What do you do with old rulers when they are replaced?
 

While reading various threads, blogs, and websites I keep seeing how quilters are replacing their rulers with new and improved styles. What do you do with your old ones? I like the idea of the non-slip rulers and unfortunately I was not aware of them before I started buying mine. I have mostly Omnigrid and I am basicly happy with them but I have read about Quilters Select and Olfa and how nice they are.

Creative Grids rulers are also very popular! I use my old ones (both of them!) just for when I need a straight edge for some other project.

I keep mine. Hang them on the pegboard just in case I need them.

You can give them to a quilter that is just starting out. I received a bagful from a friend who was downsizing when I was just in the early days of my quilting hobby. There were sizes and shapes I would not necessarily have bought for myself, but once exposed to them learned the benefits of them. I also got some bloc locs and half geese ruler that I would have NEVER known existed. It was a generous gift and it really helped me :-)

If they are still "good" - by that I mean, they are accurate and the edges are still straight - I just keep them. I tend to misplace things, so duplicates are good to have.

If the edges are bowed from use, I discard them. In the trash. I will not knowingly give something "bad" to someone - especially someone just starting out.

I keep on using mine. I think some of the newer ones might be nice but there are too expensive for no more improvement than most of them give. I would not give rulers that I have problems using effectively to someone who is just starting out because they don't need to deal with stuff that can be avoided. Too many rulers have limited use which adds lots of cost to the cost of a quilt if you only use it once.

I use Omni Grid rulers and like them so feel no need to buy others. My BFF uses them too and bought this spray for the back of her rulers - https://www.walmart.com/ip/404-Spray...0spray&veh=sem
I tried it on one of my rulers and it does work but you need to really give it a light spray.

Cari

I recently bought some Quilters Select and they are fabulous. But I keep my others because I'm always misplacing things. I think there's a big hole somewhere in my sewing room!
I also bought the Quilters Select Mat and that's nice too. It came as a set. I need another mat like I need another hole in my head but I do love it.

this is what i tend to do also.

I use one for folding my fabrics with. I keep them around just in case I need them.

I hid them so well I don't know where I put them. :(
They will show up one of these days.

I use a 6 1/2 by 24 to cut rolled out dough for danish pastry, etc in the kitchen.

If you have a lucky quilting friend who has to be with sick family members from time to time, buys a second vacation home, or otherwise relocates from time to time; the gift of these rulers would be a Godsend.

Use for straight edge when marking a quilt. Another "extra" is left in my rolling bag to take to workshops, etc. One less thing to remember to take.

To make any ruler non stick.

https://www.amazon.com/Handi-Grip-Ad.../dp/B00UES84WO

I have also used skate board tape can be used for that. Just cut to size you want.
https://www.amazon.com/SCSK8-CLEAR-L.../dp/B00AI31K1M

This is so me. Hahahahaha

I haven't bought any new rulers to replace old ones since I've been quilting, about 15 years.

I put mine on the free table at guild. I love the free table. You never know what you will find there.

I give them to my DH to use at his workbench.

I keep them. I keep hoping that one of my daughters will someday need them.

I’ve been quilting for a long time and have not yet replaced any of my standard sized OmniGrid rulers. Though as I get older I’d love something that’s a little easier to see through.... if I were to make the switch and my Omnigrids were still in good shape for quilting use I’d donate them.

Rob

I'd been saving them "just in case", but now that I'm really trying to get rid of a lot of extra "stuff" in my life, I've pulled all of my spares and doubles and things I'm sure I'll never use into a big box and invited my quilty and crafty friends to come and take whatever they like. It was a surprisingly large box (wasn't all quilting stuff), but one of my scrapbooking/papercrafting friends who recently lost everything in the local fires claimed most of it, so that felt doubly good. Good to see all the extra stuff go away, and good to see it go to someone who would definitely get use out of it.

Anything my friends don't want, I will donate to a thrift shop in the next town over that specializes in reselling fabric and sewing supplies for the benefit of the local senior center. But there's very little left!

Anything damaged or not working I would have tossed right away - I'm somewhat of a hoarder, but always been pretty good at throwing truly useless things out. Bad tools are a pet peeve, I won't tolerate it!

I really like this idea. i gave my omnigrid to me little daughter for future use

I didn't see that anyone mentioned the Slide-Lock rulers. Just looking at them I thought they would be grand! Anyone know of them or how those that have them like them?

I keep my old rulers. Hubby will then have some to use on his misc. projects. :)

I love the idea of gifting to a new quilter, passing the baton to a future generation ;)

I recently discovered a delightful use for old quilting rulers on Pinterest that you can use as sewing room art ;)
here is the direct link. I just love this idea!! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/9218374220551271/

I've only removed a couple of rulers from my collection because I didn't use them and my sister took them and uses them in her sewing (she doesn't quilt). When I replace a ruler, it's because it is damaged.

Recently we used one of my old long rulers as a guide when cutting wallpaper, could see the pattern underneath (also old rotary cutter worked a treat too). When clamping a quilt or fabric down on the worktable, I put the ruler between fabric and clamp. The old ruler gives a greater area of grip and I can still see if my lines etc are straight.

Hettyb

melindac- that's adorable!!!

Cute! That'd be a great use for rulers that are worn out or otherwise not appropriate for passing on to someone else - keeps them out of the landfill! Also a cute gift idea for a quilty friend!

I keep and use mine; however, when we get a new, just beginning member, I give them several of my older rulers. I remember how I could not afford to buy rulers when I first started, so I like to share my wealth whenever possible.

I keep all my rulers because I only buy ‘new to me’ rulers. I’d love to have a few Creative Grid rulers, but I have all the sizes I need in Omnigrid rulers. But I really would love to have the two Creative Grid rulers that are most used.

I got all the Quilter's Select basic size rulers. All my special size rulers I kept. I have a few Olfa frosted and will keep those. The yellow lines one I got rid of. I had more miss cuts using those. No one took the yellow lined ones at my guild free table. Seems no one likes them.

This may sound perfectly horrible, but...I just realized I left a 6x24, a mat, and a sewing machine in the cabin we sold yesterday. Other than that, I keep them. If the edge us nit linger perfectly straight, I use it for marking.

I had a ruler that was used for a long time by someone, then put in the free box at a garage sale. I was starting out, and didn't have a ruler, so I took it. The edge was somewhat nicked up, but I used it for a few years until edge was very nicked up, and in addition, the black lines on it had disappeared, making it a little difficult to see the line that I wanted to use for cutting the fabric. Finally, I bought a new ruler. So-- what I did with the old one is this-- I asked my son, who has a scroll saw to cut it and sand it neatly into two triangles, as I didn't have a triangle ruler in the sizes that he could create from the old ruler. He has lots of types of paints, as painting is one of his creative hobbies, and he could paint lines for me too (seems impossible, but he could do it). So, I guess you could say my old ruler was refurbished?

But I think a nice use for an old ruler might be to put it in the bottom of a tote bag in order to stiffen, strengthen, and give body to the bottom of the bag. It would be good to sand the corners a little round, so as not to be too sharp in a fabric bag bottom. When my cutting mat got too cut up to use anymore, that's what I made with it, pieces cut to size to put in the bottom of tote bags. It was sort of handy to have the inch lines on the mat, as that made it easy to cut it into the correct sizes.

What a great housewarming gift! LOL We are in the process of moving and I can understand exactly how easy it would be to forget where I stashed a few things. I have stuff strewn between two homes now.

Sometimes I'll give them to my sister who's into crafting more so than sewing or I'll take them out to my workshop and use them there.

I was given a Slide-Lock ruler with the lighted edge as a Christmas gift 2 years ago and I love it! Just this past week, I've been cutting strips for a strip quilt and can stack quite a few layers of material and cut all at once. It really is easier on my aging hands. Took me a little bit to remember which edge of my material I was working on and I changed out my rotary cutter to have the blade on the other side of the handle. Works for me!

I am about to give my old 8 1/2 x 24 inch ruler to the lady at the UPS store. She is taking up quilting. I have had that ruler for years and decided to get a new one because i had glued a L shaped guard on it and then very brightly-turned the ruler and cut. yep, cut my thumb. So that guard did not work due to my brain.
i got a replacement recently on sale. $19.00 instead of $42.00 another shop asked for.
i will give her two books also. I told her I started out hand sewing clothing, so she can do it!

If they are still usable, I keep them and put them with the rest of the rulers.

If they have gotten a curve on the edge from use - they go in the trash.