As promised, here is part two of our segment on rulers and the new brand, Quilters Select.
Quilters Select Rulers were designed specifically with quilters in mind.
All edges are marked in one inch increments, from left to right and right to left (or top to bottom and bottom to top, depending on how you’re viewing it). This means you are not having to rotate your ruler constantly to get the correct edge and you aren’t trying to count backwards or do math in your head while cutting.
This quality has appealed to left handed quilters. With the numbers running both ways they have found that their view of the ruler and the fabric is less obstructed. I am not left handed so until I started comparing rulers, this problem did not occur to me.
There are 1/8th an inch markings across the edge and body of the ruler, and it also includes 30, 45, and 60 degree angle lines to assist with the variety of cuts you will need to make.
All of the Quilters Select rulers also have a yellow tint which is supposed to enhance viewing of most colors in fabric. This may sound a little hinky, but yellow tinted glasses and contacts have been found to increase clarity, reduce glare, decrease eye strain/fatigue and enhance contrast. All of these attributes help the wearer to see things more clearly. This technology has been used on the athletic field, for people who spend significant time using a computer, and even for driving purposes. Whether or not these benefits actually assist when cutting fabric is for you to help decide!
Another positive quilters have noted in reviews of these rulers is they do not reflect back glare to the extent of other rulers.
Now, for the biggest differentiating factor- A non-slip surface coating covering the entire backing of the ruler. The backside is ‘frosted’ for lack of a better word and it almost feels sticky or tacky. Very smooth, but super grippy.
Since the entire surface has the non-slip coating, these rulers stay where you put them! Quilters who have tried these rave about their staying ability. No slips or slides while doing large cuts or trimming. Less pressure to get the ruler to stay puts which is a big bonus for users who do not have the strength to apply a lot of pressure.
Age and injury can make application of significant pressure difficult. However, let’s be honest, along the length of a 24 inch ruler, it is hard to apply enough force to prevent either the front or the back end from slipping. Quilters Select rulers however, stay firmly in place. The only negative that has been noted in our shop, is that when cutting very small pieces, the ruler grips so well that it is difficult to shift it in small increments. By very small pieces, we are talking 1 inch squares. In these instances several employees found when you are cutting very small pieces and you only need to shift the ruler a couple of thread widths, the non-slip back prevents you from shifting the ruler.
So far my 8 ½' x 24' ruler has been used to trim batting and backing from a recently quilted project, cut binding strips, and cut width of fabric strips (WOF) for my current shop sample. I have found that when cutting WOF, the Quilters Select ruler performs better than my trusted Creative Grid. No matter how I try to evenly apply pressure to the length of the Creative Grid, I often get some sliding and even rotation as my rotary cutter contacts the area of the ruler farthest from my hand. This was not a problem when I used the Quilters Select version.
As I continued to research Quilters Select and spoke with other employees at the shop, it become clear to me that I needed to cut with a smaller sized QS ruler. Cutting WOF strips and smaller sub cuts are quite different from each other. So I marched myself into Country Sampler and purchased an 8 ½’ by 8 ½’ square on Linda’s recommendation. I did not have a ruler this size in my tool department and this is the one she finds she uses most often.
Once I got home and headed to my quilt room, I put it to immediate use. The current shop model on which I am working is composed of primarily 4 ½’ in blocks, most of which are Quarter Square Triangles, or Split Quarter Square Triangles.
A is an hourglass, or bow tie
B is a Quarter Square Triangle
C is a Split Quarter Square Triangle
Quarter Square Triangles were a new technique for me and once you understand the technique they are not difficult to sew, but trimming them takes attention to detail and a handy ruler. Using my new Quilters Select ruler I made a set of blocks. Everything went really well, nothing slipped and I did not find that that small adjustments with the ruler were difficult. (However, I did not have the need to measure and cut one inch squares). My only difficulties came when I was ready to trim my blocks down to their final size, 4 ½’ inches square. The idea is to align your stitches with the 45’ angle, placing the center point at the 2 ¼’ inch mark. This results in an evenly divided 4 ½’ inch square. No problem, right?
Unless your ruler does not have 2 ¼’ in marker along the 45’ angle line! Initially, I was confused and struggled with where things should be aligned on the new QS ruler. This is partly because I am used to Creative Grids, however then I realized there were no ½’ in markings on the Quilters Select 8 ½’ inch square!
There are two sides that have the extra half inch, and two sides that have the full inch marked, but no half inch labels anywhere on the ruler. This is not the case with the 8 ½’ x 24 inch ruler, which has ½’ inch markings.
My block is already trimmed to 4 ½’ inches, and measuring from the ½’ inch edge (right side) to the center it aligns with the yellow 4 marker, while the black 4 marker would only be a 4’ inch block. However if you are measuring from the full inch side of the ruler (left side) the yellow 4 marker is actually 4’ inches and the black 4 marker is 4 ½’ inches. Are you confused yet? I sure was!
I actually had to use my Creative Grid to trim the first square, then placed the trimmed square under the Quilter Select Ruler to determine how they would need to be aligned.
As you can see, the Creative Grid has a white dashed line that intersects with the 45’ angle line at the ¼’, ½’ , and ¾’ marker in every square of the ruler.
In the case of the Quilters Select ruler, the 2 ¼’ in center is a bit harder to locate! The ½’ lines are very clear, but there is a little guessing when it comes to ¼’ and ¾’ in delineation.
Now, I would never have discovered this issue without working on this project at this time and it may never be a problem again! However, it was super confusing and hard to locate where the block should be aligned on the Quilters Select Ruler. I ended up trimming all of my blocks with the Creative Grid.
Part of my confusion is just a result of being used to the Creative Grids organization and labeling system. There is always some adjustment when using a new ruler. Anyone who has used an Omnigrid regularly, then a Creative Grid, has to adjust to the additional 1/2 inch on two sides, and vice versa. The same will be true for me going from a Creative Grid, to a Quilters Select. I think the more I measure and cut with this ruler, the easier it will be, but in the beginning it is going to require a little more brain power.
I must say that I like the additional 1/2’ inch markers on the 8 1/2’ x 24’ inch ruler, so I am disappointed that the 8 1/2’ inch square does not have them. However, the 8 1/2’ x 24’ inch ruler is the ONLY Quilters Select ruler that has 1/2’ inch markers, so it is the exception, not the rule. It just happened to be the Quilters Select Ruler I used, so I didn’t realize there was a difference. It does beg the question, why is it the only one!? I decided to email the company to ask, unfortunately it has been over a week and they have not gotten back to me. If I ever find an answer to this question, I promise I will get back to you!
We have a Quilters Select Ruler that we use in the shop every day. We are usually cutting width of fabric strips, which means the length of the ruler is in contact with the entire width of fabric most of time. Some of the staff love it, and feel that they have less issues with slippage and cleaner cuts. They intentionally choose this ruler over others.
On the flip side of that, because it grips so well, others feel adjusting the ruler in small increments on top of the fabric is a little tougher.
The ruler in the shop is in use often, much more so than if you purchased one and took one home with you. As a result of the increased use, some of the non-slip surface on the back has started to come off around the edges. As the non-slip has rubbed off, so have some of the marking closer to the edge.
Thus far it does not appear to have altered its effectiveness, but it is worth noting. The packaging on the ruler does make an important point that the non-slip backing is sensitive to ‘unnecessary friction, especially with rough surfaces’.
Also, to reinforce previous sentiment, it takes a lot of use to get to this point, and all the tools that go to work in our shop end with lots of wear and tear.
We want to also quickly mention that Quilter’s Select Rulers are 1/4th of a 4 part System- The ruler, the rotary cutter, the mat, and the ’trick’. We will briefly discuss the other parts of their system, however these rulers do not need to be used exclusively with their other products. Their products were designed to complement each other, which we can appreciate, but can also be used separately.
Quilters’ Select Mats are fairly heavy duty, it almost feels as if two mats are attached back to back! The extra thickness means a little bit of give and a nice clean cut. The heavier nature of the mat is also claimed to make it warp resistant!
They are considered self-healing mats, just like comparable mats currently on the market. Unlike other mats on the market, their mats are just as accurate as their rulers.
One of the things I learned the hard way when I was a new quilter was you always cut by your RULER, and never by your mat. In general, the mat is less accurate. It can be used for reference points, but should not be used as a cutting guide. With Quilters Select mats this is not the case, you can lay your ruler on top of the mat and all of your cutting guides will align perfectly.
Increments are labeled similarly to rulers with numbers going in both directions along the edge.
Setting their mat aside from others is the fact that they are reversible with a light gray side and a dark gray/black side. Which side you use is dependent on the color of fabric you are cutting. Lighter fabrics get cut on the dark side and dark fabrics get cut on the light side, thus increasing visibility!
I currently have Olfa mats, and these are the mats that are on most surfaces at the shop. Olfa self-healing mats have been a staple for quilters, but I will say cutting green fabric on a green cutting mat can be difficult. Having the option to flip your mat when you have difficulty viewing means more accurate cuts and less accidents. If you are like me, we spend our hard earned pennies on quality quilt fabric, and we don’t like to make ‘boo boos’ that waste it.
The added bonus of the mat being reversible is that wear and tear on both surfaces is decreased, increasing the lifetime of the mat.
The mats come in three sizes, 12”x 18”, 18” x 24” and 24”x 36”. Currently, Country Sampler only has the large size in shop, however that can be easily remedied if you are interested in one of the smaller options. We are happy to order whatever size ruler or mat fits your needs.
On to the rotary cutter! Quilters Select Rotary cutters are a little unique. For one, they are weighted. Now, having to move a weighted rotary cutter may seem like extra work, however the additional heft means you have to apply less pressure when making cuts. As a result, you actually do less work!
Both sides of the cutter have rubber grips to avoid slippage, and the guard can be shifted both ways so right or left handed it is easy to use.
Their is also a magnet that hold the rotary blade onto the cutter. This means when you disassemble your rotary cutting to change the blade, everything comes off in one ordered piece. We have all experienced a time when we went to change the blade and did not pay quite enough attention while we were taking things apart.
This makes the back end of the process a little more difficult. What order did the pieces go back on? Which way does the spring washer face? Which side of the screw faces in or out?
Well, Quilters Select has solved those problems!
I have not had a chance to use one of these yet, So if you have- give us a comment on what you experienced.
Now, onto the ‘trick’. The beauty of these rulers is that when used in conjunction with the mat, they grip so well that you have ability to rotate the ruler and the fabric together on top of the mat. The result is that you are not trying to cut across your body, or walking around the end of your cutting station in an effort to keep your fabric aligned.
The trick is easier shown in a video, than described in words, so below is the link to watch the Quilters Select Cutting System Video.
Linda and Virginia, our Beginning Quilting teachers, really like these rulers for new quilters. They have found that the students who use them have less accidental cuts due to ruler slip and as a result less frustration. However it is not just new quilters who have benefited from them, several veterans have converted! My research has found nothing but positive reviews. The only complaint is difficulty finding them in local quilt shops, and Country Sampler has solved that problem for you! We welcome you to come into the shop and try out a Quilters Select ruler for yourself. The shop ruler is available for test cutting at the front counter!
They come in a variety of sizes, however because they have not been around as long as Creative Grids, they do not have as many size options. Listed in the photo below are the currently available options. For a full list of up to date sizes, and to watch more videos, check out the Quilters Select website!
For those of you who have purchased and used Quilters Select products, give us your feedback. We would love to hear what you have to say! As for me, I am signing off! Happy cutting and may your ruler never slip.
Molly R-D
