GO! Tinsel Die by Sue Spargo Brings 19 Shapes for Creating with Wool, Cotton, Felt and More

Sue Spargo is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary folk-art quilting. Known for her hand-dyed wool fabrics, intricate hand stitching and whimsical designs drawn from her childhood in South Africa and her later years in the UK, she has built a devoted following of stitchers and quilters who love her approach to making things by hand.

The GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 by Sue Spargo brings her signature style directly into the AccuQuilt system. This die cuts 19 shapes from Sue’s popular Tinsel pattern book, everything from a ¼" circle to trees over 4" tall, in a fraction of the time it would take to cut by hand. Whether you work with hand stitching, machine embroidery or no-sew techniques, this die opens Sue’s world to quilters, crafters and folk-art lovers at every skill level.

Who Is Sue Spargo?

Sue Spargo is a folk-art quilter, author and educator based in the United States who grew up in South Africa and later lived in the UK before relocating to Ohio. Her work is defined by rich hand-dyed wool, layered applique and expressive hand embroidery that transforms traditional patterns into something entirely her own.

Her pattern books, including the Tinsel series, have become beloved resources for stitchers who want to work in her style. Her Creative Stitching book, now in its second edition, is an essential companion to her pattern work: a spiral-bound reference covering 50 of her favorite embroidery stitches along with her guidance on needles, fibers and materials.

The GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die is AccuQuilt’s first collaboration with Sue Spargo, and it was designed to make her Tinsel pattern book projects significantly faster to begin so creatives spend more time stitching and less time cutting.

What Does the GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 Die Cut?

The die is housed on a 6” x 12” die board, which means it works with all GO! cutters, including the GO! Me. It cuts 19 shapes on a single die board, ranging from tiny embellishment shapes as small as a ¼” circle to Christmas trees over 4” tall.

Materials it cuts include:

  • Wool (up to 2 layers at a time)
  • Pre-fused cotton (up to 4 layers at a time)
  • Felt
  • Craft foam and sticky-back craft foam
  • Sticky-back vinyl
  • Card stock

Sue prefers not adding fusible to her wool when she plans to add extensive embellishments and hand stitches. For unfused wool, pin your shapes to the background and whipstitch them down using thread that matches the shape color.

Not a hand stitcher? AccuQuilt offers free downloadable machine embroidery files for this die, available in satin, blanket and motif stitch formats. Use them to do the decorative stitching by machine with the same beautiful results.  

Getting Started: Tutorial Video with Sue Spargo

Sue has created a step-by-step tutorial video that walks you through cutting and assembling projects with the GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die. If you’ve never worked with wool applique or hand embroidery before, this video is the best place to start.

Three Free Tinsel Patterns by Sue Spargo

Sue designed three projects using the GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die, each showcasing a different approach. From pure hand stitching to no-sew and low-sew, these techniques are accessible to anyone.

GO! Mini Christmas Tree Skirt by Sue Spargo Pattern

This charming little tree skirt is designed for a tabletop tree. Sue kept this project simple and elegant, choosing to whipstitch all the shapes in place without additional embellishment. Both the tree shapes and the tiny decorative shapes from the die are used together, and the result is as beautiful as it is approachable.

Cutting dozens of small applique shapes by hand would be tedious work. The die handles it in a fraction of the time.

GO! Potholder Set by Sue Spargo Pattern

These potholders are almost too beautiful to use. Sue added a few simple hand stitches to the decorated trees for a touch of additional texture and interest. They work equally well as mug mats, and a few arranged together would make a lovely mini wall hanging.

The shapes from this die also translate beautifully to machine embellishment on ready-made items: aprons, kitchen towels, stockings, tote bags and more, either with hand stitches or the free downloadable machine embroidery files.

GO! String Pennant or Door Hanger by Sue Spargo Pattern

This whimsical garland turns the tree shapes three-dimensional. Sue used her hand-dyed wool and hand stitching to complete the look in her signature style. But this same project works beautifully as a no-sew or low-sew activity using craft foam, sticky-back craft foam or felt with glue.

Think about other embellishments you can add buttons, bells, tiny pompoms, ribbon. This garland works hanging from a fireplace mantel, woven through a table centerpiece, draped on a door or displayed anywhere that needs a handmade holiday touch.

Frequently Asked Questions About the GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 by Sue Spargo

Which GO! cutters work with the GO! Tinsel die?

The GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die is on a 6" x 12" die board and is compatible with all GO! cutters, including the GO! Me, GO!, GO! Bolt and GO! Big.

How many layers can I cut at once?

You can cut up to 4 layers of pre-fused cotton at a time, or up to 2 layers of wool at a time.

Do I need to add fusible to my wool before cutting?

No. Sue Spargo herself prefers not to add fusible to her wool when she plans to add extensive hand embellishments and stitches. For unfused wool, pin the cut shapes to your background fabric and whipstitch them down using thread that matches the shape color.

Do I need to know hand embroidery to use this die?

Not at all. You have three options: hand stitch using Sue’s techniques from her Creative Stitching book, use the free downloadable machine embroidery files AccuQuilt provides in satin, blanket and motif stitch formats, or create no-sew and low-sew projects using craft foam, sticky-back craft foam or felt with glue. The die works for all three approaches.

What is the Tinsel pattern book?

Tinsel is one of Sue Spargo’s pattern books, featuring her signature holiday folk-art designs. The GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die cuts shapes from the Tinsel book, allowing you to create her designs significantly faster than cutting by hand.

What is the Creative Stitching book?

Creative Stitching is Sue Spargo’s stitch reference book, now in its second edition. It’s a spiral-bound guide covering 50 of Sue’s favorite hand embroidery stitches, along with her guidance on materials including needles and fibers. It’s the essential companion to working in her style and is available on accuquilt.live.

What materials can I use with this die besides wool?

The GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die cuts wool, pre-fused cotton, felt, craft foam, sticky-back craft foam, sticky-back vinyl and card stock. As a general rule: if you can cut it with scissors, you can cut it with a GO! Die.

Are there free patterns for the GO! Tinsel die?

Sue Spargo has created three free patterns for the GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 die: the GO! Mini Christmas Tree Skirt, the GO! Potholder Set and the GO! String Pennant or Door Hanger. Check accuquilt.live for current pattern availability.

Start Creating

The GO! Tinsel #4 & #9 by Sue Spargo is available at accuquilt.live and at your local AccuQuilt retailer. Pair it with Sue’s Tinsel pattern book, Creative Stitching, for the full folk-art experience or dive straight into one of her three die free patterns and discover her style from the first cut.

Share your finished projects with AccuQuilt on social media or in the Under the Needle with AccuQuilt Facebook group. We love seeing how quilters and crafters interpret Sue’s designs in their own colorways and materials.