Quilting Mats

How To Choose A Cutting Mat For Quilting?

Quilters can use different cutting mats for their craft, but which is the most suitable for you. The truth is that there are different selection criteria you can use to find the best cutting mat for your quilting mats. To ensure you know about those criteria to get the best option possible, Spotlight created this convenient overview of information.

What Are The Different Types Of Cutting Mats?

Since crafting is more popular than ever, there is a tremendous number of cutting mats out there. Obviously, this does not make the decision any easier for beginners who are not familiar with the options. On the flipside, it also means that there is a suitable cutting mat for different requirements.

Cutting mats can generally be divided between hard surface mats and self-healing mats. The self-healing mats are soft, while hard surface mats cannot be cut into. While you may think the hard cutting mat is probably best, this is not always the case.

The self-healing mat is the most flexible of all the cutting mats. That flexibility can be easier on the wrists and the hands in general while cutting. If that is not an issue however, then you could choose the hard cutting mat instead.

What Is The Recommended Size Cutting Mat For Quilting?

A medium-sized cutting mat is usually the recommended option, as it fits most surfaces and can easily be stored. However, if you do have lots of space and a reasonably sized workstation, then you may want to consider one of the larger cutting mats out there.

Large cutting mats are useful as you do not have to reposition the fabric while you cut it all the time. Of course, it does depend on the overall size of the fabric you are working with. If you are into patchwork quilting and use fat quarters, then there is no need to obtain a larger cutting mat.

What Is The Best Thickness For Quilting Cutting Mats?

The thickness is just as important as the material the cutting mat is made of. Most self-healing cutting mats will have a thickness between 2 and 4 millimetres. The thinner mats are most useful for smaller craft knives, but Spotlight recommends the thicker 3 to 4-millimetre versions for rotary cutters and more substantial cutting tools.

Evidently, thickness matters more for cutting mats that are made from a softer material, more specifically the self-healing mats. If the mat is too thin, then the knife or rotary cutter could still go through the material.

Why Is The Texture Of A Cutting Mat Important?

One of the things that is often forgotten is the texture of a cutting mat. However, that texture is extremely important for your convenience and even safety as a crafter. If a cutting mat has an improper texture, then it could cause the fabric to slip. Evidently, this could lead to injuries or wasted fabric.

It is also important for a cutting mat to have a non-glare surface. Glare can make cutting a whole lot more difficult and could cause errors during the cutting process as well. By choosing an anti-glare surface, this problem will not occur.

Should I Choose A Cutting Mat With Measurements?

When you look at the range of cutting mats at Spotlight, you will quickly notice that most of the cutting mats available have measurements on the surface. These measurements can be extremely useful, especially when you need a lot of precision for certain projects.

In addition to adding more precision to the cutting process, having measurement lines on the cutting mat also ensures you can align your fabric properly while you are cutting it. Once again, this is useful for cutting single fabric pieces, but also cutting several pieces of fabric at the time with a rotary cutter.

For the best accuracy, Spotlight recommends using your cutting mat in combination with a good ruler or another suitable measuring tool. Crafters can find these measuring tools in the Spotlight catalogue as well.

Cutting Mats For Quilters At Spotlight

There are plenty of cutting mats available at Spotlight, available in different colours, materials, and textures. Obviously, our cutting mats are versatile too, which means you can use them for crafts other than quilting.

The cutting mats at Spotlight are available in different colours, shapes and designs as well. This ensures you always have the best option for the project at hand. So, why not take advantage of our sharp prices and grab multiple mats for added versatility?