Mary Beth Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Can you all tell me your favorite ruler or template and why? I have discovered that there are some templates that are difficult to use because your hand gets in the way, or the placement of the template and the machine makes it difficult to see what you are doing. Is there a template maker that you think is the best? Or what do I need to look for. In the past I have spent money on things that I don't use and I really don't want to do that any more. I really appreciate your input. Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 For cutting, trimming, and ruler work on my longarm I use the 6 1/2 X 24 ruler a lot. I also have a small one ( 4 x 9 I think) that I use a lot. That's why I can't find it right now. I've been using it. It's buried under a pile of fabric scraps somewhere. I use my 6 1/2 " square all the time for cutting, double checking square edges, etc. I hope this helps. Teresa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherylUribe Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 I love Sherry Rodgers' Dainty Ditcher, Shells and Swirls by The Gadget Girls, 2" Scallops and Curves from Rob's Rulers, LOVE Daisy, Tear Drop, & Pinwheel from Quilters Rule and I have even had some made at Tap Plastics. Tap also has pre-made 1/4" circles that Are very inexpensive though not marked. Hope this helps! Cheryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 I love Megan Best's Best Ruler. She told her husband the problems she was having with the ruler she had been using and he started making them for sale. One is 2" x 5" and the other is 2" x 7" and has the 1/4" protrusion on the ends. To use it, align the protrusion with your seam allowance and it does a perfect SID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewbobby Posted March 24, 2006 Report Share Posted March 24, 2006 Where can you purchase Megan's Best Best Ruler? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryRogers Posted March 25, 2006 Report Share Posted March 25, 2006 Thanks Cheryl I am partial to my Dainty Ditcher as well...handy as a pocket it is! I also use the small oval ALLOT! It is pretty much attached to my wrist at all times when stitching spines for feathers or even long feathers. I also like A-1's ruler, not too big, not too small and it has a handy lip that you hold onto on the top. I forget what it is called but I got it from Stewart at A-1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted March 27, 2006 Report Share Posted March 27, 2006 You can see (and order) Megan's ruler at www.bestquilter.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Thank you all for responding. There are just so many choices out there. I'll have my list ready for MQS in May;). Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sueschellenberg Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Hi. I too love the dainty ditcher. I also use the Gaget Girls "janet lee's favorite" - I have others too, but just don't seem to use them much. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Don't forget about the Hartley rulers that come with the base expander. The students in my Beginner's classes love these because of the handles, and I find this prevents them from putting too much downward pressure on the ruler. Now here's a little tip for you, and a reason I love the YELLOW side-lit neon. (The pink doesn't work this way.) Put in your black light bulb and use a side-lit yellow neon ruler (like Sherry's or Gadget Girls) and watch how it lights up the seam like an airport runway! Put in some Bottom Line #621 and you'll do an amazing job of SID. You don't know HOW good a job you did until you turn off the black light! Here's a pic I took in one of my Beginner Workshops. It's a great way to practice your background textures too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 Notice the student's hand position in that picture. BAD!! She's about to loose control and risks the ruler lifting up at the end and for sure she'll hit it with the hopping foot. Come to think of it, that ruler does have a nick in it! Here's a pic of a student practicing background textures around a block insert. Wish I had an "after" picture so you could see the subtle texture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conquilts Posted March 28, 2006 Report Share Posted March 28, 2006 For a huge range of No Frills rulers, where you can find heaps of choices - you can visit your favourite mail order company!! http://www.kmquiltingsupply.com or http://www.columbiariverquilting.com There are some unique rulers here that can help you create some wonderful original designs (limited only by your imagination) and also at a wonderful price. I also like Jodi Beamish templates to create rope borders. http://www.willowleafdesigns.com Very well designed for a specific purpose! Yes I am affiliated with the No Frills ruler, but not with Jodi's except I love her stuff!! Hope this widens the wonderful choices we all have to make with our business's! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 What are your favorite continuous curve templates/ tools? or do you prefer to do your continuous curves free hand? I recently purchased the "Triple Play" tool (I love it for doing "Petals" in block designs)but I think the arc is too deep for continuous curves esp. in triangles. What do you think? Also do any of you have any of the wave rulers? what do you think of them? Thanks Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Oh dear! There are so many wonderful ones. I love Megan Best's Best SID Ruler. I also love the templates from Tracey Browning's Constantine Quilts. Very economical, so you can afford to buy lots of sizes. I also like the Dainty Ditcher, Little Girl, and Janet-Lee's Favorite from Gadget Girls. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Linda, You use these rulers for continous curves, or SID?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 I use templates and rulers for all sorts of things. The straight ones, of course, are usually for SID or crosshatching, etc. Constantine Quilts has several sizes of templates that are ideal for CC - here is the link to them at Columbia River Quilting: http://columbiariverquilting.com/cq_cc_tri_arc_s.html Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 OOOO Darlene, never thought about using a black lite with my neon yellow rulers from Rob's Rulers, gotta try that one. Have lots of Rob's Rulers for circles, ovals, angles, etc. I use Constantine's cont. curves and they are wonderful. I have Linda Taylor's little one with the hole in it for control but I tend to use the scallops on it for that instead (easier than dealing with that little hole), some of Sherry Rogers, and I bought a Linda Mae Diny's at MQS for feather stems that I haven't tried yet, a friend bought one like it with a different curve so we can trade. I try my black light when I'm working with white thread on a light background and am having trouble seeing it. Most of the time the thread glows and the fabric doesn't, but not always. White iron off chaulk also sometimes will show up so I don't have to use the pricey black light powder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted July 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Jeri, I am so goofy. I read your message too quick and thougt it said, "Darlene, I never thought about using a black tie". Whew, that would be some fancy quilting. I was having a hard time seeing an off white thread on tone-on-tone background and found that if I turned the lights in the room off and just used the light on the machine I could see my stitching. So strange how that works. I need to invest in rulers. I bought a curved ruler at MQS from Rob's, but it is long and big and I can't get it where I need to... should have bought something smaller. I will take a look at the suggestions here. Thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 Mary Beth , Too funny, black tie. If I have any rulers you would like to test drive before you buy let me know. I usually know a month or so ahead what I'll need for each quilt. BTW I bought my black light at Wal-Mart, much cheaper than the ones sold for longarms. I also play with lighting when I'm having trouble seeing quilting. I have a slew of spot lights on dimmers, and a florecent fixture off to the back of the machine. I'd best get this quilt done as the next couple of days will be tied up at the quilt show at theCass County Fair. jeri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mari-Lee Posted July 13, 2006 Report Share Posted July 13, 2006 I'm a co-owner of Off the Edge Quilting Supplies, and this is a shameless plug for our ruler line because I think we've got great products! The Stitch-in-the-Ditch is an absolute "have to have" to keep even stitching exactly in the ditch and to do outlining. I use the Key so much I keep it in my apron pocket! It takes the guess work out of intersecting lines of stitching. We debuted our rulers at MQS in May and will be at Plano (PLAQG) the weekend of August 24 and Innovations in September. If you can't see us in person at a show, you can check out our web store at Offtheedgequilting.com or ask to see our rulers at APQS in Des Moines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Mari-Lee; I stumbled across your site last night from a link posted on Nichole Webb's website...when I saw the rulers with the "little foot" detail I thought to myself now that will make lining the rulers up with the ditch easier. Great stuff and several are on my wish list for my next buying spree (if I could I would put every penny I made on customer quilts back into cool gadgets and tools for my LA ). Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryRogers Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Hi Joann Megan Best has used the tabbed rulers for quite some time now. She has been selling them under the name of Best SID Ruler I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mari-Lee Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Thanks, JoAnne. Our products are creating a lot of interest! We designed our rulers on our personal wish-lists for to use in our own quilting businesses. I couldn't stitch-in-the-ditch and would wind up removing more than I sewed! Now, I can ditch easily with the guide feet placed 1/4" from the seam. You know desperation is truly the path for invention. We're getting good reviews from our customers, and are coming out with new stuff in August and September based on customer's and several quilt instructors' wish-lists. Also, our new "signature series" line will be introduced in August. I'm so excited to be working in conjunction with some awesome quilt instructors to create rulers based upon their techniques taught. (I was hoping that being in close proximity to such talent that some would magically rub off!) You'll have to check the site after the unveiling of our new gadgets in Plano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted July 14, 2006 Report Share Posted July 14, 2006 Thanks Sherry, I found her website http://www.bestquilter.com she has the ruler in 3 different sizes and at reasonable prices as well...too bad APQS doesn't have a link section of cool tools (rulers, templates & gadgets) for the long arm would be very helpful when shopping online in PJ's Mari-Lee; I booked marked your website in my favorites so I can check back often In the past month or so I bought the Hartly wave ruler, the triple play ruler and the complete set of the CC Tri Arcs. On my wish list are~ The Terry Twist rulers The footed stitch in the ditch ruler A dainty ditcher The cookie cutter stuff to go with my Hartly Fence Sherry's Feathers 101 book Some of Nichole Webb's books (oh the wish list can go on forever, lol there is always something new and fun that comes out and ends up a must have...) It's a good thing Christmas is comming up soon it'll give me a chance to get some more stuff on my wish list. Thanks again Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.