My Golden Rule(rs)
Hey there!
So how many rulers do you have? 1, 2, maybe 3? Well, then you are probably normal. I currently have 7 on my desk.
That's just what's on my desk. That doesn't include others that are scattered around the house.
Do I need 7 rulers? Probably not but when has anything like that stopped me?
I'm not going to go over all of my rulers but I'll chat for just a minute about the ones that I really think crafters need and why.
First and foremost, everyone needs a plastic ruler that has a clear middle that they can see through. You can get them for a dollar or two. This is so worn because it's my favorite. It's sturdy and the numbers are embossed on as well as inked on. It's 12" /30 cm long. It's very basic but fits most of the needs of a crafter.
If I had to think of a flaw with my tried and true ruler it's that it's only 12". Sometimes I have to measure things that are 14" or longer. That's why I have a 24" plastic ruler. This one I found at Hobby Lobby for about $4.99 (but I got mine 40% off with a coupon!). It's also very sturdy.
One of my different rulers that I am in love with is my 'The Perfect Ruler'. I picked it up at my local scrapbook store. It was about $14 and I got a free 9" x 9" cutting mat. It has a plastic side and a metal side and an odd, raised plastic thing in the middle. Well that odd, raised plastic thing is a grip strip. It keeps the ruler in place while you draw straight lines (cause Lord knows I can't draw a straight line EVEN with a ruler) or while you use your craft knife up against the metal side. Sometimes I have things that won't cut in my paper trimmer. Chipboard, cardboard, foam board -- almost all the boards -- are difficult to cut in a standard paper trimmer. I pull out my craft knife and go to town. If you keep your hand on the grip strip, the ruler will not move.
Before I purchased my Perfect Ruler I used my metal ruler for cutting lines with my craft knife. It has a cork backing and because of that, it doesn't move as easily as regular rulers. If you don't keep a steady hand, it will move. I prefer my Perfect Ruler but for those folks that don't have one, get a metal ruler with a cork backing. Looking online, they run about $3 - $5.
And the last ruler that rounds out my collection of rulers is my T-square ruler. I picked up mine for $3.99 (minus a 40% coupon!) at Hobby Lobby. I use this because I cannot, for the life of me, draw a straight line, in a straight line. What I mean is, you can use a ruler and draw a straight line that goes down in a slant. I do it all the time. So, I pull out my T-square ruler and draw a straight, straight line!
Now, there are many other types of rulers that you can purchase. You can find protractors, wooden rulers, rubber rulers and even triangular scale rulers. They are probably good but I don't have them in my collection. I only need my tried and true rulers.
What rulers do you have on your desk? Be honest; which ones do you really need and which ones are collecting dust?
