Alphabet Punches

[Maddie2]

I am just getting into scrapbooking and I am finding punches to be really fun -- and more economical than buying a million stickers!

I've been looking at alphabet punches and so far, I have found none that are all that nice. They all seem to have spaces within the outline of many of the letters -- or lacking in holes -- ie. letter "B" without the 2 holes or letter "D" without the center open, or letter "B" with a space at the bottom where the "stick" meets the rounded part.

They make butterfly punches without the center parts, why can't they make letters without center parts?

I do have letter stamps, but I really would like to find a set of nice alphabet punches too. Any recommendations you may have I would appreciate! Thanks!

 

[dianemb]

I've been toying with this idea also. They really aren't cheap and all the reviews I see don't really sound great. I have bought alot of alphabets from A C Moore when they have stickers on sale and also got some rub ons from an ebay auction. I would really like to get the cricut machine and may save up for that instead of the punches. It's expensive but you can then get different alphabets and cutouts in the future.

 

[pjlla]

I think it is because you are looking at individual punches. I have only ever seen those as you have described. If you are really interested in a set of alphabets, may I suggest either a Sizzix or a Quikcut system. I think you would be happy with either of those......................P

 

[piratesmate]

When I first started scrapping, before I had a Sizzix machine, I bought a set of small alpha punches from JoAnns. They were the JoAnns brand & I had a big (60 or 75%) coupon for the store's Grand Opening so they were pretty cheap...maybe $20?

Anyway, they were fairly nice with open spaces in the letters and very uniform. I did find that there was a problem with one of them not punching properly & was able to return the set for a new one. So my recommendation, if you'd go this route, would be to test them all as soon as you get them them...just in case.

But honestly? If I didn't have anything at this point I'd just spend the money on a Cricut. Because then you aren't stuck with just a single size. In an ideal world, I'd just save for a Wishblade but that's never going to happen here.

 

[MKelley226]

I have a set of paper shapers uppercase letter punches. There is a separate punch for the middles that you punch out first, then the outline of the letter. I have had them for years and don't see them for sale anymore. I also have a sizzix, QK, and cricut and use those more then the punches too...90% of the time, I forget I have them...my kids use them more then me.

 

[disneyfreakk]

I agree, save the money you were going to buy punches with to buy a die cutting system.

 

[Maddie2]

Thank you everyone! I've never even heard of Cricut -- I'll have to check that out. I have used Sizzix before.

There is a scrapbook store about an hour away and they have TONS of diecuts you can use there -- but I don't recall them having the alphabet; I'll have to check again. You pay a flat hourly amount (I'm thinking $4?) to use all of their machines/die cuts (Sizzix, Ellison, etc) and then you have to buy all of your papers there the day you are using them. Since I'm not certain I am going to really get into scrapbooking (though I may!) and there isn't really a great alphabet punch set, I'll probably stay with this for now.

Also, I've been hearing so much about this AC Moore store -- sure wish we had one in this part of the country! Are they that much better than Hobby Lobby, Joann's, and Michael's??

 

[MazdaUK]

I was agonising what to use, and I bought the Xyron Personal Cutting System (XPCS). Its a lot smaller than a cricut (and half the price) and comes with an alphabet book and a book of "useful" shapes (sun, suitcase, flowers etc.). There are also "shadows" for all the letters and numbers, and you can cut everything in three sizes. I have carpal tunnel syndrome, so any "punch" system is out for me (I need 2 hands for my cropadile!)

 

[westieridgeback]

I just bought the Wishblade off HSN. Punches are just limited to one font. Stickers and rubons always seem to need one more letter than what is left. Sizzix and Quickutz are great but for me taking the time to do one letter at a time is too long. I chose the wishblade over cricut due to the fact that now I can print a word and all the letters are connected and that it works with all the fonts from my pc. Cricut you have to buy each font cartridge.