This week's assignment is rulers.
Here's why. Several weeks before my trip to Maryland I was getting things prepared to go. I started early. I made the blocks we were told we could make in advance. I gathered my strips and strings for both classes. I gathered the required rulers. I told Sharon I had an extra ruler she could use because she didn't have one of them.
Fast forward to packing for the trip. I stashed the rulers in various pockets of my machine rolly-tote. I couldn't find an extra ruler for Sharon. Thursday's class did not take the Easy Angle ruler but I noticed I couldn't seem to find it. Friday's class did take it. And I was repacking everything and still couldn't find it. Go figure! Friday I was unpacking and put my hand into a side zippered compartment and nearly scraped my fingers on the missing ruler. Except, it is an older version of the ruler although it has most everything I needed to cut the pieces. I just had to verify the correct lines to use. See the little blue one? That's what I used. But the middle black one would have been easier to see the correct cutting lines except I had remembered I owned it nor could I find it.
There's the back story. I have no idea what rulers I have and where they are! I'm going to list all my rulers on my computer. I was all set to buy a new Companion Ruler for the class because I couldn't find mine. But, JoAnns was out of them. The very next day I found mine. It would serve me well to actually keep an inventory of my rulers, preferably on my phone so it is always with me!
Because I have such a large cutting table I have two ruler racks on it. One looks like this:
I have two additional wall mounted ruler holders. They too need to be refilled. (Where do you suppose I've put all the rulers that used to be in these?) I know I've got some of Deb Tucker's rulers out because I'm taking a class in May so the rulers are not in their normal spots. (by the way, the circles are nested and are great for drawing circles but I can't really cut against them and they are too thin to use with the long arm. But I love having them!)
Happy Quilting All!
Bonnie I even following your spiff up postal though I confess not doing too much of the actual spiffing!! I do like those how others organize- great ideas
ReplyDeleteI find ruler storage a huge pain; especially the big ones. I use the same holders as you
Although my wall ones are sitting since I'm never sure if the cutting area is permenant
I look forward to others ideas on traveling with the big rulers. After returning from our guild retreat I was all ready to make a special sized tote with long handles - but as time has gone by the need has been pushed aside...until the next retreat it class
Thanks for all the inspiration
I know what you mean about having a multitude of rulers. I'm there with you. Lol! I saw a really cool tote someone made to transport their rulers to classes; now if I could only remember where I saw it... *grin*
ReplyDeleteI have another blog that is working on rulers too this week. http://melsquiltingblog.blogspot.com/2015/04/15-minute-spiff-up.html
ReplyDeleteLet's see if I'm missing something with my rulers and really need a check up. LOL
I don't have an extensive inventory of rulers, but the ones I have are used frequently. I'm pretty picky about the markings on my rulers: I detest those with promenient yellow grids- they are too difficult to read and use.
ReplyDeleteI also have so many rulers that I ran the risk of buying duplicates if I didn't keep them organized. I long ago downloaded an app called Evernote to my phone (for many reasons other than tracking rulers!). I believe it's available for both Android and iOS. You can create any number of notebooks and, within those notebooks, any number of notes. You can tag notes, you can take & store pictures (although the free version limits the amount of data you can move around), you can share notes with people who also have Evernote. Need I say that I now carry an inventory of rulers, one for my Sizzix dies, one for purchased patterns. Next is Cricut cartridges, embroidery thread, pantos. When all you phenomenal bloggers tell us what your go-to quilting threads are, or rave about a new batting, or a new show you're binging on - yep, it all goes in a notebook called Things to Try. You can also download a version to a desktop or tablet, then you can sync them. Wherever you go, you've got lists! Yes, even my grocery shopping lists - we have 2 homes and stocking them gets confusing. I don't get anything from Evernote for talking them up - I just couldn't live without it. Could NOT live without it. It has saved me so much money. A few weeks ago I almost bought a die but my Evernote list confirmed I own it so I kept on looking until I found it. So I treated myself to a bit of fabric instead :-).
ReplyDeleteI have relatively few rulers. I store them in an office-file-sorter that I bought 20+ years ago when my home business (sounds better than "obsession") was refunding. I feel smug that a $2.99 plastic sorter is still useful. I use the 6 x 24, 6 x 6, 4 x 14, and the triangle-square-up the most.
ReplyDelete