Hey everyone! How’s your day going? Mine is going fine, and quickly as usual. It’s another busy day here at PG which means I’ve been stuck inside most of the afternoon hard at work in front of my machine (then again, is it really “stuck” if you love what you’re doing???). Despite being somewhat confined indoors, I’m surrounded by big, beautiful windows that let in a ton of light and allow the glorious sunshine to fill up The Gathering. I’ve gotta say it’s really nice to see! Even though the robins are officially back (I’ve heard them in woods but have yet to actually see one), spring isn’t quite here yet so it’s nice to have some tangible reassurance that it’s actually on the way. I just heard it’s going to be snowing again by the end of the week so I will certainly take this short-lived bout of nice weather while I can! I’m beginning to think that if Mother Nature had her way, we’d be giving spring and summer a miss and be getting ready for fall all over again… Sheesh!
Speaking of snow, I was doing some brainstorming earlier and was thinking back to how we’ve done certain things in the past – particularly around Christmas time – when I used to talk about what I refer to as, “my favorite things.” These “favorite things” of mine included different sewing notions and quilting hacks that I feel like at this point in my quilting career I simply can’t live without, and think you should know about too. Unfortunately, I got away from doing that last year since we opted out of celebrating our usual 12 Days of Christmas like we have in the past. In my brainstorming this morning I realized I really miss talking about the little things that make me happy in my quilting life, so I figured now is a great time to reawaken that idea. My goal is to feature one or two of my favorite things each month so that I can not only share the tricks I find to be efficient and time saving, but also to get feedback from all of you on what you think of them as well. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?
So without further ado, let’s get this party started with two of my all-time favorite Creative Grids rulers that I just so happened to custom design! If you know me at all you know I have a special place in my heart for mini quilts – to the point where I actually have an entire wall of them on display in my home sewing studio. They can be fun projects if you want to make a quilt but don’t have the time, space, or need for a large one. Mini quilts also use a lot less fabric and allow you to put a dent in your scrap stash and make great heartfelt gifts when you’re in a time crunch. You can’t go wrong with mini quilts!
My 3″ x 7″ and 6″ x 6″ Itty Bitty Eights Rulers by Creative Grids are perfect for working with small pieces and little blocks because as you know, precision really is key with mini quilts! These slick rulers clearly mark each 1/8″ so you’ll never wonder if you’re measuring 3/8″, 5/8″, or 7/8” ever again – now we can see. Mystery solved! Not to mention, all the lines are dashed so you can see your fabric at all points of the ruler. You’re welcome!
I designed the 6″ x 6″ and 3″ x 7″ Creative Grids rulers specifically for mini quilts but they are also super useful when cutting mini pieces or sub cutting larger pieces for other projects. Like all Creative Grids, these nifty rulers slide easily over fabric until pressure is applied. Then, the exclusive gripper holds the fabric in place while cutting, eliminating slipping and miss-cuts!
I use the 3″ x 7″ ruler the most when I’m making a mini quilt because I like how it fits in my hand, making it so much easier to wield around those mini pieces. Remember, accurate cutting is CRITICAL with minis because just a thread can make a huge difference in a 1/2″ finished square, or a 1/4″ inner border, so these rulers can be a huge help.
Like I said above, even if you only make a mini quilt here and there, these useful rulers will not be sitting around collecting dust in between projects. They come in handy in all sorts of situations where accurate measuring is important. Want them for your own sewing room? Get yours by clicking the button below! 
For more favorite things from me, Jess, Vicki, Gloria, Luke…and whoever else decides to grace us with their presence, tune in to watch us LIVE tomorrow on STITCH with Lisa Bongean at 1:00 CST by clicking the STITCH button below! Don’t forget – Sue Spargo will also be making a special guest appearance to spill the beans on the magic that’s been happening over at The Gathering for the last couple of weeks. You’re not going to want to miss it! See you there! ~Lisa
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