The Quick Curve Ruler by Sew Kind of Wonderful. It is an extremely clever invention, and I quickly became enamored of the device and eager to try out not just one, but many of the patterns put out by the compnay.
My frank and honest review follows.
I truly enjoyed doing the curved piecing. It was a gentle curve, and I had few issues with getting a nice seam. The patterns are innovative and have produced very beautiful results for a lot of people who have tried them out. The tutorials on the Sew Kind of Wonderful website are very instructional and give you a great look at how to go about the curved piecing technique.
My first trial with the ruler was a little table topper my son in law asked me to make for my grand daughter's play table.
No particualar issues with this little project. I uesed some dreamy 3 SIsters pinks and make six blocks for the table topper. Nothing really had to match up precisely, and the six blocks sewed together with no problems and gave me just what I had hoped for. It sort of looks like lips, doesn't it?
The next, more serious project was Metro Hoops, a pattern that requires very precise piecing indeed.
I had major issues with things not lining up properly, due to my failures at following the squaring up instructions, which I found confusing and incomplete. A couple of readers sent me some tips which made all the difference, and the resulting quilt top (shown at the top of this post) ended up being a success, and one of my favorite efforts to date.
I was so frustrated during the construction of Metro Hoops, I decided to back track and try one of Sew Kind Of Wonderful's easier patterns where matching up seam lines precisely wasn't such an issue. I took a break and started up a fresh new project. Next up was Urban Winter, a curved piecing pattern where things didn't need to line up precisely. It went together fast, was fun to piece, and caused me no cursing or hair pulling. A pretty project was the result and one that I can have custom quilted and give to anyone with pride.
I went back to Metro Hoops, with my new courage and instructions from fellow quilters and finally achieved perfect seam abuttments.
Now I was cooking with gas and things were lining up great. Thank you to my blog readers (especially Liz and Dawn) for your savvy and constructive advice. This was a problem child project that was totally saved. I truly do love the resulting quilt top and will have it custom quilted and enjoy it for many years. And I will try very hard not to think of the wasted fabric, mis-cuts and botched blocks. Luckily I had plenty of fabric to sacrifice to this experiment.
Last up was a pattern called Metro Lattice, which my friend Thelma Cupcake made first. She altered the pattern and left out the lattice, so we started referring to the project as Metro Hold the Lattice. This quilt top resulted in a stunning success for Thelma, and a botched mess for me. She seemed to grasp perfectly how to square up the blocks and get the sharp points to line up perfectly. I left out some crucial measurement in the squaring up process and ended up with some seam intersections that looked like this:
I have to say, this was not the fault of the pattern. I altered it, and left out the lattice, the inclusion of which would have forgiven the imprecise lining up of block points. Thelma figured out the magic ruler line up points that had all the block points perfectly squared, but that process remained a mystery to me. Please note, this was not the fault of the pattern, but of me making a major change to the pattern that I seemed to be unequal to figuring out. Any way, my quilt top is a big mess, with huge fat, needle breaking seams, and points that are way off. A disaster.
So in summary, here's the deal. In my opinion. The ruler is fun to work with. If you follow the instructions and are intuitive where the instructions fail to give complete information (mainly in the squaring up process) you will have an amazing result that you will love. If you have trouble following complex directions and intuiting things that are not specificically directed, you will waste fabric, throw away blocks, and be supremely frustrated. And for heaven's sake, don't alter the pattern, unless you are a genius like Thelma Cupcake.
I do not mean to be harsh. That was my experience. I loved using the ruler, want to use it again, but am very wary of the fabric waste involved and the frustration factor I experienced. The instructions for curved piecing are great, the instructions for lining up the ruler for cutting block sections are good, but the instructions for squaring up the blocks just did not sink in for me.
My advice—If you can, take a class. I think if I had had someone right there in the room with me, showing me how to line up the ruler ("on or close to the 4 inch mark on your ruler"– seriously?) it could have made a world of difference in the success of my results using these patterns and the Quick Curve Ruler.
This ruler is getting a lot of press right now, and the successful finished projects are awesome. If someone at your local quilt shop is offering a class, do take it. You will be much happier having an experienced Quick Curve Ruler user showing you the ropes than tackling the patterns on your own as I did.
Hope this review is helpful.
42 responses to “Quick Curve Ruler Sew Along Wrap Up”
I’ve been loving the curved projects using this ruler. I’m not a ruler gal. But I found it for 40% off and bought the Metro Rings pattern as well. I’ll be sure to follow the pattern and watch the tutorial however if a pattern isn’t written well and I have to watch a tutorial for success then I fear I’ve wasted my money. I truly appreciate honest reviews of products. I was hoping this would be the answer to my wanting to make a double wedding ring quilt but easier. We shall see! I’ll sure sure to dive into my scrap first, before cutting into the “good stuff.” Thanks!
I’ve been loving the curved projects using this ruler. I’m not a ruler gal. But I found it for 40% off and bought the Metro Rings pattern as well. I’ll be sure to follow the pattern and watch the tutorial however if a pattern isn’t written well and I have to watch a tutorial for success then I fear I’ve wasted my money. I truly appreciate honest reviews of products. I was hoping this would be the answer to my wanting to make a double wedding ring quilt but easier. We shall see! I’ll sure sure to dive into my scrap first, before cutting into the “good stuff.” Thanks!
I’ve been loving the curved projects using this ruler. I’m not a ruler gal. But I found it for 40% off and bought the Metro Rings pattern as well. I’ll be sure to follow the pattern and watch the tutorial however if a pattern isn’t written well and I have to watch a tutorial for success then I fear I’ve wasted my money. I truly appreciate honest reviews of products. I was hoping this would be the answer to my wanting to make a double wedding ring quilt but easier. We shall see! I’ll sure sure to dive into my scrap first, before cutting into the “good stuff.” Thanks!
I so appreciated this straightforward and honest review, Nicole. Thank you.
I so appreciated this straightforward and honest review, Nicole. Thank you.
I so appreciated this straightforward and honest review, Nicole. Thank you.
I haven’t tried this ruler or any patterns yet. Thank you for writing an honest review of the products and the problems you encountered. It is complete and very helpful for those of us who are considering this ruler. I hate to waste fabric!
Gloria
I haven’t tried this ruler or any patterns yet. Thank you for writing an honest review of the products and the problems you encountered. It is complete and very helpful for those of us who are considering this ruler. I hate to waste fabric!
Gloria
I haven’t tried this ruler or any patterns yet. Thank you for writing an honest review of the products and the problems you encountered. It is complete and very helpful for those of us who are considering this ruler. I hate to waste fabric!
Gloria
I certainly learned a lot from this blog. Beautiful quilts, difficult ruler to figure out. You were such a trooper about this ruler Nicole. I admire your determination. I think I will pass.
Mary
I certainly learned a lot from this blog. Beautiful quilts, difficult ruler to figure out. You were such a trooper about this ruler Nicole. I admire your determination. I think I will pass.
Mary
I certainly learned a lot from this blog. Beautiful quilts, difficult ruler to figure out. You were such a trooper about this ruler Nicole. I admire your determination. I think I will pass.
Mary
Great, glorious quilts and wise words of experience!! I appreciate your appraisals, suggestions, and stellar suggestion to take a class if you can find one.
Your perseverance with this ruler paid off big time! Applause, applause!!
Hugs!
Great, glorious quilts and wise words of experience!! I appreciate your appraisals, suggestions, and stellar suggestion to take a class if you can find one.
Your perseverance with this ruler paid off big time! Applause, applause!!
Hugs!
Great, glorious quilts and wise words of experience!! I appreciate your appraisals, suggestions, and stellar suggestion to take a class if you can find one.
Your perseverance with this ruler paid off big time! Applause, applause!!
Hugs!
Thanks for the honest review. At least you got two amazing quilts out of it – better than none!
Thanks for the honest review. At least you got two amazing quilts out of it – better than none!
Thanks for the honest review. At least you got two amazing quilts out of it – better than none!
Your advice to take a class is a great one…not all of us have that intuitive sense when it comes to changing things up or understanding things without precise instructions. I really don’t want to take the time to mess with something on my own to get it right…so I appreciate your honest and thoughtful review.
Your advice to take a class is a great one…not all of us have that intuitive sense when it comes to changing things up or understanding things without precise instructions. I really don’t want to take the time to mess with something on my own to get it right…so I appreciate your honest and thoughtful review.
Your advice to take a class is a great one…not all of us have that intuitive sense when it comes to changing things up or understanding things without precise instructions. I really don’t want to take the time to mess with something on my own to get it right…so I appreciate your honest and thoughtful review.
Your blog is such a inspiration and I appreciate your honesty with the problems you had with this ruler.
If you had problems with this ruler I sure know I would too. I also think I will pass on the ruler
So glad you have some beautiful quilts for all your hard work
Your blog is such a inspiration and I appreciate your honesty with the problems you had with this ruler.
If you had problems with this ruler I sure know I would too. I also think I will pass on the ruler
So glad you have some beautiful quilts for all your hard work
Your blog is such a inspiration and I appreciate your honesty with the problems you had with this ruler.
If you had problems with this ruler I sure know I would too. I also think I will pass on the ruler
So glad you have some beautiful quilts for all your hard work
Thanks for your honest review! I met gals who took a class with this ruler and still weren’t getting the squaring up process. I still want to try it though, so will probably use waste fabric for a trial block.
Thanks for your honest review! I met gals who took a class with this ruler and still weren’t getting the squaring up process. I still want to try it though, so will probably use waste fabric for a trial block.
Thanks for your honest review! I met gals who took a class with this ruler and still weren’t getting the squaring up process. I still want to try it though, so will probably use waste fabric for a trial block.
It was helpful, thank you! too bad thelma doesn’t live close. 🙁
nothing like wasting time and fabric to turn an exiciting project into something you just want to put away and forget about. been there and done that. i feel your pain 🙂
It was helpful, thank you! too bad thelma doesn’t live close. 🙁
nothing like wasting time and fabric to turn an exiciting project into something you just want to put away and forget about. been there and done that. i feel your pain 🙂
It was helpful, thank you! too bad thelma doesn’t live close. 🙁
nothing like wasting time and fabric to turn an exiciting project into something you just want to put away and forget about. been there and done that. i feel your pain 🙂
Honesty is the best policy & your truthful review has probably saved many of us from needless quilting disasters! Thanks for telling it like it is! I’ll keep an eye out for a class before diving into using one of those rulers!
Honesty is the best policy & your truthful review has probably saved many of us from needless quilting disasters! Thanks for telling it like it is! I’ll keep an eye out for a class before diving into using one of those rulers!
Honesty is the best policy & your truthful review has probably saved many of us from needless quilting disasters! Thanks for telling it like it is! I’ll keep an eye out for a class before diving into using one of those rulers!
I always appreciate an honest review. Thank you Nicole!
I always appreciate an honest review. Thank you Nicole!
I always appreciate an honest review. Thank you Nicole!
Very good review. Have to say my mind fits in your category. It is not intuitive for me either when it comes to squaring. Had to find tutorials here and there to improve what I had going on. Haven’t tried this ruler yet but would like to give it a whirl. Will definitely refer to your posts then. Thank you for taking your time to inform us out here in quilt land. 🙂
Very good review. Have to say my mind fits in your category. It is not intuitive for me either when it comes to squaring. Had to find tutorials here and there to improve what I had going on. Haven’t tried this ruler yet but would like to give it a whirl. Will definitely refer to your posts then. Thank you for taking your time to inform us out here in quilt land. 🙂
Very good review. Have to say my mind fits in your category. It is not intuitive for me either when it comes to squaring. Had to find tutorials here and there to improve what I had going on. Haven’t tried this ruler yet but would like to give it a whirl. Will definitely refer to your posts then. Thank you for taking your time to inform us out here in quilt land. 🙂
I saw the beautiful quilts over at Thelma’s and I am amazed at the skills those quilters possess. As for me, I find curves dangerous…I’m no where near trying it yet.
I saw the beautiful quilts over at Thelma’s and I am amazed at the skills those quilters possess. As for me, I find curves dangerous…I’m no where near trying it yet.
I saw the beautiful quilts over at Thelma’s and I am amazed at the skills those quilters possess. As for me, I find curves dangerous…I’m no where near trying it yet.