Did You Know.....Not All Rulers are Created Equal?
08-06-2011, 12:50 AM
#43
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Queensland Australia
Posts: 1,388
A teacher told us about that but she also told us the story of one poor girl who had just bought a new ruler she could not get the squares to be accurate until they found out that the lines not straight no two lines were right they wavered in and out all over the place. I hope she took it back to the store she got it from and complained about it.
08-06-2011, 02:20 AM
#44
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nawth o' Boston
Posts: 1,879
Originally Posted by Jamiestitcher62
I hate those bright yellow line rulers, those lines are so think. I threw those in a drawer and stick to Creative Grids.
08-07-2011, 07:16 PM
#45
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
Originally Posted by AndiR
A recent thread on rulers reminded me that if you are shopping for a new rotary cutting ruler, look carefully at the lines on it. Some rulers have lines that are rather thick. That can make a huge difference in how accurately your blocks turn out.
I had a beginning quilting student and no matter how hard she tried, she could not get her blocks to turn out the size they were supposed to. We finally realized that the ruler she was using had lines that were about 1/16" of an inch wide. When she lined up the fabric on the edge of that line, each of her pieces was coming out 1/16" short. That might not seem like a lot, but that adds up to 1/8" for each seam, and if there were 4 seams across the block, that would add up to 1/2" short!!!!
Moral of the story - if accuracy is important to you, when shopping for a new ruler, look for one with the thinnest lines possible. And always use the same ruler to cut all the pieces for a project.
I had a beginning quilting student and no matter how hard she tried, she could not get her blocks to turn out the size they were supposed to. We finally realized that the ruler she was using had lines that were about 1/16" of an inch wide. When she lined up the fabric on the edge of that line, each of her pieces was coming out 1/16" short. That might not seem like a lot, but that adds up to 1/8" for each seam, and if there were 4 seams across the block, that would add up to 1/2" short!!!!
Moral of the story - if accuracy is important to you, when shopping for a new ruler, look for one with the thinnest lines possible. And always use the same ruler to cut all the pieces for a project.
08-07-2011, 07:27 PM
#46
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: La Grande, OR
Posts: 2,457
Originally Posted by jljack
Great advice!! I learned this when I started quilting...use the same tools throughout your project. Even if your measurements come out a little over or under, at least all your piecing will be the same over/under, and your quilt will look right and easier to put together.
08-08-2011, 06:38 AM
#47
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: western arkansas
Posts: 2,077
I had the same problem. No matter how I tried to be soooo accurate, corners didn't match and blocks were not the same size. I now do mostly applique to help with the frustration. I have had to recut a lot of blocks which was very discouraging.
03-20-2012, 08:41 PM
#48
Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 29
I recently a Kaye England workshop and experienced the "Nifty Notion" rulers. Never, Never would I have believed a ruler could make such a difference. (I think I have rulers from five or six other companies.) The improved accuracy of the "Nifty Notion" set of rulers, I purchased have brought joy back to quilting. The thinness of the lines, the combination of pink and green lines has made a world of difference. Thank you Kaye.
P S And to top that off, a percentage goes to charity.
P S And to top that off, a percentage goes to charity.
03-20-2012, 09:45 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: S. W. Indiana
Posts: 7,484
A recent thread on rulers reminded me that if you are shopping for a new rotary cutting ruler, look carefully at the lines on it. Some rulers have lines that are rather thick. That can make a huge difference in how accurately your blocks turn out.
I had a beginning quilting student and no matter how hard she tried, she could not get her blocks to turn out the size they were supposed to. We finally realized that the ruler she was using had lines that were about 1/16" of an inch wide. When she lined up the fabric on the edge of that line, each of her pieces was coming out 1/16" short. That might not seem like a lot, but that adds up to 1/8" for each seam, and if there were 4 seams across the block, that would add up to 1/2" short!!!!
Moral of the story - if accuracy is important to you, when shopping for a new ruler, look for one with the thinnest lines possible. And always use the same ruler to cut all the pieces for a project.
I had a beginning quilting student and no matter how hard she tried, she could not get her blocks to turn out the size they were supposed to. We finally realized that the ruler she was using had lines that were about 1/16" of an inch wide. When she lined up the fabric on the edge of that line, each of her pieces was coming out 1/16" short. That might not seem like a lot, but that adds up to 1/8" for each seam, and if there were 4 seams across the block, that would add up to 1/2" short!!!!
Moral of the story - if accuracy is important to you, when shopping for a new ruler, look for one with the thinnest lines possible. And always use the same ruler to cut all the pieces for a project.
Been there, done that. I used a June Tailor 24" ruler to cut strips then another brand to cut squares off that strip--------4" isn't always 4"
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