When to Replace Rulers
When should I replace my existing rulers? Imagine a sharp blade slivering off a microscopic amount of plastic from your ruler each time you use it. Would the ruler still measure correct? If you have been thinking your problem might lay within your sewing accuracy that has contributed to a completed block being slightly askew, let’s stop and examine the ruler.
Depending on how often the same ruler is used and how long it has been in your sewing studio, might contain the secret of those skinny strips or scrawny squares.
I watched Cleo hold one of our rulers from the store’s cutting table vertically with the long edge along the table the other day. I was surprised (almost horrified) at the gap between the cutting table and the ruler’s edge! I had just used that ruler to cut out my recent quilt pieces! I had taken so much care to making sure all the pieces were perfectly lined up on the ruler lines, not realizing that each time I cut the pieces where much smaller before I even sat down at my sewing machine.
I started checking my rulers at home. Yikes! Was I in for a disappointment! All that careful cutting was down the drain…it’s time for new rulers!
These days there are numerous ruler styles to select from. A few tips for selecting replacement rulers:
1. Select a ruler with SKINNY lines that are NOT solid. Lines with tiny brakes in them allow the true fabric edge to be perfectly positioned with the cutting line. Rulers with fatter lines are harder to know which side of the line to use.
2. Figure out what size of rulers are best for you. If you are replacing the longer ruler such as a 6 1/2″ x 24″, think if there times that a 8 1/2″ x 24″ would fit the bill on more of your regularly cut strip sizes. Remember, you can always cut smaller strips with a ruler, but not bigger ones.
3. Kaye England’s suggestion for selecting ruler sizes is to select a 7″ x 24″ and not a 6 1/2″ x 24″. How many times have you cut a strip before realizing that the 1/2″ was on the WRONG side! Kaye England’s Cut For the Cure* rulers are all in whole numbers. Using two colors of lines on her rulers allows users to find the correct line quicker. The green and pink skinny lines are not solid and are color coded. The green lines are the whole numbers and the 1/2″ increments and the pink lines are the 1/4″ and 3/4″ lines. Visit www.kayeengland.com to view all the Cut For the Cure rulers. *A portion of each Cut For the Cure ruler purchase is donated to the Susan G. Kommen Breast Cancer Foundation. These rulers are available in all sizes from Heirloom Creations.
Take a minute next time you are beginning to cut out a new quilt project to examine the condition of your rulers. Having a brand new ruler might just save you unforeseen frustration when piecing together your next quilt project.
Need a Christmas gift idea this year? How about new rulers or at least a gift card from Heirloom Creations!,
© 2007 SewSara, Sioux Falls, SD. All Rights Reserved.
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Sew Wise with Sara » Blog Archive Sew Wise With Sara » Perfecting the Quarter Inch Seam on
Sun, 30th Sep 2007 2:39 pm
[...] service. Use a new accurate ruler with THIN LINES. (Click here to read Sara’s tip on “When to Replace Rulers”.) Sew the strips together with your Quarter Inch foot, press carefully, and measure the finished [...]
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