Hi friends! I get a ton of questions about my large quilting cutting mat, so today I’m showing it to you up close and personal and giving you all of the details on why I love this cutting mat!
Check out my video review of the Big Mat Rotary Cutting Surface!
What is a Big Mat Rotary Cutting Surface?
As a quilter, I need a cutting mat, and I have tried several over the years. But they’ve all been too small for me to really work on. Enter the Big Mat Rotary Cutting Surface! These mats come in various sizes and have clear markings making them incredibly useful! I purchased one that covers almost the entire tabletop, it is 40″ x 72″, and I love it! The large size turns my whole table into a work surface, and it also helps protect my table top as well.
The mat itself is a nice white with clear blue markings. This gives my room a nice light, clean vibe! The material is a bit different than normal self-healing cutting mats. It has 1″ dashed lines, 2″ solid lines, 45-degree diagonal lines, and 1/8″ perimeter markings as well. The mat is made from a heavy-duty cutting surface, and won’t warp or buckle.
The mat also comes with a mat scrapper. After cutting you run the mat scraper over the top and it heals any cuts or marks like magic!
Tip: This mat is a bit different than other mats, and it is recommended to loosen your rotary blade so that it travels easily along the surface. My favorite cutters, the Olfa 45mm rotary trimmers are perfect for this mat!
Such good i formation. Thank you! I am getting my sewing room set up and recently got my Horne tables and am researching cutting mats! I definitely want a 36×60 and possibly another one.😊
Great video, Erica! I have learned so much from you. I have been in the market for a mat, but haven’t been sure which one to get. My work surface is 40 x 48, so I would l need the 36 x 48. Thank you so much for sharing!
Erica – Just came across your video today, August 3, 2024 so I have no idea how old your video is. I’ve been using an old OLFA cutting mat that a friend gave me when I started in 2011 and it’s looking pretty ragged :). I have a waste height project table from Costco that works just great due to not having to lean over for cutting fabric. I purchased one of those white mats that have lines and measurements on it that fits the top perfectly but then learned I should be using one of the self healing ones like the old Olfa. I went to the website you mentioned in your video and was surprised to see that only the last three large ones have the measurements going from both ends like you mention in the video. I would need a the 36 x 60 to fit top of my table and I guess I could mark the inch measurements myself but it’s surprising that all sizes wouldn’t have that as it’s a smart idea.
When the old OLFA was given to me, it was an odd size of 35″ by 23″ but I’ve been able to work around that. So after all that, I guess my question is, why don’t all the sizes of the mat have the measurements going from both sides?
Thanks
Hi Barb, I guess that would be a question for the manufacturer, but I agree with you! My Big Mat has measurements down all four sides. Then on two of the sides the measurements go both directions if that makes sense. I’m not sure why they chose to do it that way, but it’s been working for me 🙂