Uses For Old Cutting Mats

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.