Quilting Ruler

Several tools used in quilting make the work lots easier and increase the accuracy. Quilting ruler is also such tool that is used in quilting.

There are certain rulers that are specifically designed to make rotary cutting or any other cutting in quilting work easier. These rulers are made by heavy-duty acrylic and they are cut by laser for accuracy. These rulers prove very helpful in providing accuracy in your quilting work.

Quilters use acrylic transparent rulers for the alignment of fabric. You should always choose a quilting ruler with very thin lines. With the help of the ruler, it is very convenient to align the rim of the fabric exactly under a narrow line in comparison to a broader marking. The quilting ruler enables the quilter to mark ¼ inches seam allowances and various other intricate sewing lines.

There are hundreds of kinds of quilting rulers. You can begin with the rulers for basic purposes and then, increase your collection gradually after getting familiar with different usage of different rulers.

Basic Quilting Rulers: It is must that you have a 6”x24” ruler, as it will enable you to draw about every kind of cut. It must have markings of 30-, 45-, and 60- degree lines having dimensions in 1/8 inches increment.

A 6.5” x 6.5” square ruler is absolutely fine to align and cut squares and triangle squares.

Use of Marking Rulers: Keep the centerline of a ruler along the rim of a drawn but uncut patch. Now, mark beside the edge of the ruler to get an accurate ¼ inches seam allowances. Thereafter, cut along the drawn line.

Repeat that process and now position the straight centerline of the ruler along the rim of a cut patch, which comprises of seam allowance. Now, mark the inward ream to label the seam. This will prove helpful in set-in patches and hand piecing.

Using quilting ruler for marking quilting lines will bring accuracy in your work. To get maximum accuracy, it is advised to use a fine-point marker.

It must be kept in mind that narrow rulers are not made for the purpose of rotary cutting, as there is not sufficient space on them to keep your fingers at a safe distance from a sharp rotary blade. You must use rotary rulers for rotary cutting only.

If you want to mark and measure small patches with the help of rotary ruler, then you may feel awkward using them due to their larger sizes. To solve this problem of number of quilters, various manufacturers have now begun to make a complete set of rulers of different sizes. A quilter can use these rulers as per the convenience according to the size of the fabric to be measured or marked.