Today I'm sharing how I like to organize my rulers.
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A new studio means a new set up. I don't know about you, but I have to use the space for awhile before I know if I like it or not. To be honest, I'm not sure I'm quite satisfied yet, but I do know I want my rulers ups where I can see them.
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Ruler organization, like pretty much everything in quilting, is so personal. We know what we like and what works for us. Sometimes, though, we need inspiration to find what we do like. That's why I'm sharing today. To help inspire and get those organizational ideas flowing.
I personally love having my rulers up and where I can easily grab them. For a long time in my old studio they were stored in this drawer. Handy because it's my cutting table, but not that handy if I had to dig.
In the following pictures you may note that my peg board is cracked and scratched. Way back when KMart closed I was able to grab a few peg board pieces from their dumpsters. I could paint them, but I'd rather be sewing. You can find peg board in all different sizes to fit your space. Here's an Amazon link with lots of options.
When I was using just a wall I had these hooks for my rulers. It was frustrating though, because the rulers would catch when I pulled them off. I kept that in mind when I was looking for new hooks to use with the peg board.
I really like these, though I didn't need to order as many as I did. LOL They have just enough of a tilt to them to keep the ruler on , but not so much to make it difficult to take it off and put it back on quickly.
My one issue with these hooks is how hard it was to take them out and move them. Maybe I missed a trick, but my fingers were sore by the end. My advice, do a better job of planning than I did. Ha!
I really needed my ruler area to be restful to my eyes. I moved rulers a lot. It took longer than it should have maybe, but I did find what I liked, and it's actually the first thing I see when I walk in the door to my studio and it makes me smile.
When I did a Pinterest search for quilting supply storage I liked the idea of bins for my peg board as well. I chose these, and I confess, I thought they would be too small. It ends up they are perfect.
In the cups I have my rotary cutter and scissors, marking tools and sewing tools. These are the sewing tools I use most often, not all of them.
In the squares I have my clothes pins, found in the Target dollar area a few years ago, that I use to mark rows and units. You can keep a lookout for something similar, usually around back to school time, or check these out at The Fat Quarter Shop.
The other square holds a magnetic pin holder. This is my grandma's old holder and her pins. Makes me smile to look at them.
What about those rulers or templates that don't have holes? I was blessed by a wooden ruler holder made by my uncle. I found a similar one here.
Right now this holds my rulers for sewing clothing and my marking/trimming pads. Honestly these might go back in the drawer. I don't like giving up that space at the top of the mat, and I know I will need to move it to cut yardage sooner or later.
I'm really happy with this set up. So happy, I came back in the room a few times after I was done just to look at it and enjoy.
PS Those liquor boxes to the side?
Full of flamingos. Hahahahahaha They will get unpacked someday. If you are ever packing to move, liquor store boxes are perfect. Sturdy and not too big, so you can't overload them.
Bonus ruler tips.
1) Rulers that slip. There are many products that keep your rulers from slipping, but a quick, cheap, easy to find remedy is clear medical tape. It MUST be clear, but it works great to grip the fabric.
2) Write your name on your ruler with a Sharpie and then cover it with a piece of scotch tape to keep it from rubbing off.
3) If you don't have specialty rulers for trimming units like half-square triangles, flying geese, etc, mark the ruler you are using with a sharpie. The marker will wear off eventually or you can color over it with a dry erase marker and wipe off.
4) Rulers will wear down. When you find this has happened, bring it to a place that cuts glass. Have them trim it down 1/2 inch and you have a nice straight edge again.
5) Remember the pattern storage tips in the Bites of PBJ newsletter? Use a binder and sheet protectors to keep the instructions handy for those specialty rulers.
Do you have any helpful tips for ruler usage or storage? Let me know in the comments.
Go make something Extraordinary!
Jen
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