Chop chop! Quilting cutting mats are an absolute necessity when you’re using a rotary cutter. These specialized mats are designed for cutting fabric pieces accurately and safely while also protecting your work surface. Quilting cutting mats are typically made of durable materials like self-healing PVC or high-density polyethylene. The self-healing property means that the mat surface closes up after being cut, preventing the cuts from becoming permanent and ensuring a smooth cutting surface over time. We’re not sure how quilters years ago lived without rotary cutters and cutting mats for quilting!

Quilting cutting mats come in various sizes, usually ranging from small, portable mats to large ones that can cover a worktable or a quilting board. They often feature measuring grids and angles printed on the surface, allowing quilters to precisely measure and cut fabric pieces to the desired dimensions. The grid lines help in aligning fabric and ensuring straight cuts, while the angles assist in cutting shapes like squares, triangles, and rectangles accurately.

As previously mentioned, quilting cutting mats provide a protective surface for your work area, preventing damage to tables or countertops caused by rotary cutters or utility knives. They also offer a degree of safety by providing a stable cutting surface and reducing the risk of slips or accidents during the cutting process. Quilting cutting mats are essential tools for quilters and sewists, helping them achieve clean, precise cuts in their fabric pieces for quilts, garments, and other sewing projects.

So, let’s cut to the chase. What is the best cutting mat? That depends on how you like to sew or quilt. Quilters on the go will love foldable cutting mats that fit in a bag or suitcase easily. Those who enjoy English paper piecing or applique will love our rotating cutting mats. And people who work with limited space might love a double sided cutting mat for sewing that includes an ironing board on the opposite side. How cool is that?

Next up, what sizes do cutting mats come in? If you like to make traditional quilt blocks, a medium sized cutting mat around 12” x 18” or 18” x 24” should do it. If you’re wondering, what is the largest size cutting mat? We carry fabric cutting mats up to 24” x 36” that are perfect for your cutting table for those who often work with large pieces of fabric. There are also cutting mats for fabric that can be expanded to almost any size you want by Sullivans.

Often, you’ll hear the term “self-healing” used when it comes to quilting cutting mats. So, how does a self healing cutting mat work? The surface of these ingenious self healing cutting mat is made up of a material that can be cut repeatedly and the cut closes up again afterward. But here’s a hint, try to avoid repetitive cutting in exactly the same place as it can impede the mat’s ability to heal itself and the mark may become permanent. Also, take care not to leave your self healing mat in the sun as it can warp and become distorted. You might be asking yourself, do I need a self healing cutting mat? If you’re using a rotary cutter at all, the answer is yes!

What is the best self healing cutting mat? All of the major brands work wonderfully, from Creative Grids and Cutterpillar to Olfa and Omnigrid, so you might choose depending on the color you prefer or the markings that you like. They come in a variety of colors from light pink, blue, orange, and green, to gray and black—practically every color of the rainbow! Most quilting cutting mats have inch marks on them along with angled cutting marks as well and some have even smaller increments if you want to get more precise.

Cutting mats are a life-saver and they work perfectly with our Missouri Star templates. And here’s another helpful tip. When you use your cutting mats for fabric, try to align the template with the fabric instead of aligning the fabric with the cutting mat. That way you avoid cutting on the same lines often and keep your rotary cutting mat in good condition for longer.

Cutting mats for quilters are used slightly differently than cutting mats for sewing. More often, you’ll be trimming quilt blocks and that causes a fair amount of wear and tear, more than someone who cuts out pattern pieces with a rotary cutter. Keep in mind to trim in different places, flip your mat over if it's reversible, and use a pink pearl eraser to remove particles that get stuck to your board. Cutting mats can be washed and rinsed with mild detergent and air dried.

Quilting cutting mats are essential tools for quilters and sewists, helping them achieve clean, precise cuts in their fabric pieces for quilts, garments, and other sewing projects. Our most popular brands include Olfa cutting mats—and all are Olfa self healing cutting mats, Omnigrid cutting mats, Creative Grids cutting mats, and Martelli cutting mats. Try one and see what a difference it makes!