MFord

When I first started quilting I got really excited about having all the goodies that go along with it, so I bought fairly random rulers over time. My straight ones are mostly the Omnigrip or Omnigrid, but I also have June Taylor, Fons and Porter, Eleanor Burns, Get Squared, etc, etc. I want to go through them and keep what I think are best, then take the duplicates to my quilt guild.

Any suggestions of which kind do which task best? I don't really like the Eleanor Burns way of making Flying Geese, and I love the June Tailor Shape Cut and 1/4 Cut, but I don't have any particular fondness for any of the others. Also, is it absolutely necessary to use the same brand throughout a project to get everything to fit together (nothing I make ever quite fits together right, but I think I'm just a little too eager to get 'er done at times!)?

Which specialty rulers do you all recommend?

tessagin

EB way of flying geese ruler is too confusing to me. I don't like to spend money on rulers and templates if I can find another way. I have some of the same you have listed and a few others. I was going to purchase the Deb Tucker Hunter's Star but have found another way to make it. Squares and hst. I 'm good with those. I look through old (couple) books I have. I try to work with what I have.

tessagin

i do compare the accuracy from one brand to the next but may be off a scant 1/16" in most cases. I was going to pick up the 6x24" ruler but i have a metal yardstick and square ends with my yardstick and 6x12 or 12x12". Right now I have plenty. Not enough of an expert to do the fancy dance ones. If all else fails I can paper piece or move onto something else.

Pennyhal

My favorite rulers are the Salem one. The lines are thin and that's easier for me to get the ruler correctly lined up with the fabric.

bearisgray

I have laid my rulers on top of each other and aligned the lines. Most of them do match up.

The ones I have now that I actively dislike are the Quiltrr's Rule ones becauikse of the thickness of the grids that are used for the measurement lines.

Many people love the Creative Grids line of rulers. I prefer the ones with fewer markings ( sometimes I get easily confused) like the Olfa frosted rulers.

As far as which to keep - which ones do you prefer? Or like the least?

When I started, there was little choice for rulers. Now it seems like something new is being introduced quite often.

tessagin

If you go to YouTube McCall's has a video for "No Waste flying geese Dutchman's puzzle." I like it and it's just sew simple.

ghostrider

I don't have any 'specialty' rulers other than two triangles, 45º and 60º. I've never encounted a shape that I can't cut accurately without one and I hate 'single-task' tools. As for favorite brand, it has to be Olfa Frosted Advantage...thinnest lines, non-slip, most accurate cuts, easiest to see through on all fabrics. Omni-Grid and Omni-Grip drive me to distraction so I gave them away almost immediately.

Keep the ones that work best for you and get rid of the rest. I'm sure they'll be much appreciated by others. And, in my experience, using the same ruler during cutting does increase accuracy, all else being equal.

Onebyone

I have all brands but I really like Creative Grids rulers. I buy specialty rulers and keep them with the book or pattern I use them for. I prefer to use my Go to cut basic shapes.

ManiacQuilter2

I have basically Omnigrid rulers because those were the first acrylic that were sold to quilters. I have a June Taylor Shape Cut Pro that I don't like having to fight to get my rotary cutter in the slots.

I made a quilt that had a couple of hundred flying geese and I LOVED EB method because if you stitching off just a bit, you can fix it before the final trimming. Just have to pull out an old book of her's to find out the size of squares I need to cut. Saw something recently on F&P which was even more confusing for making the geese.

SharonTheriault

I have Creative Grids and some of Deb Tucker speciality rulers. I won't buy any other brands. Did that and won't do it again. Yes, it is best to use the same brand of ruler throughout a project. Too much difference in the markings. You'd think an inch would be an inch on everthing. But the width of the markings sure change dimensions in measuring.