What are the best quilting rulers? There are many different brands and styles to choose from - so many, in fact, that choosing a ruler can feel daunting. But Creative Grids rulers make it easier with their diverse collection of quilting rulers & templates designed for quilters, by quilters!
In 1989, Sheila Waterfield of Leicester, England began using scraps of plastic from her family’s business to make quilting rulers for her friends. Creative Grids rulers for quilting are now manufactured in the USA, but the goal of the company is still the same as Sheila’s: to increase the enjoyment of quilting by making the process easier and improving the quality of the finished product. The company honors its origins by using a fox (the symbol of Leicester) on its logo.
If you’ve watched a few of Jenny or Misty’s video tutorials, you have probably heard them talk about choosing rulers that match the way your brain works. For example, if you are left-handed, you will care a great deal about whether the ruler has been designed with you in mind. Never fear: there are several Creative Grids rulers designed specifically for left-handed folks, and Missouri Star carries them. Lefties rejoice, you don’t have to make do with a righty ruler!
Creative Grids rulers are known for their unique features and markings that make them particularly useful for precise and efficient fabric cutting. For instance, many Creative Grids rulers have a built-in non-slip surface on the back to prevent your ruler from shifting or sliding on your fabric while cutting. Not only does this improve the accuracy of your cut,it also makes the process safer!
As the name implies, each Creative Grids ruler has a grid marked in inches or centimeters, allowing you to accurately measure and align your fabric pieces. Many also have specialized markings or other features, such as: angle markings, diagonal lines, and other measurements that are commonly used in quilting patterns. These markings are designed to be clear and easily visible so that you can achieve precise measurements and cuts with your Creative Grids rulers.
Of course, if you have been quilting for a while, you may already own a variety of rulers needed to cut strips, squares, and basic angles. So, a valid concern might be just how versatile a new ruler will be in relation to its expense. Will it give you enough of a bang for your buck? If it’s a Creative Grids ruler, the answer is a resounding YES! Many Creative Grids rulers can perform more than one task, and each one has helpful video tutorials to help you learn a variety of tips and techniques to maximize your investment.
Creative Grids offers a variety of rulers in different sizes and shapes; some rulers are designed for specific purposes, such as trimming half-square triangles or squaring up blocks. Missouri Star is proud to sell Creative Grids rulers because we believe they are among the best in the industry. Creative Grids manufactures 155 quilting rulers and templates–the most diverse line of quilting tools in the world. Each Creative Grids ruler is printed with both black and white markings so as to be visible on both light and dark fabrics. Plus, each and every Creative Grids quilt ruler has an exclusive grip embedded into the underside of the tool, allowing the ruler to slide across your fabric until pressure is applied; then the ruler will stick to the fabric, reducing mis-cuts. Creative Grid rulers also have a patented Turn-A-Round feature that allows the sewist to add a half-inch seam allowance with ease.
From standard shapes such as Dresden plates, acute angles, diamonds, circles, hexagons, and more, to curved corners and project-specific shapes, there’s most likely a Creative Grids templates to make cutting your fabric easy peasy.
Creative Grids also manufactures machine quilting rulers designed by Angela Walters, who lives nearby in Liberty, MO. If you are new to machine quilting at home, Creative Grids machine quilting rulers will help you sew consistent patterns of stitches in your quilts without a programmable quilting machine. To get started with one of these Creative Grids quilting rulers, you are going to need to know if you have a low-shank or high-shank sewing machine. Not sure what that means? Watch the video below to see Angela Walters explain the difference, show you how to measure your machine, and give a quick demonstration of quilting with a machine quilting ruler.
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Best of all, any time you need a little inspiration, just pick up a Creative Grids ruler! There are a wide variety of books and patterns using Creative Grids rulers from top designers like Margaret Atkinson, Edyta Sitar, It’s Sew Emma, and more - learn more on the Creative Grids website !
If you're new to quilting or sewing, investing in high-quality rulers like those from Creative Grids can make a significant difference in the precision of your work. Quilters and sewists of all skill levels will appreciate Creative Grids rulers for their quality construction, innovative design, and functionality. For a more enjoyable quilting experience, make sure you have plenty of Creative Grids rulers in your sewing room!
