rulers quilting Who makes the quilting ruler that holds the fabric and what sizes does ti come in?? I need a quilting ruler but theres so many to choose from. I only need it to help me cut straighter ...
rulers quilting
Who makes the quilting ruler that holds the fabric and what sizes does ti come in??
I need a quilting ruler but theres so many to choose from. I only need it to help me cut straighter lines...Im on a solo mission so what brand and where to get it would be awsome.
Oh and what do you prefer to mark fabric with and why?? Im useing fabric pencils now just wondering if theres something better out there.
I cant take a class I have nobody to watch my baby that night, so as much advice as possible would be awsome!!!
Omnigrip is a special ruler by Omnigrid that has a nonslip surface on the back of the ruler. This keeps it from sliding around on the fabric as you get to the end of the cut. However, you can also buy Invisigrip, by the same company. It's a thin piece of plastic like a static sticker that you place on the back of the ruler. you can cut it to fit any ruler you already have. You can also use small sandpaper disks that have adhesive on the back.
As far as sizes, you should have one ruler that is 6" x 12", and one that is at least 18" long (I like my 3" x 18", but many people prefer a 6" x 24"). I prefer ones that have a 1/8" grid on at least part of the ruler. You can also buy frosted rulers (I think they're by Olfa) that make it easier to see the cutting lines on dark fabric.
I'm cheap when it comes to marking fabric. I just use a plain old mechanical pencil, especially if I'm marking a cutting line. I mean, I'm just going to cut on it and it will end up in the selvage anyway, so why worry? I even use a pencil when I draw sewing lines on my half square triangles.
The biggest tip to achieve accurate cutting is CUT BIG. Cut the piece just a hair bigger than you think you should. You need to line up the fabric at the outside of the measuring line, not the inside or center. The second most important tip for accurate piecing is SEW SMALL. Always sew a 'scant' quarter inch. Use an index card to measure 1/4" from your needle on the sewing machine. Mark it just a tiny big inside the actual 1/4 line. I like to take a roll of blue painter's tape and use a utility knife to cut through several layers. I peel back a stack of the tape and cut it off so I have a section about 2" long. I stick this to the bed of my machine at the scant 1/4" mark. This gives me something to butt my fabric up against, and makes it much easier to achieve a (practically) perfect seam.
And the last tip - if all else fails, cut really big, sew as accurately as you can, press each segment, then trim it to the correct size. It takes a little extra work, but it's worth it to not fight with that darn 1/4".
Check out the websites below for quilting videos. The best way to learn is to see what other people are doing, then try it yourself. If you can't attend a class, then videos are your next best option.
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If Grandma Could Quilt Today
With a treadle machine and foot power, cardboard templates, and many hours at the quilt frame, my Grandma perfected her talent of quilting. Each colorful bed quilt and creative and unique baby quilt sewed by her skilled hands without the modern day tools to today's quilters. I often wonder what Grandma would think if she would be alive to quilt today?
Grandma told me stories about she learned to quilt by hand from her great aunt, since her mother had died when she only age 13. During those days, to quilt was a necessity for a young girl. Since my Grandma was the oldest child, the making of a quilt to keep the younger ones warm on those cold Pennsylvania winter nights was not a craft but survival.
Once married, an electric machine brought speed to the quilt process. Now Grandma learned to save even more time when constructing a block and learned to sew using the assembly line process. I remember her telling me how she so often, while trying to save thread, while chaining triangles, and butting the pairs of patches against each other, would overlap them. Her best friend became her stitch ripper! If Grandma would be here today, I would love to show her how to sew half square triangles. Not only could Grandma make triangles in half the time, but they would never overlap.
Grandma's templates were always unique. Some were copied from the wrapping of her batting, others from her friends and fellow quilters, but the common component of all the templates were that they were cut by scissors from any type of cardboard Grandma could find. Her favorite quilt pattern, the Double Wedding Ring, was cut out from a discarded Tootsie Roll box. The interesting designs of each cardboard quilt template were not accurate when tracing or sewing. Though Grandma kept her sewing scissors extremely sharp and they were only used to cut quilt material, I can only imagine whether she would embrace the rotary cutter and ruler methods of today or lean towards the plastic templates and her trusty scissors to construct her quilt blocks. The rotary cutter has replaced the tedious one patch at-a-time cutting process, which helps to mass produce commonly used shapes in a quilt. Besides speed this method is highly accurate. Could Grandma have made the change to the modern world of today and quilt with the tools of today's quilters?
Today the treadle machine sits idly in my living room, a beautiful reminder of days gone by. Those cardboard quilt pieces are securely and lovingly tucked away, yet one part of Grandma is here today. The soothing rhythm of hand quilting, which takes layers of material and with tiny stitches made by hand, creates a quilt, an heirloom for posterity.
Grandma, thank you for sharing your love of quilting. I wonder what you would say about the tools of the quilters today, if I would have the opportunity to share them with you. One thing is for certain, I know you would be pleased to see this granddaughter has learned the art and skill of the quilter.
Time to quilt!
About the Author
Don't have the time to create your own masterpiece, come and choose one of our handmade children's quilts, a lasting keepsake, a unique birthday gift, or Christening gift, for that special "little one."
Visit my website: www.uniquebabyquiltboutique.com and chose of one unique handmade children's quilt from my collection for your child's birthday or other special event.
Sharon Camp has been quilting for over 30 years.
Tags: Quilting, quilts, rotary cutting rulers quilting, rulers, rulers quilting, rulers quilting machines, rulers quilting omnigrid, rulers quilting supplies, sewing, sewing-supplies
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