section on suitable materials you can use with your machine
  • Numerous must-know techniques
  • Six step-by step craft projects

Throughout the various sections there are plenty of tips to help you out.

Libby, the author, has been crafting for over 20 years and is a certified Silhouette instructor.  She travels all over the country teaching, and her expertise makes her the ideal guide while you are learning to use your digital cutting machine.

Get to know your digital cutting machine better and get the most out of it with this helpful book.  You will be inspired to create all sorts of fun projects with Crafting with Digital Cutting Machines.

2022 Fox Chapel Publishing, ISBN 978-1-4971-0154-8

**GIVEAWAY**

Thanks to Fox Chapel Publishing we were lucky enough to receive an extra copy of this book so we are giving it away.  Note that the giveaway is available to U.S. addresses only.  Just leave a comment on the blog post and tell us why you want to win and you will be entered to win.

Winner will be randomly drawn on February 25, 2022.

 

 

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Comments

  1. I want that book! As it happens I’ve been considering taking the plunge and buying a cutting machine. This would be a great way to help me decide on which machine to buy.

  5. Oh yes! Would greatly help me make ip my mind on which machine to buy, and start me out with some great tips! Thanks

  6. I have a Scan N Cut and a Silhouette and don’t know how to use either. This book should help me a lot!

  7. We had a house fire in 2014 and I lost my original Cricut in it. Loved the old one because it worked off of cartridges – easy to use – easy to understand. The new one I got after the fire (Explore) got me so frustrated that I just put it up on a shelf. This is one HUGE thing I hate to do with any craft stuff. Would love to get to know it better and use it again.

  9. I love using my Cricut and am always looking for more sources of inspiration that don’t require a Cricut subscription.

Have you read?

In the Garden Layer Cake – A Bloom-Filled Fabric Collection for Spring Sewing

Some fabric collections feel pretty, some feel useful, and then there are those rare ones that instantly spark a dozen ideas the moment you see them. The In the Garden Layer Cake from Fat Quarter Shop falls firmly into that last category. From the moment I opened the pack, it felt like stepping into a watercolor garden—soft, romantic, full of movement, and brimming with detail that invites you to slow down and really look.

This collection brings together an elegant mix of florals, garden motifs, and soothing color palettes that feel like they were created for spring quilting. Instead of loud novelty prints, the designer chose a gentle balance of botanical sketches, scattered blossoms, tiny seed patterns, and larger feature florals that work beautifully in both traditional and modern layouts.

What struck me most is how thoughtfully the color stories are arranged. Each print blends seamlessly into the next, giving you a spectrum that includes soft rose pinks, leafy greens, lavender tones, fresh sky blues, rich corals, and delicate neutrals. It’s the kind of palette that instantly feels “quilty” in the best way—inviting, calm, and incredibly easy to mix and match. You can tell the designer planned this for maximum versatility.

Layer cakes are one of the most beginner-friendly precuts, but this collection elevates them with a sense of sophistication. The prints are strong enough to shine in simple patterns, but subtle enough to support more complex designs. Whether you prefer classic half-square triangles, framed squares, modern grid quilts, or something scrappier, this fabric adapts beautifully. It’s also a wonderful choice for table runners, spring wall hangings, and even quilted bags or home décor projects.

One of the nicest surprises with this layer cake is how it manages to feel seasonal without becoming locked into one particular holiday or theme. While the palette is undeniably perfect for spring, the prints themselves are timeless enough to work year-round. A floral quilt made from this collection would look just as lovely on a summer sunroom sofa as it would draped over a guest bed in winter.

The fabric quality is exactly what you’d expect from Fat Quarter Shop—crisp, clean cuts, vibrant printing, and a smooth hand that makes piecing feel effortless. Nothing is too thin or too stiff, and the colors are even more beautiful in person than they appear online.

If you enjoy sewing projects that feel light, fresh, and inspired by nature, In the Garden is a collection worth adding to your stash. It has all the qualities quilters look for: balance, versatility, gentle movement, and that spark of creativity that makes you want to start a project immediately. Whether you’re planning a gift quilt, treating yourself to a new spring project, or simply building your fabric library with a set of prints that will play nicely with others, this layer cake is a thoughtful and inspiring choice.