Do you use a Spacing Gauge to mark for Cross Hatch Quilting?
 

I saw this on Pinterest and wondered how well it works...it is Simflex expanding sewing gauge. I guess it was designed for button holes and general sewing, but thought it would work well for marking my quilts for crosshatch quilting. Anyone have one?
http://www.sewdaily.com/blogs/sewdai...g-gadgets.aspx

I can see where that would be very handy for spacing buttonholes. But I don't think I would buy it for measuring lines for crosshatching. I use my 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" ruler to measure. It works fine for me.

I just use painters masking tape to mark lines for quilting straight lines. Place tape, sew along side, remove tape and reuse it again. It lasts for several lines, than just replace it with new tape. Works for me & painters tape is pretty cheap.

What color painter's tape are all of you using? I can only find blue here, but there used to be a less-adhesive purple.

Thanks,
Charlotte

I've always used blue painters tape, have never seen it in any other color

The adhesiveness doesn't matter. You want it to stick and the blue works just fine...... for me anyway.

I have one of those! I use it to mark across the quilt where I want to FM a simple curve, etc. It gives you correct spacing without having to do major math! I have used it several times in quilting, but I already owned it (for buttonholes many years ago) so don't know if it would be worth buying it now. I love gadgets, but sometimes forget I have one that would help in that particular instance, and forge ahead without it! lol

I think it would come in handy, for sure.

I use painter tape for my center guide and the I just use my 6"x24" ruler marking with a Hera marker. I deep referring to the painter tape to make sure I keep accurate.

http://www.joann.com/clover-hera-mar...lover&start=22

Painter's tape around here is cream coloured.

I don't use it though, I prefer to mark the lines with a pen. I found out that my lines are more accurate and straight when I can simply follow a drawn line.

I'm with cathy77 on this way of marking.

I use the bar attachment on my walking foot when I am cross-hatching.

Same here. It saves all that measuring, marking, taping, and clean up time. It works well for evenly spacing curved rows of quilting, too. Mine extend out to almost 3" on either side.

I have seen repositionable tape.

I don't like to mark. Its easier just to mark one line and use the bar attachment.

That was my experience as well, when I tried it on a king size quilt. I ended up using an 8' straight edge my husband hand and marked all the lines with water soluble marker.

I've seen green and blue (and the older style cream color) but I've seen the blue in a sensitive paint type of variety. It's supposedly less sticky. I don't think I've seen the green (which is called frog tape) in a less sticky variety. For painting, anyway, we prefer the green.

I mark my first mark with the Hera marking tool then use the attachment. I even bought a longer guide bar so I could go further distance from the last line of stitching.

I have it and yes I do use it for marking when quilting, but only to space my design correctly such as loops in a sashing. I don't use it for crosshatching. Instead I use the ruler markings on my longarm ruler as I am quilting.

I use it to mark the spaces and then a ruler to draw the line. It is good when you want even spacing but the area doesn't divide evenly into inches.

I have one that I use for spacing curtain hooks and button hole; my husband uses it for woodworking; never thought of using it for quilting!

I bought a 4 ft and 6 ft straight edge ruler. They were inexpensive $8 and $10 at Lowe's. 2 1/2" wide. I put clear first aid tape on the back of the rulers and that helps keep them from moving.

there is blue and green tape too that aren't supposed to be very sticky. no residue like the beige tape can leave.

I used my 6x24 ruler and disappearing pen on a baby quilt and was very pleased with how it came out. But I don't know if I would do something like that on a larger quilt. You would have to keep laying it out on a flat surface to mark the next lines. Same would go for the painters tape I would think. For those of you that use the painters tape, how many lines do you mark at one time?

What she said. Painter's tape...for straight lines. Works great!

I have seen one that is green

I use my bar also...just make the first line and I'm good for the whole quilt.

I also use the bar attachment. Works very well.

Hmmm..if you stick a pen on each point, you could use it to draw some cool stuff! Gigantic baptist fans. Zen-style ripples and waves. Make one end a pin (like maybe use a knitting needle) and seems like concentric circles would be pretty easy.

I just might have to get one of these. I think it might have some interesting possibilities!

Is there a trick to using it?? Mine seems to move oe something because I can NEVER get straight lines. Or is it the operator?? LOL

I much prefer the blue. I do have the purple and you are correct. It is less adhesive.

Very cool gadget. Can see where it would be super helpful in button holes or making eyelets for ribbon; but with cross hatching I'll stick with my trusty little Dritz sewing ruler from the sixties.

I use painters' tape, but I find it is not very precise, which is ok for me, but maybe not for someone who wants more accuracy. The tape itself takes up space and I am not very precise when stitching along the edge. It's hard to stay close to the tape without stitching through it.

When I use the tape I stitch about 1/4" away from it because I would also be stitching right through it. I can't remember if there is a 3/4" tape. I usually quilt more than 1" apart anyway.

Same here. It really works slick .

There is "Frog" tape, which is green and is another brand of a painter's tape. It works well.

I have had mine move before...if it is always happening..you could stick a little piece of tape over it where it attaches and that should help.

Mine moves too. I put some tape (coincidentally, blue painter's tape-lol) on a couple of spots to prevent it from sliding back and forth.

I'm guessing it doesn't come out of the stitching easily, either. Grrr. I have awful vision on allergy days and was hoping the tape would be easier than the walking foot bar. For some reason, I am terrible with that.

The last time I tried to use the bar, I was quilting in a chicken wire pattern, and it was so wonky and inconsistent, I finally decided that it was chicken wire after the chickens had pushed against it. :)

hugs,
Charlotte