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Essential Quilting Tools – Rulers!

Rulers are one of the essential tools you need when you are quilting, other than a sewing machine of course! Because of that, I decided to devote this week’s post to rulers I like to use along with a few tips for use. I probably use fewer types of rulers than other quilters. I don’t buy a lot of specialty rulers. I do have a few that I like to use and I’ll show you those here. Share some of your favorite rulers, perhaps you have ones you use that I haven’t thought of. Let’s get started.

My Rulers

Here’s some of the rulers I use the most often:

Conventional for Cutting & Trimming: Everyone is probably familiar with the 6 1/2 x 6 1/2″, 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″ and 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ which I use the most.

The long 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ ruler is great for cutting long strips from yardage. I use the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″ ruler next to it to help square up yardage and also for cutting strips from smaller pieces of fabric like fat 1/4s, fat 1/8s and layer cakes. The 6 1/2 square ruler is used to help square up those smaller fats and also to square up smaller blocks. 

The 4 1/2″ one on the upper right in that photo I use to measure my block units as I go along with these two rulers below: 

Measuring units of a block as you go, will lead to accurately pieced blocks that measure the size that’s indicated in your pattern. The success of your quilt relies on your blocks measuring correctly. If a quilt block is supposed to be 12 1/2 x 12 1/2″, for example, measuring the block units as you go will help you with that goal.

Here’s a photo of measuring a 4-patch that I needed to be 2 1/2 x 2 1/2″ to work in a block.

Specialty Ruler: This next ruler is one that is specific to creating half-square triangle (HST) squares. Whether I am using the traditional method of making two at a time or making multiples all at once, this is a ruler I can’t live without: the Quilt in a Day Triangle Square-up Ruler. 

This ruler allows me to trim HSTs before they are pressed open so I only  have to trim two sides. It makes the trimming more accurate. Line up the diagonal line on the ruler with the seam of the closed HST. The number associated with that line is the size you want the HST to measure once it’s pressed open (includes seam allowance). Once it’s lined up, trim the two sides where they overlap the ruler edge.

This ruler certainly came in handy when making these two quilts that had a lot of HSTs in the blocks!

Squaring Rulers: I use these to measure or square up completed blocks. I have a 9 1/2″, 12 1/2″ and 16 1/2″. Once again, this helps your quilt top go together smoothly and measure correctly by having the blocks measure correctly.

Be extra careful squaring and trimming blocks. Be sure nothing of the block design will be lost in the 1/4” seam allowance.

Not Quilt Rulers: Finally, these last two rulers are for the appliqué fans among us. Circles tend to be the most difficult when I am looking for the right size for berries or a flower center in a motif I am designing. 

 I use these to make my templates for my fabric and wool appliqué patterns that need circles. These rulers were not found in a the quilt store. I found them in a scrapbooking store. So if you are like me and want perfect circles, look for something like these there.

Some Ruler Tips

Tips #1: Learn to read the lines on your rulers quickly. I like rulers that have lines that are different lengths like my Creative Grid rulers.

Notice the lines between the inches are different lengths. The 1/8″ lines are slightly shorter than the 1/4″ lines and the 1/2″ line is longer than both of those (see photo above). This helps me find measurements like 2 3/8″ and 3 3/4″ quickly on the ruler.

Tip #2: Make use of the 45º line on your ruler. I use it for cutting fabric on the bias for strips and you can also use it for trimming pressed open HSTs if you don’t have a specialty ruler. 

There are also a 30 and 60 degree lines on most rulers that are used for cutting triangles and diamonds. I don’t use those measurements often so you will need to look to another quilter for tips and patterns using those.

Tip #3: You can use the ruler to find the center of a piece of fabric or block by using the markings on the ruler. Those intersecting white lines and the circle where they meet is the exact center of this ruler shown below. This comes in handy when squaring up blocks or when you are fussy cutting a piece of fabric.

That’s all for my ruler tips. Share some of your rulers you like the best and maybe some of the specialty or unusual ones you have found work well with your quilting. Join me next week for some more ruler talk. I’ll cover ruler safety tips and maintenance.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Ruler Tips & Facts to Get Ready to Quilt!

Next week, I am beginning my Block of the Week sew along series that will result in a wall hanging or give you a jumping off point for a charming large sampler quilt. I will share tips each week and a little quilt block history too! To get ready for this sew along, I am going to review some ruler tips & facts  to help you to accurately cut fabric and keep yourself safe.  Let’s have some fun!

Ruler Sizes & Types

Here’s a photo of my most used rulers:

These are my favorite sizes. The long 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ ruler is great for cutting long strips from yardage. I use the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″ ruler next to it to help square up yardage and also for cutting strips from smaller pieces of fabric like fat 1/4s, fat 1/8s and layer cakes. The 6 1/2 square ruler is used to help square up those smaller fats and also to square up smaller blocks.. Finally, I keep my 4 1/2″ square ruler by my sewing machine to measure block units as I complete them to make sure they are the accurate size.

My favorite brand of ruler is Creative Grid. I like them because they are clear so it’s easier to see the fabric beneath and also because of their markings. 

  • The markings between to 1″ lines are different lengths which I think helps me to read the ruler more quickly and accurately while I am cutting.

Notice how the 1/8″ lines are slightly shorter than the 1/4″ lines and the 1/2″ line is longer than both of those. This helps me find odd measurements like 2 3/8″ and 3 3/4″ quickly on the ruler.

  • I also like that the numbers go in both directions so no matter how the ruler is turned, they are easy to read.

Finally, I have an array of square rulers from the smaller 4 1/2″ and 6 1/2″ ones already pictured to a 9 1/2″, 12 1/2″ and 16 1/2″ square. These rulers are great to measure completed blocks to make sure they measure the size they are supposed to be. They also help me cut larger squares that are needed for setting triangles for on-point quilts.

There are square rulers of all different sizes, but I use these the most for the variety of block sizes I make to help me square them up and measure correctly.

Ruler Safety Tips & Use

You will be cutting a lot of pieces for the upcoming Block of the Week blocks, so making sure your cutting safely and accurately is important.

Safety First. Safety with rulers can be achieved by using those “klutz” gloves you see in quilt shops. I also use the safety shields made by Olipfa that you see on my rulers in the photos below. 

I’ve had a cutting accident with the rotary cutter in the past, so that’s why I try to be super safe cutting. The safety shield only comes in a 24″ length for the longer ruler, but I ordered additional ones and had them cut to size to fit my smaller rulers. This shield keeps my hand away from the rotary blade if it happens to come over the ruler’s edge.

Another good safety feature that is built right into Creative Grid rulers: they have gripper dots and strips embedded on the back for less slipping. No need to buy anything to add to the bottom of the ruler.

Accurate Cutting: Remember that old adage “measure twice, cut once”? There are times that I have thought I was cutting a 2 1/2″ strip when I really had the ruler lined up for a 2 1/4″ cut … I was in a hurry and didn’t check!

Always line up the ruler with the edge of your fabric and double check that your ruler is placed correctly. Also make sure it’s not crooked. To help with that use some painter’s tape on the ruler’s measurement line, especially if you are cutting a lot of strips.

This next tip can fall under the category of accuracy and safety. Make sure you are holding your rotary cutter correctly while cutting. It should be straight and hugging the edge of your ruler all the way through the cut you are making. You want your rotary cutter straight like the photo on the left (below). If you angle it like the photo on the right (below), the blade of the rotary cutter can wander away from the edge of the ruler and your strip will be cut inaccurately. And, of course, always cut away from your body.

Finally, Keeping the ruler from shifting while you are cutting is also an accuracy step. A shifting ruler could send your rotary cutter “off course” and ruin your piece of fabric. Even pressure from your hand holding the ruler keeps it from shifting.

“Tent” your hand as shown in the photos above with your pinkie on the edge to keep the ruler from moving. If you place your hand flat on the ruler, you may inadvertently push the ruler forward. Tenting your hand makes the pressure your are exerting go down instead of forward. When you are cutting a long strip, you may want to stop briefly and move your hand up the ruler so you can keep the pressure even through the entire cutting of the strip.

Ruler Maintenance and Storage

Finally, your rulers need to be maintained and stored properly to keep them in tip top shape. Here’s some tips for that:

  • Clean your rulers periodically by dusting with a soft cloth. Do not use anything abrasive, like paper towels, that can scratch the ruler surface and make the markings harder to read. Also don’t use any cleaning solution with bleach or ammonia. If you need to use a cleaning solution, use those that are meant for plexiglass.
  • Store your rulers, like your cutting mat, away from direct sunlight and not in areas of your home with extreme temperature changes.
  • Finally, make sure to store your rulers securely. If you drop them or they fall from a storage area, they will chip or break. I hang my rulers on a peg board that you can find at any hardware store. Mine was meant for a garage, but it works in my sewing room.

So that’s it for this week. I hope this review of ruler facts & tips helps you to cut out your next quilt with more accuracy and safely. If you are a beginner, I hope this helps ease some stress when cutting into your new fabric.

Join me next week for the beginning of the Block of the Week for 2024. The block patterns will all be free and at the end of the series I will have a free setting pattern for the blocks. However, you can use them any way you want.

See you next week!

Happy Quilting,
Deanne

More Ruler and Cutting Tips for Accurate Piecing

Last week I touched briefly on rulers, including my tips on using the same brand when cutting out a project and how to keep the ruler in place. I have some more ruler tips for you this week along with a few more cutting tips. All this goes towards accurate piecing which I will also talk about this week. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced quilter, I think it’s always a good idea to get tips on accuracy when piecing your blocks and quilt tops. Let’s get started!

More Ruler & Cutting Tips

Tip #1: You can use the ruler to find the center of a piece of fabric or block by using the markings on the ruler. Those intersecting white lines and the circle where they meet is the exact center of the ruler. This comes in handy when squaring up blocks or when you are fussy cutting a piece of fabric.

Tip #2: The 45 degree line comes in handy when you are trimming a half-square or quarter-square triangle square. Place the diagonal ruler line on the diagonal seam of your square to guarantee that you are trimming the square evenly on all sides.

Tip #3: To quickly identify where to place your ruler, notice the lines between the inches are different lengths. Early on in my quilting life I never paid attention to this. The 1/8″ lines are slightly shorter than the 1/4″ lines and the 1/2″ line is longer than both of those. This helps you find measurements like 2 3/8″ and 3 3/4″ quickly on the ruler. 

This is true for the Creative Grids rulers I use, but you’ll find similar features on other brands as well.

Tip #4: This ruler tip relates to cutting safety. If you have noticed, I have ruler guards (also known as safety shields) on my rulers. I had a rotary cutting accident several years ago when my cutter slid over the edge of the ruler and hit my finger. Not fun! Here’s what my rulers look like now:

You can find these safety shields made by Olipfa at Joanne Fabrics and some quilt shops. It only comes in one size, but it can be cut down to fit shorter rulers.

A safety feature I like about my Creative Grid rulers: they have gripper dots and strips embedded on the back for less slipping. No need to buy anything to add to the bottom of the ruler.

Tip #5: Everyone probably practices this one… remember that old adage “measure twice, cut once”? There are times that I have thought I was cutting a 2 1/2″ strip when I really had the ruler lined up for a 2 1/4″ cut … I was in a hurry and didn’t check!

Always line up the ruler with the edge of your fabric and double check that your ruler is placed correctly. Also make sure it’s not crooked. To help with that, use some tape on the ruler’s measurement line, especially if you are cutting a lot of strips.

Tip #6: Finally, make sure you are holding your rotary cutter correctly while cutting. Make sure it is straight and hugging the edge of your ruler all the way through the cut you are making. You want your rotary cutter straight like the photo on the left (below). If you angle it like the photo on the right (below), the blade of the rotary cutter can wander away from the edge of the ruler and your strip will be cut inaccurately. And, of course, always cut away from your body.

Piecing accuracy

Now we turn to accuracy in piecing. Part of the battle is won if you follow my cutting tips. This gives you accurately cut pieces to work with when it comes time to sew them together. If you are joining pieces that are not cut the right size, your block will not go together smoothly, with seams matching up, or will not measure the correct size. Here’s some piecing tips.

Tip #1: This one I hope all quilters are aware of… always make sure your 1/4″ seam is accurate. As you know, most quilt patterns require you to stitch pieces together with a 1/4″ seam. It’s always a good idea to test your seam allowance even if you have a 1/4″ foot. Thread thickness and needle position can effect your seam. So, for example, if you are starting a new project with some different thread than you’ve used in the past, check your seam allowance by sewing together two fabric scraps and then measuring the seam:

Tip #2: If you don’t have a 1/4″ foot, most machines have a marking on the throat plate that indicates wear to line up the edge of your fabric pieces for an accurate seam. 

If you have this type of lined throat plate, you can use it, but I recommend testing it like above before you depend on it.

Tip #3: Alway pin in place the pieces you are stitching together. I know… it takes more time to do that. But, it takes a lot of time to “un-sew” too!

Pinning, no matter how small the seam, keeps the pieces to be joined from shifting while being fed through the machine. Also if you need to line up seams, pinning is the only way you can guarantee they won’t shift away from each other while stitching.

Tip #4: Measure units as you go so you won’t be frustrated when you are piecing the final block together. For example, if you are piecing a star block that is made up of squares and flying geese units, measure the geese units as you go to make sure they are the size they need to be for the block.

So that’s what I have on rulers, cutting tips, and accurate piecing. I’m sure I’ll think of other things for future posts. If you can think of other tips to share, feel free to do so in the comments. I will choose one of you from the comments as the winner of my new pattern, Star Trail!

The drawing will be on Monday, February 5th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Mary W.!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Tips for Essential Quilting Tools

Hi! This week I want to cover tips for these essential quilting tools: rulers, cutting mats and rotary cutters. These tools are used daily in all our sewing rooms so I thought I’d share some facts about these tools, tips on caring for them, and tips on using them. Maybe you know some of these things or maybe you’ll learn something new. Either way, I hope you enjoy this week’s blog post!

Rulers

Your ruler is not only used to measure and cut fabric for your project, but also used throughout the entire process of making a quilt. You use them to measure and trim units and to square up quilt blocks, to name two.

Basic Use, Cleaning, and Storage: The acrylic quilting rulers that are everywhere today became a quilting staple in the late 70s around the time the modern rotary cutter was introduced. Here’s a photo showing my standard rulers I rely on daily:

I use the two rulers on the left, the 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ and the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″,  the most when I am squaring, measuring, and cutting yardage. When squaring, measuring and cutting pre-cuts like fat quarters and fat eighths, I rely on the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″ ruler and the 6 1/2″ square. The 4 1/2″ square ruler is usually kept by my machine to measure the accuracy of units as I go. I also have several square rulers that range from 9 1/2″ to 16 1/2″ for squaring blocks.

Bonus Tip: It’s a good idea that all your rulers are they same brand. This assures that measurements will match from ruler to ruler.

Acrylic rulers are not unbreakable or resistant to damage, so caring for these rulers should be part of your quilting routine. Here are some tips on storage and care:

  • Clean your rulers periodically by dusting with a soft cloth. Do not use anything abrasive like paper towels that can scratch the ruler surface and make the markings harder to read. Also don’t use any cleaning solution with bleach or ammonia. If you need to use a cleaning solution, use those that are meant for plexiglass.
  • Store your rulers, like your cutting mat, away from direct sunlight and not in areas of your home with extreme temperature changes.
  • Finally, make sure to store your rulers securely. If you drop them or they fall from a storage area, they will chip or break. In a previous post, I showed the pegboard on my sewing room wall where I hang my rulers. If you don’t have wall space, you can also store them with a ruler rack like this:

Reading and More Usage Tips: My favorite brand of ruler are Creative Grid. I like the clear acrylic with no color tint and the clear markings. They also have gripper dots on the back to limit slipping (photo on right).

Here’s a closer look of my ruler that shows another reason I like Creative Grids. The markings go in both directions so no matter which way you have the ruler turned you can measure accurately. Notice the white numbers and the black numbers:

I also like how the 1/8″, 1/4″ and 1/2″ lines are different lengths, the 1/2″ being the longest, for quick reference. As a beginning quilter, I did not pay too much attention to something like this but I now see how it helps with quick ruler placement.

If you are cutting a lot of strips the same width, consider using a piece of painter’s tape placed at that measurement line on the ruler to guarantee all strips are cut the same. This also helps you to quickly locate the measurement line when you have to re-position the ruler.

Finally, secure your ruler properly while you are cutting, even if you have a Creative Grids ruler or other brand that has the anti-slippage dots on the back. Here’s how to place your hand as you are cutting:

Tent your hand, as shown above, instead of placing your hand flat on the ruler. If you place your hand flat on the ruler, you may inadvertently push the ruler forward. Tenting your hand makes the pressure you are exerting go down instead of forward so there’s less chance of your ruler moving. If you need to you can use some of the tools out there that help you to hold and press down the ruler, like this Little Gypsy Gripper:

Cutting Mats and Rotary Cutters

Cutting Mats: First, cutting mats need to be cared for to keep them useful. You should clean your mat periodically by putting 1/4 cup of white vinegar per gallon of cool water in a tub and soaking the mat for about 15 minutes. Use a very soft toothbrush to remove the fiber bits. You can also add in a few drops of mild dish soap. Rinse with cool water, gently towel dry or lay it flat on a towel for drying. In between a cleaning like this, you can clean bits of lint and threads off your mat by running a artist’s eraser, a piece of packing tape or a lint roller across the board:

These mats are self healing but try to avoid cutting in the same place every time you cut fabric to allow the mat to heal properly. Mats do wear out eventually, that’s why it’s a good idea to buy a double sided mat and flip it periodically so you are not always using the same side. If you have a deep cut that does not heal, then you know it’s probably time to replace the mat.

Do not store your mat where it will get distorted, like in direct sunlight or extreme heat. If your mat does warp, it has been suggested a way to fix it is to carefully heat it up and place a heavy item on it to flatten it out again. I have never tried this so I can not vouch for this approach. However if you want to try it, Google the instructions. There are a lot of quilters who have tried it and claim it works.

As a rule, I don’t rely on the lines on my cutting mat for cutting fabric strips or pieces for a project. But they can be used to measure out the yardage amount you need for a project and to assist you when  squaring your fabric. For example, if the fold of your fabric lays flat along a horizontal line on your mat, you know you’ve prepared your piece of fabric correctly for the squaring up process (photo below).

Rotary Cutters: Rotary cutters have been around since the late 70s and began being widely used for quilting in the mid to late 80s. The four sizes most often used in quilting range from cutters with a smaller 18mm blade up to one with a larger 60mm blade. The one I use the most, as do most quilters, is the 45mm size cutter:

It’s the perfect size for cutting strips of fabric and then the pieces needed for your quilt. This cutter will cut through up to four layers of fabric. Quilters will use (and should use) the 60mm cutter if they need to cut through more than four layers of fabric. 

I keep an 18mm cutter by my machine with my small ruler and mat to measure and trim up units as I stitch. This small cutter is the perfect size for that and also for curved cuts. There is also a cutter with a 20mm blade that can be used for this task.

I’ve talked about rotary cutters in previous posts so I’ll just briefly go over some safety tips here:

Tip #1: Make sure the blade is always sharp. If your cutter skips or frays fabric as you cut, it’s time to change the blade. If you feel like you have to push down hard to make a cut in one pass, it’s time to change the blade. A dull blade can lead to accidents. If you have a blade sharpener, you can try that first, then if that fails, change it.

Tip #2: Always cut away from your body when using a rotary cutter. This is another tip to help avoid accidents.

Tip#3 : Always close and lock your rotary cutter whenever you put it down. Even if it’s just to move your ruler to measure for the next cut. 

Tip #4: Make sure your rotary cutter is straight and hugging the edge of your ruler all the way through the cut you are making. You want your rotary cutter straight like in the photo on the left, not slanted like the photo on the right.

Slanting the cutter may cause you to move your ruler from the pressure being applied. 

So that’s all I have for this week. I hope you learned something new or learned something you may have forgotten! Let me know what you think in the comments.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Rulers – The Essential Quilting Tool

You can’t quilt without them.. rulers! Since they are so important to our craft, I thought I would cover the types of rulers I use and some of the interesting specialty rulers too. Also, I will share tips on care and storage of rulers. Let’s get started!

Ruler Sizes & Types

Here’s a photo of my most used rulers:

These are my favorite sizes. The long 6 1/2 x 24 1/2″ ruler is great for cutting long strips from yardage. I use the 6 1/2 x 12 1/2″ ruler next to it to help square up yardage and also for cutting strips from smaller pieces of fabric like fat 1/4s, fat 1/8s and layer cakes. The 6 1/2 square ruler is used to help square up those smaller fats and also to square up smaller blocks.. Finally, I keep my 4 1/2″ square ruler by my sewing machine to measure block units as I complete them to make sure they are the accurate size.

My favorite brand of ruler is Creative Grid. I like them because they are clear so it’s easier to see the fabric beneath and also because of their markings. Here’s a few of the ones I use a lot.

  • The markings between to 1″ lines are different lengths which I think helps me to read the ruler more quickly and accurately while I am cutting.

Notice how the 1/8″ lines are slightly shorter than the 1/4″ lines and the 1/2″ line is longer than both of those. This helps me find odd measurements like 2 3/8″ and 3 3/4″ quickly on the ruler.

  • I also like that the numbers go in both directions so no matter how the ruler is turned, they are easy to read.

Finally, I have an array of square rulers from the smaller 4 1/2″ and 6 1/2″ ones already pictured to a 9 1/2″, 12 1/2″ and 16 1/2″ square. These rulers are great to measure completed blocks to make sure they measure the size they are supposed to be. 

There are square rulers of all different sizes, but I feel these three will cover the variety of block sizes I make and help me to determine that they measure up.

Specialty Rulers

I don’t use a lot of specialty rulers but I will show you a few that I like. First up is the Quilt in a Day Triangle Square-up Ruler.

This ruler is great for trimming half-square triangle (HST) squares before pressing them open, so you only have to trim two sides instead of four.

I simply place the line of the ruler that corresponds with the size of my HST square on the stitched seam and then trim. Then I press open the HST and it measures the correct size!

The next ruler I use is actually not a quilting ruler, but one that was designed for scrap booking.

With all the appliqué I do, both fabric and wool, I often need circles… accurate circles that I can not draw free hand. Trust me, this template ruler is great! I recommend using one of these if you do a lot of appliqué that uses circles in the design. It’s easier than rummaging through a drawer looking for an circular object to trace around!

There are a lot of specialty rulers on the market. Just be sure it’s a ruler you will use a lot before committing to spending the money. If a ruler is designed to make a specific type of block and you think you will make it over and over, it is definitely worth the money. Others may not be. The best advice I can give is borrow a specialty ruler from one of your quilting buddies before purchasing one to make sure you like it and the quilt blocks it creates.

If you have a specialty ruler you can’t live without, share in the comments below or on my Facebook page that shares this blog post.

Ruler Safety, Storage and Care

Of course to go along with a ruler blog post, I think it’s essential to talk about cutting safety. Also, storage and care for your rulers is important since they are not cheap.

  • Safety:

I speak from experience. I sliced off a small bit of my finger a few years back, so I want to share my safety tips.

Tip#1: Use safety items to help keep your hands safe. I use a “klutz” glove and have rotary cutter safety shields on my rulers (see photo below). These are optional, but I highly recommend them to add to your safety. The ruler guard prevents the blade of your rotary cutter from skipping up onto your ruler where your hand is.

The safety shields come only in a 22″ long size for the long ruler, but I bought extra and had them cut to size to fit my smaller rulers.

Tip #2: Keeping the ruler from shifting while you are cutting is also a safety step. A shifting ruler could also send your rotary cutter “off course” and headed for an unprotected hand. Even pressure from your hand holding the ruler keeps it from shifting.

“Tent” your hand as shown in the photos above with your pinkie on the edge to keep the ruler from moving. If you place your hand flat on the ruler, you may inadvertently push the ruler forward. Tenting your hand makes the pressure your are exerting go down instead of forward. When you are cutting a long strip, you may want to stop briefly and move your hand up the ruler so you can keep the pressure even through the entire cutting of the strip.

Tip#3: Finally, this may seem obvious, but I make sure to keep the rotary cutter closed and locked when not in use, even between cutting pieces. If I set it on the table, I close and lock it. This may seem like a simple thing to remember, but you would be surprised how many people have left their cutters open and then dropped it on their foot! Also it’s a good idea to do this so you, or someone else, doesn’t accidentally grab the blade side of the cutter.

  • Storage & Care:

Finally, storage and care are important for your rulers. Like I said earlier, rulers are expensive and you want to avoid having to replace them as much as possible. Here are some tips:

  • Clean your rulers periodically by dusting with a soft cloth. Do not use anything abrasive like paper towels that can scratch the ruler surface and make the markings harder to read. Also don’t use any cleaning solution with bleach or ammonia. If you need to use a cleaning solution, use those that are meant for plexiglass.
  • Store your rulers, like your cutting mat, away from direct sunlight and not in areas of your home with extreme temperature changes.
  • Finally, make sure to store your rulers securely. If you drop them or they fall from a storage area, they will chip or break. I hang my rulers on a peg board that can be found at any hardware store. Mine was meant for a garage, but it works in my sewing room.

If you do not have a dedicated sewing room to have wall storage like mine, you can hang your rulers from a hanger designed for ties:

Use a jump ring (you can find at craft stores) to hang the ruler from the existing hole. You can even store them slid under a bed with your cutting mat or flat on a closet shelf, be sure to cover them with an old sheet to keep dust off.

So that’s it for this week. Next week will be a special post as I am taking part in the SEWPink blog hop for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Click on the graphic above to be taken to the SEWPink page. There is a schedule of all the bloggers participating in this hop with clickable links to those who have already posted. There are some wonderful projects from these designers and I will have one next week!

See you next week,

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

For Beginning (and even experienced!) Quilters: How to Achieve Accurate Piecing

This week I have been back to piecing units and blocks for some new patterns. Whenever I do this, I think about accurate piecing and how to achieve it. For some units you are making, it is possible to make the unit bigger and then cut it to size, like you do for half-square triangle squares. However, this does not work with every type of unit or block. If you make it bigger and then trim it down to size you may cut off some of the design. So the answer is, accurate measuring, cutting and piecing! Let’s get started for this week.

Start at the Beginning – Accurate Measuring & Cutting

Tip #1 

Accurate piecing can not be achieved without accurately cutting out the pieces that make up your quilt blocks. And accurate cutting starts with accurate measuring. This starts with the rulers. Make sure you are using rulers with clear markings. I like Creative Grid rulers because they are clear and have large numbers and well marked increments.

Here’s a closeup:

The numbers and markings also go in both directions so no matter how the ruler is turned, you will be able to use it. 

Tip #2

If you are cutting a lot of strips of the same width all in a row, use some painter’s tape to mark the measurement line on your ruler. This will help you to quickly find your measurement and assure you are not cutting strips the wrong size.

This tape is easy to remove and should not leave any residue on your ruler. I keep a roll of this tape in my notions drawer by my cutting table. 

Don’t rely on the lines on your cutting mat unless you have measured them with your rulers and the mat lines are accurate. I did this with my mat and am confident that it is accurate so I do use it occasionally for cutting very large pieces. I also use the line on the bottom to line up my fabric when I am squaring it up (this is before I place the rulers for squaring).

Tip #3

Accurate cutting can not happen unless you have your fabric properly squared. There are several steps in squaring fabric. It’s easier to show the steps than to write them out, so I made a mini tutorial video. Always square a new piece of fabric before you start cutting, especially strips. If you don’t, you run the risk of strips that will be bowed or bent in the middle. Here’s the video:

A good thing to remember is you may have to re-square your fabric during the process of cutting strips, especially if you are cutting a large amount of them.

Tip #4

Finally, some thoughts on rotary cutting. Make sure your blade is sharp. If it skips as you are cutting or if you feel like you have to press down hard, then it’s time to replace the blade. A blade that is not sharp can fray the edges of your fabric and it can also lead to accidents… and not just cutting the wrong size strips.

Also, be sure to hold your rotary cutter correctly while cutting. The photos below illustrate the difference. If you hold it wrong like in the photo on the left, you could end up with a strip not measuring correctly. Plus you can be pushing the ruler off its mark this way.

The cutter should just “hug” the edge of your ruler, but not put pressure on it, for an accurate cut.

Also, be sure to hold your ruler correctly so it does not shift when cutting, which will also lead to measurements being off.

Tent your hand, like in the photo on the left. This directs the pressure from your hand downward to hold the ruler in place. By laying your hand flat, like on the right, you can accidently push the ruler off the measurement because there is no downward pressure or it’s not as strong as the tented hand. There are some cool notions out there that can help you to grip the ruler and have strong even pressure.

On to Accurate Piecing

Now that you have your strips and pieces cut correctly, how do you make sure your units and blocks are pieced to the accurate size? Here are several tips for you.

Tip #1

Seam allowance! Always make sure you are stitching with a 1/4″ seam (unless the pattern tells you otherwise). This is how you end up with a unit or block that measures the size the pattern requires.

Start out by using a 1/4″ foot for your machine and testing it on scrap fabric. Take 2 scrap pieces of fabric and stitch them together. When stitching, the edge of the 1/4″ foot should line up with the raw edge of the pieces you are stitching. Once you’ve stitched the pieces, use a ruler (as shown below) to measure the seam to determine if your 1/4″ foot is accurate.

Tip #2

Even if you have a 1/4″ foot, it’s a good idea to find markings on your machine’s throat plate that marks the 1/4″. Most machines today, especially machines made specifically for quilting, have these markings. Here’s mine (where I’m pointing with my scissors):

You can also mark a tape line on your machine. I have done this with painter’s tape because it’s easy to remove and like I mentioned above, it doesn’t leave any residue.

The edge of the painter’s tape on the left side helps me line up diagonal seams like those used in making half-square triangle squares or stitch and flip corners. The drawn line is my 1/4″ marking.

Tip #3

Always pin your piece that you are stitching together. This goes for when you are piecing units or blocks.

This keeps the pieces from shifting as they are fed through the machine and it also helps you to keep seams of blocks lined up.

Tip #4

Measure units as you go. When you get done piecing a unit or units, measure and make sure they measure as stated in the pattern. I keep a small ruler by my machine just for that purpose.

By doing this, you will avoid having whole blocks either not going together smoothly or mot measuring the correct size when you are done piecing them. Even being off by a 1/16 of an inch on units can get magnified if all your units in the block are off. 

I think these tips should get you started on your way to accurately cutting and piecing… or serving as a memory refresh if you are an experienced quilter. Hopefully you learned something new! Leave a comment or ask any questions you may have below. I’ll choose a winner from the comments to receive my pattern, Liberty Star Shine, in honor of Memorial Day.

The drawing will be on Monday, June 6th. Good luck! **We have a winner! Congrats, Janet!**

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Tips for Beginners (and experienced!) Quilters

The last couple of posts covered fabric facts, including choosing it, pre-washing and squaring it up. Now I want to move on to different tips that I feel every beginner should know. If you are experienced in quilting, it never hurts to brush up on some of these tips too! This week I will cover rulers and next week, accurate piecing tips. Your quilt begins with accurately cut pieces and accurately pieced units. Without that, making a block and a quilt will become a frustrating experience. Let’s get started.

Rulers & Cutting

You’ve heard it said countless times, not only in quilting but in a lot of situations, “measure twice, cut once”. Times when I have been in a hurry, I’ve ended up with 2 1/4″ strips instead of 2 1/2″ strips. Not only is that a waste of fabric, it’s also frustrating to have to start all over again. Here are tips to make sure this error doesn’t happen to you”

Tip#1: Always line up the ruler with the edge of your fabric and double check that your ruler is placed correctly. If you need to, mark the line on your ruler you are using with painter’s tape (we covered this as one of my favorite tools awhile back):

This line helps you to quickly cut strips the same size from a piece of fabric. It has the advantage of being reusable several times because you can reposition the tape. Also, painter’s tape doesn’t leave any residue on the ruler.

Tip #2: Make sure your ruler is not crooked or doesn’t move while you are cutting. Especially when cutting long strips. If you are not using the tape method above, I like using rulers with numbers marked at several intervals so I know I am lined up correctly. My favorite brand is Creative Grids rulers.

These rulers a great because they can be used from the right and from the left. The white numbers go in one direction and the black numbers in the other. 

To keep the ruler from shifting while you cut, use even pressure with your hand, not too heavy and not too light.  Also make sure your hand is in the center of the ruler. Even if your ruler has gripper dots on the underside (which the Creative Grid ruler does), it can still shift if you are not holding it down correctly. “Tent” your hand as shown in the photo below with your pinkie on the edge to keep the ruler from moving. If you place your hand flat on the ruler, you may inadvertently push the ruler forward. Tenting your hand makes the pressure your are exerting go down instead of forward.

If you lay your hand flat on the ruler like in the photo on the right, you can push the ruler out of alignment without knowing it. Tenting your hand makes the pressure go downward to keep the ruler stationary. If you are cutting a long strip, you may want to stop cutting, lift your hand and move it up the ruler to continue cutting.

Tip #3: Make sure your rotary cutter is straight and hugging the edge of your ruler all the way through the cut you are making. You want your rotary cutter straight and not angled like in the photo on the right (below).

Cutting Safety

A few years ago, I cut off a little tip of my finger while rotary cutting so I  like to share cutting safety periodically.

  • Make sure your rotary blade is not dull. You know your blade is dull if you have to press down too hard to cut the fabric. Pressing down makes it easier to lose control of the cutter and cause accidents. A good rule of thumb is to replace your blade before it gets dull. I advise testing your blade on scrap fabric before you begin to cut out a project.
  • Do not ever leave the blade open when you put the cutter down. 

Get in the habit of locking the cutter when you close it and put it down. Even a closed blade can cause damage if it’s not locked. If you drop the cutter, the blade can pop open. If it’s locked, it won’t.

  • I now use a “klutz” glove and have rotary cutter safety shields (see below) on my rulers. These, of course, are optional but I would not work without them. The ruler guard is great because it prevents the blade from hitting you if the cutter happens to skip over the ruler’s edge. Also, the shield is clear so you can still see the ruler markings.

The safety shields only come in 24″ length for the long rulers, however, I ordered extras and had my husband cut them down to fit smaller rulers too.

Random Ruler Tips

  • While cutting out a project, it’s a good idea to use the same brand of ruler for all the pieces. Different brands of rulers can have lines of different thickness. Even if they are off by 1/16 of an inch, it could cause a problem when you are piecing. 
  • You can use the ruler to find the center of a piece of fabric or block by using the markings on the ruler. Those intersecting white lines and the circle where they meet is the exact center of the ruler in the photo below. This comes in handy when squaring up blocks or when you are fussy cutting a piece of fabric.
  • The 45 degree line comes in handy when you are trimming a half-square or quarter-square triangle square. Place the diagonal line on the diagonal seam of your square to guarantee that you are trimming the square evenly on all sides!
  • Finally, to quickly identify where to place your ruler, notice the lines between the inches are different lengths. Early on in my quilting I never paid attention to this. The 1/8″ lines are slightly shorter than the 1/4″ lines and the 1/2″ line is longer that both of those. This helps you find measurements like 2 3/8″ and 3 3/4″ quickly on the ruler.

Alright, I hope this information is helpful! Come back next week for accurate piecing tips. Comment below or ask questions and be entered into a drawing for a copy of each of the two magazines I have new quilt projects in this month. American Patchwork & Quilting and Primitive Quilts & Projects!

Drawing will be on Monday, February 28th, so you have 2 weeks to enter! ***We have a winner! Congrats, Carol!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Quilting Tips & Hacks – One of my Favorite Tools!

For a lot of daily tasks, we humans like shortcuts. I think any normal person likes to find a simpler way to perform an everyday task. It’s the same way with quilting. I love to find and share tips and hacks that make your quilting day more fun for you. It’s always a good thing to learn “something new everyday”! So, I will share some of my favorite tips and hacks over the next 2 weeks and I want you to share yours in the comments. This week, I’ll talk about one of my favorite tools to use in the sewing room: tape of all kinds… especially painter’s tape! So read on to see how I use it.

Tip #1 – Keep a roll of painter’s tape in your sewing room. This can be used to mark the line on your ruler when you are cutting multiple strips of the same size. It makes it easier to see find the measurement  you are using over and over to save you time.

Painter’s tape is the perfect type to use because it does not leave any residue on your ruler and it’s fairly inexpensive for a roll. You can also use the tape to mark a quilting line on your quilt top if you don’t want to use a marking pencil on the quilt. This works well for wool appliqué projects you need to quilt also.

Tip #2 – Keeping your pieces organized when you cut them is also key to a less stressful quilting experience. If you have your pieces labeled and stacked in the order they are needed, you won’t waste time hunting for that one piece you need to finish the block.

As you can see above, I have stacks of cut pieces separated by which block they are a part of and I have them labeled with a little piece of tape. This is another place you can use painter’s tape. I now use that instead of masking tape because it leaves no residue on the fabric. Just be sure to remove the tape label from the piece on the top before sewing it into the block… ask me how I know to share that tidbit!

Tip #3 – Another labeling tip… I took some pins and made numbered labels for them with pieces of washi tape (you can also use the painter’s tape). I use these pins to label blocks and rows that I am piecing together so I do not lose track of which block or row goes where.

There have been many, many times before I used this tip when I would finish piecing a row and suddenly realize that I had shifted blocks out of order. This might not be a problem in some quilts, but when your blocks are creating a secondary design or you want to keep the same color blocks separated, it’s a good idea to use this tip to stay organized.

Tip #4 – Use painter’s tape to mark the 1/4″ line on your sewing machine. Are you sensing a theme here? This tape really comes in handy in the sewing room! Even if you have a 1/4″ quilting foot, the tape line gives you additional guidance for your 1/4″ seam. Here’s how I mark my 1/4″seam line on my machine:

I lower the needle into the “0” mark on the tape measure. That’s where I line up the left edge of the tape (you’ll see why later). Then I shift the tape measure around so the right edge is lined up with the right edge of my 1/4″ foot and any markings on the machine. Then I use a pen to trace along that edge on the painter’s tape. 

That drawn line gives me extra guidance along with my 1/4″ foot to assure that I am achieving an accurate seam. After doing this, test your seams by sewing pieces of scrap fabric together and then measuring the seam to make sure it’s 1/4″.

Here’s the bonus with this tape: you can use it to guide your diagonal seams when you need to sew point to point on a square, like you do with flying geese units! No line drawing needed.

If you line up the point of the square with the left edge of the tape, you will go directly down the middle with a diagonal seam because the tape edge is lined up with the needle.

Finally, Extend the line you drew above down the length of the piece of painter’s tape you placed on the machine. Then, line up the point of your square with the line you drew when you are joining two squares for making half-square triangles. You won’t have to draw lines down the center of all those squares anymore! Simply sew your seam on the one side (which will be 1/4″ from the center), then flip the piece, line the point up again with the line on the tape and sew the other seam. 

The last photo above shows the unit ready to be cut in half between the seams for 2 half-square triangles! If you want a scant 1/4″ just shift the point of the unit you are stitching slightly to the left of the line. Your seam lines will be closer together. Then you can trim your half-square triangle squares down to size after you press them.

That’s it for this week. Share some tips and hacks in the comments that you use to make your quilting life simpler.  Maybe some of us will learn something new today!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne