Barb M

I thought oh no, your quilt is dented????? lol lol Anyways, i have so much trouble figuring out why people always talk about their rulers slipping? I'm not being dumb, i just dont get it, and not being sarcastic at all, i really am asking? The reason i don't get it, is because i have never used a heavy plexiglass quilting ruler. Is it the size and weight of the ruler that makes it slip so much??? The reason i am wondering is because i dont have this problem at all. I can't afford quilting rulers, and refulse to pay that kind of money if i could afford it. I don't need a big heavy ruler with lines on it, because my cutting mat has all the lines i need. I just use a plastic 16" ruler from the dollar store. It is very lightweight and very flexible, so because it is flexible, when i press down on it, it presses right down into the fabric, and takes very little strength to hold it still. All i did was put a small piece of masking tape at either end of the ruler to stop any extra sliding.

quilterj

i have a ruler with the lip on it too and love it. but with my other ruler i tend to slip and also i too have r. arthritis.

quilterj

i have a ruler with the lip on it too and love it. but with my other ruler i tend to slip and also i too have r. arthritis. the ladies at the quilt class said that it does help thier hands too.

quilterj

i didn't mean to repeat myself.

quilterj

the dent puller that i am refering to is one with the suction cups and a handle also. i am not sure if i had mentioned that earlier. i just seen one that wasn't like what i was talking about. so i thought i would come back and describe it.

quilterj

just looked it up at harbor freight i typed in suction cup handles and they had a few of them. the one i want is only around 5 or 6 dollars. so i guess it really isn't a dent puller but is strong enough to do so.

DonnaRae

[quote=Barb M]I thought oh no, your quilt is dented????? lol lol Anyways, i have so much trouble figuring out why people always talk about their rulers slipping? I'm not being dumb, i just dont get it, and not being sarcastic at all, i really am asking? The reason i don't get it, is because i have never used a heavy plexiglass quilting ruler. Is it the size and weight of the ruler that makes it slip so much??? quote]

The plexi sometimes likes to slip a little and as quilters we know even the littlest bit can be a lot. I put small piecies of sandpaper on the back of my rulers (The fine sandpaper with the sticky back). My rulers never slip and I have read that you should mark your rulers and use the same side when cutting because there can be a difference, so the sandpaper does that job too, I always cut with the same side. Some rulers you can tell the difference, but there are some you can't and are even double sided. But the sandpaper is great and I just put a little bit at each end and in the middle. :D And I have one of those sucktion things to hold the ruler, but it is in the package, I have never used it and was going to sell it, just keep forgetting. I have never cut my fingers so I figure why have to get use to something else. I don't know where or why I have it. :roll:

Barb M

Oh thank you Donna, maybe the heavier plexi slips easier than my plastic rule, sand paper sounds like a great idea :)

treasurelady

Hi Barb! I am one of those whose ruler seems to slip frequently. I have a problem with my arms and have less strength in my hands than I would like (have metal in both arms from shoulder to elbow). My husband is going to get me one of the ones at Harbor Freight near our house so I can try it. My quilting instructor tells us all the time not to use the grid on our mats because they can be inaccurate and a variation of 1/8" or less can be a lot more by the time you get to the end of a quilt.

Linda

DonnaRae

Linda, put sandpaper that has a sticky back on it on your rulers. Just use fine sandpaper not rough and not xtra fine. Just regular fine. The rulers will not slip anymore if you do that. I have had three neck surgeries and am on total disability due to nerve damage, loss of partial use of one arm and hand and non fusion of the neck bones. I will tell you without the sandpaper I was going nuts because I could not keep the rulers from slipping because of my left arm and hand. The sandpaper works and is cheap!! Even if you get the dent puller the rulers can still move. They basically are to protect your hands and give you more control. Was this long winded? Give it a try. :D