Gridded Rulers Aren’t Just For Quilting

In my recent post “10 Sewing Room Essentials – For Me” – I mentioned that gridded quilting rulers are one of my can’t live without tools.  And they’re not just for quilting either.

How else can you use them?

Well mine is getting quite the work-out as I sew my hubby’s new winter jacket.

A quilting ruler for sewing clothes?

Let’s see, I’ve used it to measure and cut extra pockets that I don’t have patterns for… and my favorite use has got to be making sure that things are lined up straight.  And that they match on both sides!

Because I’ve altered the basic jacket pattern quite a bit, I don’t have any markers for sewing things like cargo pockets or elbow patches on.  Since my attitude is “sew it once, and do it right”, I prefer to make sure pockets are on straight the first time.

Using a gridded ruler allows me to measure exactly where the pockets are sitting, and reproduce that measurement on the other side.  For instance, I actually placed one of the elbow patches while my husband was wearing the jacket.  I carefully pinned it in place, and by measuring how far from the cuff and other seams, could place the other patch in the exact spot.

So break out your gridded ruler for more than just quilting – it’s a handy tool to have!

image: C Findlay-Harder