Mats provide a sturdy surface for cutting fabrics and craft materials while protecting the table they rest on.
Uses for old cutting mats.
If you re not interested in making an investment in a cutting mat just yet know that cutting isn t the only task you can do with it.
A cutting mat should be made of self healing plastic which prolongs the life and improves the quality of the mat itself.
Went to the dollar store and purchased a plastic place mat not the kind that has foam on the back side and i use this place mat for any cutting of vegetables meats etc.
No one seems to want to recycle hard plastics.
Since recently moving have misplaced a plastic cutting board.
High quality self healing cutting mats last longer than other.
Using a clean unmarked surface will double the life of your mat and your blades.
Standardgrip mats for cricut joy come 4 5 x 6 5 11 4 cm x 16 5 cm and 4 5 x 12 11 4 cm x 30 4 cm are ideal for use with materials like vinyl iron on heavy cardstock poster board and smart material scraps that are too small to feed through the machine without a mat.
A cutting mat is a must for an avid craft lover or sewer.
Rotary cutters provide unbeatable cutting versatility and are best used in tandem with a cutting mat and a ruler.
When your mat becomes nicked and worn in the area you use for cutting flip it around and use the opposite side or end.
Absolutely i would use the other side before cutting it up.
When the place mat becomes too used just toss and get another.
If i was not saving my old one for odd uses i would have to toss it in the trash.
The only things i use the lines on the mat for are for lining the fabric up straight.
As a new quilter i was over attached to the lovely lines on the mat.
I have used my cutting mat on the dining room table and when not in use i slide it between the table top and the pad no one even knows it s there.
All the measuring is done with the ruler anyway.
You can also use the back of your mat.
I use my mat for lots of different things.
For quilting and craft projects the use of a rotary cutter can make cutting pattern pieces faster and improve accuracy in measuring.
You can t use a rotary cutter however without a cutting mat to guide your cutting lines and protect your work surface.
It s also nice to do your pinning and marking on a mat.
To avoid excessive wear don t cut repeatedly in the exact same spot.