Stitchnripper

well my dear quilting friend- you will never know unless you try! Start with a practice piece!!

JanieW

I agree with stichnripper. Give it a try. I was nervous at first but I’m so glad that I tried it. I love combining fmq with ruler work. Using the ruler has improved my stitching in the ditch, too.

The tip I got was to always make sure you have your hand on the ruler and the fabric. Make sure you have something on the underside of the ruler to keep it from slipping.

hray

i really like my rulers, though I'm still learning with them. I started with a pack of four from Quilters Rule, plus a "captured foot rope" which is really cool for making rope-design in borders. I added a couple of arc rulers, as I wanted to play with curved cross hatching. I made a quilt with medium size patches of solid color, and used it to practice FMQ and ruler work (pattern was Elvira from GE Designs.)

I second the idea of having a good grippy surface on your ruler! I think it is the most important part of using them. Some sticky stick-on dots came with my first rulers, but now I'm using Odif Grippy spray and like it better. I saw someone use hot glue thinly applied to the under-surface of the ruler and I want to try that on one just to see if it lasts longer than the spray or dots.

cannyquilter

Angela Walters is starting a series of quilting with a ruler foot.

sewingpup

Thanks everyone for suggestions....I did order the ruler work foot and the echo clips during this sale. I looked in my long arm supplies and found a 7 X 2 inch straight rule...a "versa tool" by handiquilter, and a circle set by the gadget girls (I think the small 3 inch one will work)...ummm...probably will end up getting more rulers but trying to wait until I try out the ruler foot to see if I like it! I will check out the rulers also that have been mentioned...umm...looks like I will have to put more money on the prepaid card I use for online ordering!!!

hray

I justified my foot and rulers by the fact that what I've spent on them so far is less than it would cost to send out 2 quilts for long-arming...but that justification won't work for you if you already have a long arm. LOL

sewingpup

Oh, I am pretty good at figuring out how to justify it. My long arm is down in the basement and it is dark and cold down there (I have a little space heater I turn on during the winter). The room is small with only two outlets, no TV, no comfy chair, I am getting old, my feet get tired when on them too long, see...I can come up with good reasons to get the ruler foot so I can work on small projects while sitting in my comfy chair and warmth during the winter....I will still use my long arm for lap and bed quilts. I make utility quilts and usually do just an over-all design free hand design on them and that does go very quickly on a long arm...tee hee Now I am figuring out how to do zoom meetings hopefully using my old laptop as the local quilt shop is doing all their class via zoom this winter...sounds like I have a lot of choices. My nephew tells me I can tether my smart phone to a TV with HMDI port and and use my TV to watch the zoom and the camera in my phone, or I can try and get my old laptop working as that does have a camera in it, or I can go buy a new device....I am just updating the old laptop as I haven't turned it on since last spring. Wish I was move techy but I will limp along with this...

Dolphyngyrl

I love my ruler foot on my brother and my handiquilter.

rusty quilter

Nope...the BSR is a different animal! My suggestion would be,iIf you are comfortable using it for FMQ...do that, then switch to the "ruler" foot for straighter lines. Everyone told me that it "takes time"--however they did not tell me it takes a "lifetime!"

pbraun

Thanks for the encouragement Ladywingnut! I am practicing ruler work and FMQ on flannel left over from my pieced blocks; trying to figure out how to do it well. I know it takes umpteen hours to perfect a new technique and that I will have to be satisfied with good enough. Our LQS gave lessons, I watched youTube, and Sew Steady live so I am determined to complete my deck quilt as I consider it a utility quilt and will not be gifting it. I am also trying QAYG since this will be more than straight line quilting. Sheltering at home in Illinois has allowed me lots of time to practice what I love to do.