Welcome Back!
Thanks for sharing some of your precious time with me again! You may remember that my last post talked about how I was using our sometimes hot, sometimes rainy Wisconsin weather to get in a little extra longarm practice time. And practice time led me to free-motion quilting.
Well, we’re still experiencing a summer of sometimes hot, sometimes rainy weather. And though Rick and I snuck in a little vacation time with the kids, I’m still trying to capitalize on any extra practice time I can fit in. But this time I’m especially focused on ruler-work!
I think of ruler-work as a natural extension of free-motion quilting. (If you missed my last post on free-motion quilting, just click here!) The two methods share commonalities, but each has its own characteristics and strengths as well. Let’s start by looking at their similarities.
What Ruler-work and Free-motion Quilting Have in Common
Ruler-work and free-motion longarm quilting share some very basic traits. Both methods:
- are controlled by the quilter – you guide the stitching, not a pattern or the computer.
- offer creative freedom – you create the specific design to enhance the piecing, applique and/or open spaces of your quilt top.
- require practice – you personally build your own comfort level, skills and memory to produce smooth, consistent results.
- complement each other – while ruler-work and free-motion quilting stand independently, you can also combine both methods to add variety and interest to your quilting design.
But let’s get into ruler-work. Let’s explore how it’s different from free-motion quilting … and how it can further enhance your quilting skills!
The Specifics of Ruler-Work
Remember how I said that free-motion quilting is like “drawing with thread?” Well, I think of ruler-work as “tracing with thread.” In this case, you’re “tracing” the ruler. It’s guiding your stitching.
Additional equipment needed
Let’s start with the obvious. To do ruler-work, you need a ruler … and a ruler base and a ruler foot.
The rulers used for ruler-work are specially designed quilting rulers.
These rulers are at least ¼” thick. When quilting, your longarm’s foot moves up and down as it stitches. When you are doing ruler-work, the foot is moving along the ruler. Using a ruler thinner than ¼” can result in the ruler slipping under the foot, potentially damaging your machine, ruler or needle, or even worse … injuring you.
A ruler base provides a stable platform for the ruler.
The longarm’s bed is too narrow for you to hold a ruler flat and stable. A ruler base attaches to your machine and provides a wider, more stable surface for supporting your ruler.
A ruler foot provides additional security and stability.
This specifically designed foot has a taller profile than your longarm’s standard foot. It complements the thickness of quilting rulers.
Techniques and tips
Get ready to quilt.
Start with your needle down where you plan to start stitching. Snug your quilting ruler against the foot. Remember that your needle will stitch ¼” from the ruler’s edge.
Place your hand on the ruler.
Spread your fingers across the ruler. One fingertip touching the fabric at the edge will provide better control. Apply even pressure on the whole ruler.
Reposition your hand when using longer rulers.
You can only control the ruler effectively within the span of your fingers. For longer rulers, stop quilting before exceeding your reach, reposition your hand to the next section of the ruler, and then continue quilting.
Apply light and balanced pressure.
Your goal is to keep even pressure on the ruler without restricting the machine’s ability to glide across your quilt top. Too much pressure will pinch the quilt between the ruler and the ruler base, making it hard to move your machine. This can also affect the tension of your stitching.
Move slowly and deliberately.
Ruler-work is about precision! A steady pace is key to achieving clean, even lines.
Start and stop with your needle down.
This helps maintain your place, keeping your quilting consistent and smooth.
Think ahead.
Design your quilting path in advance. Decide how to maintain a continuous flow while using comfortable hand and ruler positions. Whenever possible, keep your ruler to the left of your foot so you can see where you’re going.
Increase the size of your quilt’s backing fabric.
Because your longarm is now fitted with a ruler base, the bed area of your machine head is even larger. Make sure that your quilt back is large enough to avoid hitting the side clamps and bars when you’re stitching along the edges of your quilt.
Just beginning your ruler-work journey?
Here are some things to consider.
- Start with basic, simple shapes. (Think straight lines or gentle curves)
- Consider rulers that are designed with alignment bumps. (They may help you to position your ruler more precisely.)
- Choose smaller, hand-sized rulers. (A smaller ruler surface will be easier to control.)
Additional tips
- You may find adding grips (non-slip material) to the back of your rulers helpful. Some rulers come with grips “built in.” But test your ruler before adding grips. When using smaller rulers or rulers that you turn or flip frequently, you may want them to slide freely across your fabric.
- Experiment to find what positioning works best for you. Practice going around all sides of your ruler. Try both convex and concave rulers. Switch hands while holding your ruler and guiding your machine to determine which is more comfortable.
- Above all, be kind to yourself! Everyone acknowledges the importance of practice. Accept that! Give yourself time and don’t expect perfection right from the start. Relax, experiment, learn and have fun!
Choosing a Ruler
There’s no right or wrong choice, but there may be a choice that better suits you. Here are some things to consider when choosing a longarm ruler.
Match the ruler to your design goals.
- Straight rulers are the best choices for stitch-in-the-ditch work, crosshatching and sharp geometric shapes.
- Curved rulers will give you arcs, scallops and repeated curves or waves.
- Circle rulers help you create precise circles and echoed round motifs.
- Specialty rulers provide you with specific motifs that can accent your piecing or applique.
Look for markings you can see clearly.
Many rulers have etched or printed lines to use for alignment while you’re quilting. This also allows for precise spacing and echoing.
Invest in versatile basic rulers.
- A straight ruler and a gentle curve ruler give you a great place to start. They’ll help you create designs that beautifully complement just about any style of quilt.
- Consider a ruler that offers multiple design shapes. Handi Quilter’s Versatool is an example of a multipurpose ruler. It is small (only 4” x 7.5”), but it provides straight line, 90⁰ angle, and convex and concave curve options.
Build your ruler collection over time as you discover your favorite motifs and quilting styles.
Thoughts on ruler-work? Just think how this skill will expand your quilting toolkit! I love that ruler-work gives me the creative freedom of free-motion quilting while also increasing my options and precision!
Give yourself the gift of some extra practice time to find out if ruler-work is a skill that you’d like to add to your quilting repertoire!
Ruler-work Online Resources
Online resources for longarm quilting with rulers abound. Here’s just a small sampling if you’d like to know more!
APQS
Blog post: Mastering Ruler Work on Your Longarm Quilting Machine (07-02-2024)
YouTube: Quilting with Rulers on Your Longarm Quilting Machine (21:52)
Handi Quilter
Blog post: Beginner’s Guide to Ruler Quilting (05-18-2024)
YouTube: Longarm Quilting with Jade Rulers - Watch & Learn with Handi Quilter (38:09)
Ruler-work In-person Classes at Quilting Connection!
Maybe being able to test-drive quilting with rulers under the guidance of an expert quilter and teacher would ease your insecurities with trying ruler-work. The Quilting Connection can help you with that!
Ruler and Gridwork Class with Wendy Fuller
Friday, November 21, 2025 (Appleton)
or
Saturday, November 22, 2025 (Elkhorn)
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (lunch included)
Ruler Class Description:
There are so many ways to use rulers! In this small, hands-on class, Wendy will show you tips and tricks for using rulers safely and effectively on your longarm to create straight lines, curves, circles, and arcs/swags.
She’ll teach you how to combine patterns to create complex looking designs. You'll learn how to use these designs for blocks, borders, sashings, and edge to edge options!
You’ll also get plenty of time on the longarm to stitch out some designs and try out different rulers to see which ones you may want to start adding to your quilting tool kit. And, of course, you’ll go home with your practice piece to refer to in the future!
Gridwork Class description:
What is "Grid-work"? It's when you quilt a grid-based design that can use stencils/marking or piecing lines to guide your quilting. Some common examples are "continuous curves" and "orange peel", but the possibilities are endless!
After a little instruction, you'll get to practice designs on the longarm that can be done free motion or with rulers. Wendy will show you how to scale the designs to fit your quilt.
There are so many options for blocks, borders, and background fills!
This class is for beginners through experienced skill levels. There are plenty of options to challenge us all!
Lots to consider, I know! I’ll leave you to ponder how ruler-work might fit into your quilting journey! But I’d like to take a minute to remind you of even more class opportunities currently on our calendar.
Additional In-person Classes at The Quilting Connection!
Basic Free-motion Class with Wendy Fuller
Friday, October 17, 2025 (Appleton)
or
Saturday, October 18, 2025 (Elkhorn)
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (lunch included)
These are small group, hands-on classes. Wendy will introduce you to a variety of free-motion quilting designs and the various techniques that can be used to produce them. You’ll look at the many ways to use the designs to fill your quilt blocks and borders.
You’ll also get plenty of hands-on time at the longarm, and you’ll go home with a practice piece to refer to and build on in the future!
Feathers Flowers and Leaves Class with Wendy Fuller
Friday, November 7, 2025 (Appleton)
or
Saturday, November 8, 2025 (Elkhorn)
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (lunch included)
Want to broaden your free-motion repertoire?
Wendy will guide you in easy and popular ways to create
feathers, leaves, and flowers.
You’ll explore the many ways to use them in overall designs, blocks, and borders!
You’ll do a bit of drawing to introduce you to some designs, then you’ll get busy on the longarm practicing them. And, of course, you’ll go home with your practice piece!
AN ADDED NOTE FOR ALL OF WENDY’S CLASSES
Have a project you’re not sure how to quilt? Feel free to bring it along, and you’ll work with Wendy to brainstorm specific ideas that fit both your quilt and your skill level. You’ll go home with a ready-to-execute plan to finish your project!
And please know that all classes are adapted to the experience level of the participants!
These classes fill quickly, so check your calendar and sign up soon!
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Beginning Longarm Bootcamp (Elkhorn)
Tuesday & Wednesday, September 23 & 24, 2025
9 AM – 4 PM (Lunch Included)
or
Beginning Longarm Bootcamp (Appleton)
Friday & Saturday, September 26 & 27, 2025
9 AM – 4 PM (Lunch Included)
These 2-day bootcamp classes are designed for quilters that don’t currently own a longarm but want to learn all about our amazing Handi Quilter machines! This is also a great refresher class if you own a Handi Quilter but haven’t had the opportunity to use it for a while!
Special Bonus: If you buy a Handi Quilter machine or Pro-Stitcher at this event, we’ll apply the cost of this class towards the purchase price!
Taught by HQ National Educator, Leigh Zipf, these 2-day classes are divided into four parts:
Day 1 morning covers longarm quilting basics. Leigh will explain machine and frame elements and features, how to load a quilt, and share vital facts about thread, needles and tension.
Day 1 afternoon covers sweet and simple free motion basics. You’ll learn how drawing and muscle memory contribute to free motion quilting and how to create stunning designs.
Day 2 morning covers radical rulers! Leigh will show you how to handle rulers and templates safely using the ruler base and Sure Foot. You’ll see how these tools can assist you in placing designs accurately and stitching them out precisely.
Day 2 afternoon covers Pro-Stitcher basics. Pro-Stitcher is the intuitive computer-guided quilting system designed specifically for use with Handi Quilter longarm machines. It is user-friendly and simple to operate. And you’ll find the step-by-step process for each function easy and fun.
Advanced Pro-Stitcher Class (Elkhorn)
Monday, September 22, 2025
9 AM – 4 PM (Lunch Included)
or
Advanced Pro-Stitcher Class (Appleton)
Sunday, September 28, 2025
9 AM – 4 PM (Lunch Included)
I’ll teach you how to place and stitch borders, turn a piece of edge-to-edge design into a block design, use the mark feature, stitch out triangle designs, and crop designs. We might even get a chance to learn the magic of mandalas! You’ll finish a hands-on project using Pro-Stitcher!
See the Classes page of our website for even more details on all these classes.
September Events
Coming soon, and needing no introduction …
The Great Wisconsin Quilt Show is Wisconsin’s premier quilt show each year. Join us for one, two or three fun-filled days in Madison, WI!
This year will be a little different for The Quilting Connection. We will be displaying our APQS longarm systems (Booths 233-34/303-04) and Superior Threads products (Booths 231/306).
NOTE: Our Elkhorn shop will be open during the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show,
but our Appleton location will be closed. Sorry for any inconvenience!
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Next is our annual Appleton thankyou event held in partnership with our wonderful neighbor, Going to Pieces Quilt Shop!
Our customer appreciation event lasts the full day.
The free BBQ lunch is served from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
We’ll have fabric loaded on the APQS and Handi Quilter longarms so you can play!
You can see the Laurastar steam generators in action!
And you can try out our new Ultimate Sewing Chairs!
Plus, we’ll have sales on Superior and Glide thread as well as Handi Quilter products!
(Maybe there’s a Handi Quilter ruler on your wish list?!)
Please join us in Appleton! We wouldn’t be here without you!
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And wrapping up the month …
Sheboygan County Quilters Guild Annual Show
“Splashes of Color”
September 27, 2025
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sheboygan Lutheran High School
3323 University Drive
Sheboygan, WI 53081
Admission $7
Please join us! Be sure to stop by and say hi!
SALES!
This fantastic sale continues!
If it’s time to replace or upgrade your ironing system, stop in and learn all about the benefits of micro-steam technology! It’s time to checkout Laurastar!
See the Laurastar page of our website for the sale pricing! Then contact us!
APQS: Sale!
APQS continues to extend this wonderful sale opportunity!
Please contact us for more details!
Handi Quilter: Sale
Check out the details of Handi Quilter’s current sale promotion!
Which bundle would you choose?
Please contact us for more details!
The Quilting Central Podcast Update
And finally, have you had a chance to catch the latest episode of The Quilting Central Podcast?
Check out Episode 8: Deepdive into Needles that just posted on August 6th!
And for a listing of all our episodes posted to date, check out the Quilting Central Podcast YouTube channel! Be sure to subscribe and comment. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Time to wrap up!
Please remember, if you ever have ANY questions or want additional information about ANY of the products and services we offer, please call us at (262) 723-6775 or email us at info@QuiltingConnection.com.
You can also visit us online at QuiltingConnection.com or in person at 21 Adams Street in Elkhorn, WI (usually M-F 9-4, please call to confirm we’re open) or 1017 W. Northland in Appleton, WI (W, Th & F 10-4, S 10-3).
Finally, check out our blog at QuiltingConnection.com/blog and our Facebook posts.
And please share your thoughts and questions. I’d love to hear from you!
Angie