CUTTING MAT CARE

Extend the life of your cutting mat

Cutting mats are a quilter 's best friend. When you start your journey of quilting, your life will be made much easier by purchasing a self-healing mat to cut your fabrics on. These mats close up any incisions from rotary cutters leaving no visible slices on the mat. Self-healing mats have a certain limit to the amount of slicing they can take so if you start seeing cuts remain or need more pressure when using a rotary cutter, this may indicate your mat needs replacing.

Cutting mats can last a long time and to ensure your mat serves you well, take care of it. You can extend the life of your cutting mat by following a few tips:

• Avoid harsh chemicals when cleaning your mat. Clean stains and dust by using a gentle soap and water combination and a lint-free cloth. If you cut a fuzzy or linty fabric, such as minky fabric or loosely-woven canvas, the extra fluff can sometimes get stuck in the cuts. In order for your mat to heal, the fuzz needs to be removed.
• Store your mat flat, not on its side. Do not let your mat get too hot or sit on your cutting table in direct sunlight. These practices lead to a warped cutting mat and a sad quilter.
• Use batting scraps to dust the bits of fabric on the cutting mat. Batting does a good job at picking up small pieces of fabric and it's easy to dispose of the remnants once done.