Today I'm going to share tips for keeping your ruler from slipping while you are cutting.
Nothing is more frustrating than making a cut on your pretty fabric and having your ruler slip and have a wasted piece of fabric. It happens to all of us, so what can you do about it?
There are a few different tools you can use, and more that I haven't included in this post because 1) I don't have that kind of space ;) and 2) it really is personal preference.
Tools
Place the tape on the wrong side of the ruler, because it's clear you can still see the fabric and the ruler markings. Find it in the First Aid aisle.
This is my
Tucker Trimmer, it gets used A LOT. I haven't had to replace the tape yet and it's been on there for almost 2 years.
My sister loved using the clear bumpers. They are usually used to keep drawers and cabinets from slamming when shut. They are clear and easy to use, though you do have to watch your alignment, because these sit up a little higher. They definitely don't slip though!
Many use the Safe - er Grip suction cup shower arms. Most are not as fancy as this, but it was the only one I could find in my small town.
This one is a little shorter then ones I have seen and is actually the perfect size for one of my favorite ruler sizes the 12 1/2" x 6 1/2". PS There are ruler grips that are made by quilting companies, I just picked up a generic one.
Technique
While tools are helpful many times it's our technique that is causing the issue. This happens to me when I've been doing a lot of cutting, or am working late at night an not really paying attention. Not the best time to be cutting fabric for many reasons.
To start, you need a cutting table that is the right height for you. I'm not going to rewrite the book on this, so just click
HERE for a good article on setting up a "healthy sewing space."
The first technique to work on is the pressure you are putting on the ruler. Having a cutting table at the right height for you is paramount to successful and accurate cutting, and keeping the pressure on the ruler steady. It looks like my arm is off to the side a bit, but that has more to do with the difficulty in taking a picture of your own arm. haha Which is also true in the following pictures.
You want to hold the ruler down from straight above, you don't want to be pushing on it at any angle. When cutting longer strips simply make shorter cuts and move your hand (aka pressure) up to the next spot. Pressing from straight above lessons the chance that you will push the ruler with your pressing hand.
Second is the hand holding the rotary cutter. You also want to have your hand straight, not angled, and make the cut by pushing straight down.
It is hard to show this, because it takes so little to angle the rotary cutter, but even the smallest angle can push your ruler. When you look down at your hand you should see what the first photo shows. You shouldn't see either side of the rotary cutter.
You can see how it pushes the ruler away from where I made my original cut. Doing this in the middle of a cut will cause tears, and we don't want to get out pretty fabric wet.
Hold your pressing hand down straight from above when holding the ruler and your cutting hand straight when cutting. Go slow, this isn't a race, and your ruler will stay where it's supposed to and you can enjoy cutting many, many strips of pretty fabric.
I hope you found these tips helpful! Don't miss all of the fabulous tips and tutorials happening this month! So. Much. Good. Stuff. Thanks for stopping by!
Day 3 – September 3 – Angie Wilson – Fussy cutting tips and techniques – www.gnomeangel.com
Day 5 – September 5 – Bobbie Gentili – Say YES to Y-seams – geekybobbin.com
Day 8 – September 8 – Suzy Webster – How to solve loops in free motion quilting – www.websterquilt.com
Day 9 – September 9 – Tara Miller – Accurate Stitch-and-Flip Corners – quiltdistrict.com
Day 11 – September 11 – Sarah Ruiz – The Magic of Glue Basting – saroy.net
Day 13 – September 13 – Cheryl Sleboda – Basics of ruching (a vintage fabric manipulation technique) – muppin.com
Day 15 – September 15 – Jen Strauser – Accurate and Attractive Machine binding – dizzyquilter.com
Day 16 – September 16 – Jane Davidson – Matching points for all types of intersections – quiltjane.com
Day 17 – September 17 – Teresa Coates – Starch and starch alternatives – teresacoates.com
Day 21 – September 21 – Kris Driessen – All Kinds of Square (in a Square) – scrapdash.com
Day 24 – September 24 – Cheryl Daines Brown – The Secret to Flat Quilt Tops: Borders – quilterchic.com
Day 27 – September 27 – Ebony Love – Cutting Bias Strips from a Rectangle – lovebugstudios.com
Day 28 – September 28 – Tammy Silvers – Working with heavier weight threads in your machine – tamarinis.typepad.com
Day 29 – September 29 – Kathy Nutley – Create a perfect facing or frame with 90 degree angles – quiltingsbykathy.com
Happy Stitching!
Jen
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