A Quilter's Giveaway - Now Closed

Do you free motion quilt on a domestic sewing machine? If so, do I have some handy tools to tell you about!

I came across the company Accents in Design about three years ago when another quilter whose domestic machine quilting I admire - Wendy of IvorySpring - blogged about a curved ruler she uses. I bought the curved ruler, used it to quilt a section of Snowflake Medallion, and forgot about it in the shuffle of moving.

Recently, wanting to quilt lines, I pulled out my little 1" X 6" Omnigrid ruler. I placed the ruler alongside the sewing machine foot, but as I tried to quilt, the ruler kept slipping under the sewing machine foot.

That's when I had the "ah-ha" moment, remembering rulers with handles on them! I found the Accents in Design website, and low and behold... Straight line rulers, 1/4"-thick, in three lengths! And a special price for buying all three at once. So I did.

After getting them, I posted a couple pictures on Instagram, and a short video of how I used a ruler. I quickly realized that not many FMQers are familiar with these. It was just like Karen at NanaGirlQuilts blogging about her super-cool sewing machine light. I read that post, and now own the light and couldn't be without it!

Below are my pictures using my "Fine Line" rulers. But the best information is on the Accents in Design website. Especially the video for domestic machine quilters. You'll easily catch on to how the rulers work.

Domestic machine quilters are accustomed to using both hands - palms and fingers - to move the quilt beneath the needle. With a ruler under the left hand, pressure is put on the ruler to move the quilt. Quilting vertically is easy.

What you need to know is that the size of your quilting foot determines where to position the ruler. With my Pfaff Grand Quilter foot, I position the ruler about a half-inch from where I want to quilt. I eyeball where I want a line to be and then align the ruler with the free motion quilting foot. 

Quilting horizontally is also doable. Note the lines on the ruler. Those are guides for repeating lines.

Look what a nice, straight line I was able to stitch! No stitch regulator either.

For newer quilters wondering whether they can used these rulers, I would say yes! If you're comfortable with basic free motion quilting like stippling or some other all over designs, you've had enough experience to try a Fine Line ruler.

As with all quilting though, it takes practice. Using a continuous curve ruler takes a little more patience. 

No problems moving the continuous curve ruler vertically or at an angle.

The horizontal curve needs a little more coordination. Note the lines on the curve ruler too, for repeating curves at intervals.

Honestly, using a ruler makes me feel like I'm quilting like the "big girls!" Ruler work is for domestic machine quilters too! And happily for long arm quilters, these Fine Line rulers work for you too!

If you're intrigued by how these rulers might help you improve your quilting, you should be.

If you'd like to enter to win a set of rulers, you should! This giveaway is now closed.

Thanks to Carol at Accents in Design, I'm able to offer two chances to win. The first winner gets to choose either:

a set of three straight line rulers - 6", 8" and 12" long

OR

a set of three continuous curve rulers - 6-1/2", 10", and 12-1/2" long

The second winner gets the other set.

This giveaway is open internationally. Simply leave a comment for one chance to win. Winners will be selected Friday, February 28. Linda This giveaway is closed.

Note! As of Tuesday, 69 people have commented to enter this giveaway. Of that number 20 commenters are "no-reply." This means that I have no way of contacting you if your name is chosen. Please either change your profile setting to allow your email address to appear in the comment I receive from you, or include your email address. 

In good news, odds are in favor of 49 valid commenters!