This blog post is going to be your ultimate guide to quilting rulers. Quilting is a craft that requires precision, patience, and the right tools. One of the essential tools for any quilter, whether a beginner or experienced, is a good set of quilting rulers. With so many different types and sizes available, it can be overwhelming to choose the right one. This blog post will walk you through the best quilting rulers for beginners, the types of rulers to consider as you advance, the pros and cons of various designs, and a look at specialty rulers that can elevate your quilting projects.
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If you’d like to read more about which rulers I find most essential in my quilting room, check out my post on my Top 3 Essential Quilting Rulers.
What are Quilting Rulers?
Quilting rulers are flat, transparent tools made from acrylic or plastic, often with grid lines, angles, and measurements. They help quilters cut fabric accurately, ensuring that pieces fit together seamlessly. Rulers come in different shapes and sizes, and each type is suited for specific tasks. Understanding which rulers to use can make a huge difference in the accuracy and ease of your quilting projects.
Best Quilting Rulers for Beginners
When starting out in quilting, it’s important to have a few basic rulers that can handle most projects. Here are the top quilting rulers every beginner should consider:
1. 6″ x 24″ Quilting Ruler
Why It’s Essential: The 6″ x 24″ quilting ruler is a must-have for any beginner. It is versatile, allowing you to cut long strips of fabric, trim borders, and cut larger blocks. Its length makes it perfect for cutting fabric directly from the bolt. Cutting down pieces of fabric yardage can be one of the most daunting tasks because of the size of the fabric. This ruler makes the job so much more manageable.
Pros:
- Long enough to cut full fabric widths
- Easy to align with fabric edges
- Marked with a grid and various angles (30°, 45°, and 60°)
Cons:
- Slightly bulky for small pieces
- Might be too long for tiny, detailed cuts
2. 12.5″ Square Ruler
Why It’s Essential: The 12.5″ square ruler is perfect for cutting and squaring up blocks. As a beginner, you’ll often start with simple square blocks, and this ruler helps you trim them to the right size, ensuring perfect seams and alignment.
Pros:
- Perfect for squaring up large blocks
- Easy-to-read grid markings
- Helpful for achieving accurate cuts on blocks
Cons:
- Limited to smaller projects unless used in combination with other rulers
- Might be a bit tricky for cutting long strips of fabric
3. 6.5″ x 6.5″ Square Ruler
Why It’s Essential: A smaller square ruler is great for cutting small pieces and trimming smaller blocks. It is easy to handle and maneuver, making it ideal for intricate work.
Pros:
- Easy to handle for precise cuts
- Lightweight and portable
- Perfect for trimming small squares
Cons:
- Limited use to smaller pieces and blocks
- Not suitable for cutting long fabric strips
4. 6.5″ x 12.5″ Quilting Ruler
Why It’s Essential: A smaller ruler like the 6.5″ x 12.5″ quilting ruler makes it easy to cut smaller pieces to size. After cutting yardage into strips or when working with precuts, this ruler will prove invaluable to cut fabric pieces to size.
Pros:
- Easy to handle for precise cuts
- Lightweight and portable
- Perfect for cutting most smaller fabric pieces.
- Great when working with precuts.
Cons:
- Limited use to smaller pieces and blocks
- Not suitable for cutting long fabric strips
Next Steps for Intermediate Quilters
As you gain more experience, your quilting projects will likely become more complex. At this stage, it is worth expanding your collection of rulers to include different shapes and specialty rulers. Here are a few that intermediate quilters should consider:
1. Triangle Rulers
Why They’re Useful: Triangle rulers are fantastic for creating half-square triangles, quarter-square triangles, and other geometric shapes. They help you cut precise angles, which is essential for more complex quilt patterns.
Pros:
- Versatile for creating a variety of shapes
- Allows for accurate angle cuts
- Reduces the need for marking lines on the fabric
Cons:
- Requires practice to use efficiently
- Limited to specific shapes, which may not be suitable for all projects
2. Hexagon Rulers
Why They’re Useful: Hexagon rulers help create hexagon-shaped pieces, a popular choice for more advanced quilting designs. Hexagons can be tricky to cut and piece together without the right tools, making this ruler essential for intricate patterns. A ruler like the Hex and More ruler might be a great choice to get more versatility instead of a dedicated hexagon ruler.
Pros:
- Perfect for creating uniform hexagons
- Reduces the need for templates
- Saves time in cutting and piecing
Cons:
- Limited use; not as versatile as rectangular or square rulers
- May take time to learn the correct cutting technique
3. Block Specific Rulers
Why They’re Useful: Some quilt blocks require the use of a specialty ruler to make block construction easier. This can be curved rulers, pineapple rulers, Dresden rulers, or half rectangle rulers just to name a few.
Pros:
- Great for adding interesting quilt blocks
- Allows for precise and consistent cuts
- Ideal for creating difficult patterns like Drunkard’s Path or Clamshell
Cons:
- Requires a learning curve
- More challenging than straight edge rulers
- Often times can only be used for one specific quilt block instead of having versatility like a straight edged ruler.
Specialty Quilting Rulers: Bloc-Loc and Stripology
As quilters gain more experience, they often seek tools that can make cutting faster, more accurate, and more enjoyable. This is where specialty rulers come in. Designed to solve specific quilting challenges, these rulers can save time and increase precision. Two popular specialty rulers are the Bloc-Loc and Stripology rulers. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Bloc-Loc Rulers
What They Are: Bloc-Loc rulers are designed specifically for trimming blocks, especially half-square triangles (HSTs), quarter-square triangles (QSTs), flying geese, and other shapes. They have a groove on the underside that locks into the seam, keeping the ruler securely in place while trimming, ensuring that your blocks are perfectly sized and squared.
Pros:
- Accurate Trimming
- Time-Saving
- Variety of Options
Cons:
- Cost
- Specific Use
Stripology Rulers
What They Are: Stripology rulers are designed to make cutting strips, squares, and even diamonds faster and more accurate. They feature slots that guide your rotary cutter, allowing you to cut multiple pieces at once without having to move the ruler. This design makes them perfect for cutting fabric strips, which are essential in many quilting patterns. With the addition of the Master Your Stripology Rulers Quilt Book, other techniques can be explored using the Stripology rulers such as making 4 at a time flying geese units.
Pros:
- Efficient Cutting
- Versatile
- Minimizes Fabric Shifting
Cons:
- Bulky
- Learning Curve
Pros and Cons of Different Types of Quilting Rulers
| Ruler Type | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Edge | Easy to use, versatile, great for basic cutting | Bulky for small pieces, limited to straight cuts |
| Square | Perfect for squaring blocks, easy-to-read grids | Limited use to specific block sizes |
| Triangle | Ideal for angles and geometric shapes, versatile | Requires precision, can be challenging for beginners |
| Hexagon | Great for intricate patterns, saves time | Limited to hexagonal cuts, takes practice to master |
| Curved Edge | Adds elegance to designs, allows for precise curves | Challenging for beginners, more difficult to handle |
Tips for Choosing the Right Quilting Ruler
- Think About Your Projects: If you’re mainly working on simple quilts with squares and rectangles, a straight edge and a square ruler might be all you need. For more complex designs, consider adding specialty rulers.
- Look for Clear Markings: Make sure the rulers have clear, easy-to-read markings. This is especially important for beginners who are still getting used to accurate cutting. It’s also important to find a ruler with lines that work well for YOU. For example, I have difficulty colored lines. I prefer just black lines on clear rulers.
- Invest in Quality: High-quality acrylic rulers will last longer and have better visibility. Cheaper rulers may wear out quickly or warp over time.
Quilting Ruler Storage
There are two main requirements for me when it comes to storing my quilting rulers.
- Functionality – it must be easy to grab the ruler I need when I need it. I prefer them stored upright and in a way that it’s easy to see which ruler I’m looking for.
- Aesthetic – I like my ruler storage to also look good. This might be a little unnecessary but I want my quilting studio to be welcoming and easy on my eyes (aka my brain).
For that reason, I have to main storage solutions in my sewing studio. The first is the Omnigrid Omnirack. This silicone rack has slots running in opposite directions to just drop your ruler in on its side. This rack is kept right next to my cutting mat with my go-to long rulers and a few others like a 6.5″ square ruler. I also keep my Scant 1/4 inch trimmer ruler here for when it’s time to trim a finished quilt for binding.
The other storage solution I use is these woven baskets I got on Amazon. The baskets hold almost all of the other rulers I have including my larger square rulers and specialty rulers that I don’t use often. The basket allows me to easily flip through the upright rulers until I find the one I’m searching for.
The only ruler I don’t have a great storage solution for is my large Stripology ruler. For right now it lives flat on an out of the way countertop.
Conclusion: Build Your Quilting Toolkit One Ruler at a Time
Quilting rulers are essential tools that can make or break the accuracy of your quilting projects. Beginners should start with versatile, easy-to-use rulers like the 6″ x 24″ and 12.5″ square rulers, while intermediate quilters can explore specialty rulers like triangle, hexagon, and curved edge options. For those looking to enhance precision and speed, specialty rulers like Bloc-Loc and Stripology can be game-changers. Understanding the pros and cons of each type will help you build a toolkit that suits your quilting style. I hope you find this ultimate guide to quilting rulers to be a valuable resource in your quilting journey.
Happy Quilting!
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