Every quilts knows that rulers are an absolutely must have and having a good ruler can make all the difference in your quilt. You would think that every ruler would be treated the same but that is not true. I have run into some rulers that weren't marked properly, or didn't have any grip on them so it constantly slips, or the markings it does have are really hard to read. Having a ruler that has any of these "issues" with it could mean loss of fabric because of slipping rulers and having to re-cut, or cutting the fabric too short or too much because of the incorrect markings. Or it could mean that the measurements of your quilt squares and ultimately the overall measurements of the quilt will be off because your ruler measurements are off. And that wouldn't be good.
Creative Grids has addressed all of these problems with their top quality quilt rulers. Designed by Quilters, for Quilters. They are the most diverse ruler manufacturer in the world with over 100 rulers. The best part is, they offer video tutorials for every ruler they have so you know exactly how to use it and never doubt your measurements or waste fabric again. And the bonus - they are made in the USA. There are many amazing features in these rulers but there are 4 features that are my absolute favorites.
Favorite Feature #1: Non-Slip Embedded Gripper
 |
I can't tell you how many times I have gone to cut my fabric and no matter how much pressure I apply to it or how I hold the ruler down, it always slips on me which means a wonky cut. Then I either have to re-cut or scrap the fabric. Very frustrating. Creative Grids® come with a unique grip that slides easily over the fabric while positioning the ruler but stays in place as soon as pressure is applied. Amazing! And it doesn't take a whole lot of pressure either. The squares and rectangles feature ¼” grip on two adjoining sides and ½” grip on the opposite two sides to differentiate the Turn-a-Round feature (I'll get to that feature in a minute). This feature alone makes these rulers stand out above all the other ruler manufacturers out there, in my opinion. |
Favorite Feature #2: The Turn-A-Round
 |
My next favorite feature is the Turn-a-Round Feature. This is shown on all the square and rectangle rulers and it is life changing. No more guessing if you have it on the half inch line of the ruler. Use the markings in the white dots (and 1/4" grip) to cut whole inches. Turn the ruler around to use the markings in the black dots (and 1/2" grip). By using the half-inch black circle markings, you have effectively added the seam allowance to your pieces that finish to whole inch sizes. For example: you need to make a bunch of 5" squares. Use the white dots to cut to the 5" line for your squares. You need to make a bunch of 6.5" squares - use the black dots to get the 6.5 line for your squares. |
Favorite Feature #3: Centering Lines
 |
The thing that took me the longest to learn was squaring up my blocks. People threw that term around but never took the time to show me what that phrase meant. I finally figured it out on my own but wish I had these Creative Grid rulers back then. It would have made a world of difference for me. The square and rectangle rulers have white horizontal and vertical lines that cross to designate the center of each ruler. You will want to use these markings to square up and trim your blocks. Or, you could us them to center and fussy cut a design or stripe for a sashing or border. An important feature to maintain precise piecing in your blocks. |
Favorite Feature #4: QR Code
 |
You are probably thinking "why the heck is that a favorite feature? and what is a QR code anyway?" I know it may seem silly to have that be the favorite feature of a ruler but let me tell you, it's a time saver. If you are working with a ruler and you are unsure of how to really use it or what the features are on the ruler, you can scan the QR Code that is printed right on the ruler and it will take you to a training video by Creative Grids. No more searching the internet or YouTube for the right video. It's all right there at your finger tips, you just need your phone and the right app to read the QR Code. There are a ton of apps out there that are made to read QR Codes. For the Apple iPhone I use QR Code Reader: Barcode and QR Code Scanner. Just open the app (don't worry, it's free. Just X out of the ad for their Pro version that costs money), line up the square on your phone to the QR code box on the ruler and voila! Training delivered right to your fingers tips. Pretty cool huh? |
One very important thing to note, this is NOT a sponsored blog post. This is 100% my own opinion. I am not receiving any form of compensation from Creative Grids for this posting.
Rulers are like any other sewing notion. You need to use what works for you. Creative Grids might be perfect for me but maybe a different brand is better for you. I hope that this post is beneficial to you in your search for the ultimate ruler. If you ever have any questions, feel free to email me at customerservice@47dh6.hosts.cx
Click HERE to check out the rulers available at Hummingbird Lane Fabrics.
I'd love to hear what brand of rulers you use and why. What are your favorite features of your rulers? Post in the comments below!