Thursday, June 13, 2019

Crafter's Edge Crossover II Fabric & Paper Cutter - Product Review

I shared a teaser of my upcoming review for the Crossover II by Crafter's Edge on social media.Well, here it is. The Crossover II is a manual die cutter for a variety of materials and the following is my honest review.

The Crossover II, has adjustable rollers that means adjustable pressure settings. No more shims. No more double passes to get a cut. It cuts multiple layers of fabric in one passing. Following the setting guide in the instruction booklet is important to perfect cuts. The Crossover II is a well designed and well built die cutter. 

Let's start with the unboxing. It was shipped in a double-wall corrugated box and shipping was fast. Delivery took just a few days from Arizona to California. One thing I need to note this is a heavy duty die cutter and the box is heavy.

Once I removed the retail box, the Crossover II and plates were nicely nestled in sturdy packaging foam. The machine itself weighs approximately 23lbs. getting a good grip of the carrying handles was key in removing it from the packaging. Next, I removed the cardboard from the handle, then pull on the button towards the machine to release the white grip handle. The grip handle folds down for easy transport or storage.

The Crossover II comes with one decorative Fab die, Kayla's Embellishment set, plates and instruction booklet. The the Base and Clear plates both measure 11" x 12". The Metal adaptor plate is the small size, measuring 8" x 10".  A larger Metal adaptor plate (10.75" x 11.5") is available to purchase separately.

The sides of the die cutter are secured with strong Velcro, that's the yellowish dots you see on the inside panel. The adjustable pressure setting dial is on top with arrows pointing + -

With the sides open and laying flat on your work surface, the Crossover II measures approximately
20.75"l x 12"w  x 7" h
The sides create a platform for the plates to sit on once they go through the machine. This is a plus for me, I don't have to worry about the plates sliding off, dies and material falling over.


Let's talk about the Fab dies. I immediately noticed the weight of the metal die and the higher raised blade. The Fab dies are meant to cut all types of fabric and in multiple layers. The quality is on point! Crafter's Edge has plenty of designs from appliques, quilting and English paper piecing dies.

Following the pressure setting is so important to achieve a perfect cut. For my first project, I used faux leather. I followed the pressure setting guide by first finding the faux leather listed under Media. Next column is the Setting followed by the number layers.
Please note: the rollers of the machine are visible. If crafting with little ones or around pets, please be careful with little hands or paws.

I adjusted the roller pressure setting to 7 and next is the sandwich:
1. White Base plate
2. Metal adaptor plate
3. Faux leather
4. Fab die with blade facing down
5. Clear plate
6. Run it through the Crossover II

One passing. One beautiful cut. I was expecting to really put some muscle into cranking the handle. There was some light pressure however, the machine is the muscle. It's a work horse. I was pleasantly surprise to see that it did in fact cut through the faux leather in one passing.

I created a faux leather folio. I used the sheets of faux leather, glued them with Beacon Adhesives Power-Tac. I then glued the die cuts onto the front cover. I used strands of jute to create a braided closure.

I also added side pockets and another Kayla's Embellishment die cut to the front cover of the notebook.


My final thoughts. I highly recommend the Crossover II. The adjustable pressure setting is pretty amazing. The ease of running the plates through the machine was a major plus for me. You can also use your existing wafer dies and steel rule dies following the cutting guide. I noted the measurements when fully opened at approximately 20.75"l x 12"w  x 7" h . It will take up some table space. If transporting it to workshops, it is has some weight to it at 23lbs. However, keep in mind it is an extremely well made machine. Crafter's Edge offers a 2 year warranty along with great customer service.

If you're currently on the market for a manual die cutter, I hope this review helps in your decision making. Please enjoy 20% off your online purchase at Crafter's Edge along with free shipping with your order of $75 or more.

Thank you for visiting and please come back soon for another Crossover II project.


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