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A Brief History of Creative Grids® Rulers Creative Grids® began in 1989, when Sheila Waterfield of Leicester, England went to her first quilt group with a friend. Sheila and her husband John were running a family business at the time that involved plastics. Although she had just taken an interest in quilting, she quickly recognized that the small off-cuts of plastic would make useful templates for the Leicester Quilters. Later with some input from their knowledgeable and experienced quilting friends, the Waterfields started to develop a small range of quilting rulers. They decided to print in black and white so the quilter could easily distinguish the rulers’ measurements and markings on light and dark fabrics. Listening to the quilters has played a great part in their success story - they wanted a ruler that did not slip. Sheila then invented the non-slip, opaque gripper dots. This invention set Creative Grids® rulers aside from any other. The next leap forward however, was when their daughter Rachel took over the designing of the rulers. Rachel, together with the help of her partner Matthew, designed the patented Turn-a-Round™ feature on the rectangular and square rulers. This is a revolutionary design to assist all quilters to accurately cut fabric with the seam allowance included. Throughout, the whole team concentrated on improving and perfecting the rulers, hence the slogan - Accuracy, Clarity and Non-Slip. No other ruler combines all three features. In 2000, Checker Distributors and Creative Grids (UK) Ltd. entered into an agreement. Both companies agreed to maintain their commitment to Independent businesses by insisting that the rulers will not be sold in Retail Discount Stores. Checker will be the exclusive distributor in the United States. Creative Grids (UK) Ltd will continue to distribute to consumers and quilt shops in United Kingdom, i.e. England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland exclusively. Both companies can sell rulers anywhere else in the world and will cooperate in marketing and sales efforts. All the features on all of the rectangles, squares, triangles, and circles were designed in the UK by Creative Grids (UK) Ltd. Today, Creative Grids® rulers are sold around the world and recommended by well-known quilting experts and teachers. Lynne Edwards, renowned quilter, teacher and author, has given demonstrations of Creative Grids® at quilt shows throughout the world. The patterns she has created for Creative Grids® illustrate how amazingly simple these quilt rulers are to use for great results! |
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