Using a Center-Finding Ruler
by Rick Hilton
A center-finding ruler has "0" in the middle, with a "1" on either side of it. The numbers go out from the center.
Zero marks the center of the black strip.
In the example shown above, we need to locate the center of this strip of black cloth, so we put the same number on each edge. In this case it's 1 3/8 on each side. Now "0" marks the center.
I used a center-finding ruler often when I was designing plaques. You had to know exactly where to put a medallion on a piece of wood. The center-finding ruler made it easy - just put the same number on each edge and the "0" is the center.
Bev uses it sort of backwards from that. She'll say she wants a certain element or motif to be the center of a block. She'll put that element at "0" and measure out from there, and mark the size of the block with the element in the center.
Here the dot was put at Zero, to make it the center of a block.
Once you get accustomed to using a center-finding ruler you'll agree that it's one of the handiest tools around, along with the FussyCut 3in1.