Originally Posted by
Julienm1
- If you are a beginner FM quilter is it better to improve your technique before getting rulers OR do the rulers make the learning curve easier?
- If you buy rulers to match low/high shank, how do you determine if your machine is low or high?
- Does someone have a link to the best price/product?
I have just started doing ruler work on my sit down. From what I know so far, doing ruler work does help you get comfortable with free motion quilting as it sort of takes away one element you have to learn. Most times with ruler work, the suggestion is to start out with straight line quilting using the ruler as a guide until you get comfortable with that. What you learn is how to move the fabric with the feed dogs down while you still have the ruler to guide you. I think over time, you will learn more about how to coordinate the speed of your hands with the speed of the machine to get a more consistent stich length. I never could get that part down but this may vary with people. I have heard others say that doing ruler work, has helped with their free motion also. The best way to figure out if your machine is a high or low shank is to check with the maker of the machine. For example, I have a bernina...which interestingly is neither a high or low shank as bernina did it's own thing and I had to get a Bernina ruler work foot and not a generic. I can however use all the rulers that work with a high shank machine.