Do you find the sheer volume of quilting tools on the market overwhelming? In order to save you money, I am looking at the quilting tools I regret buying, so you won’t have to make the same mistake. 

Quilting Tools I Regret Buying

Omnigrip Rulers

I first purchased Omnigrip rulers in 2003 when I learned to quilt. At the time, there were not any alternatives available. Omnigrip rulers are not inherently bad other than the neon yellow markings on them, but without any non-stick on the back, they slide really easily resulting in incorrect cuts.

As soon as Creative Grids rulers arrived in Canada, I invested in them instead. Creative Grids rulers have markings in both white and black which make it easy to see where you are cutting, and they have a non-slip surface on the back of their rulers. While I occasionally veer off of the ruler when I’m not paying attention, I make far further cutting mistakes with Creative Grids rulers.

Martelli Rotary Cutter

In 2017 I had a tendon injury in the wrist of my cutting hand. As a result, cutting fabric with a rotary cutter was next to impossible without causing myself pain.

I purchased the Martelli rotary cutter because lots of people swore by them, mostly due to their unique shape. I used the Martelli rotary cutter for a while and needed to change the blade. Changing the blade was next to impossible and I ended up cutting myself badly in the process. I threw the Martelli rotary cutter in the garbage that day.

Cricut Maker

I originally bought my Cricut Maker for paper crafting, but was intrigued that it could be used to cut fabric too. While the Cricut Maker does come with a rotary cutting tool, you need to back your fabric with a stabilizer in order to cut fabric with it. I did not know that when I bought the machine and I only tried it once. It worked ok, but who wants to use stabilizer all the time? I suppose if you are doing a lot of applique shapes, it would be a great tool for cutting the shapes, but applique is not my thing.

Olfa Ergonomic Rotary Cutter

I have actually purchased the Olfa ergonomic rotary cutter twice, most recently to demonstrate using one in my rotary cutting workshop. Lots of people swear by these cutters and I am not one of them.

To use the cutter, you need to squeeze the trigger and keep squeezing to continue to cut. In my opinion and experience, this takes more effort than just using a plain rotary cutter. As a result, I do not see the allure of this tool.

My Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed Quilting Tools I Regret Buying. I purchased these four tools expecting to love them, and I did not. Hopefully I can save you some money.

Coming Soon: Coffee First Quilt Crew!

I have been sharing my quilting knowledge for almost two years through this blog and other channels. I’m very excited to announce that I am launching my first quilting course called The Quilting Quickstart! This course is for my beginner quilters as well as anybody that needs a refresher. This course will take you from taking your sewing machine out of the box to completing your first mini quilt top.

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