We’ve tried a lot of different cutting mats over the years and have found that Olfa and Sew Easy mats suit our purposes best. These are the ones we are currently using:
The Olfa 24″ x 36″ mat is the one we use now. Before this, we used the Sew Easy brand cutting mat which is an Australian brand and may not be that easy to get in other countries. If you are in Australia you can get them from Spotlight.
One of the things that we like about these mats is that the markings are easy to read. The Sew Easy mat has inch measurements on one side of the mat and centimetres on the other side, so we can flip the mat if needed. The Olfa mat is double-sided but only has grid markings on one side. The other side has no markings at all but you can still use it to cut.
[asa2 tpl=”Flat_box_horizontal” button_color=”#ff9900″]B0006SDOFO[/asa2]The Olfa rotating mat is not essential but it sure is nice to have. We use it mostly for cutting quilt blocks. We use the 12″ x 12″ sized mat.
[asa2 tpl=”Flat_box_horizontal” button_color=”#ff9900″]B015TAUDRA[/asa2]We bought this one to use in our video tutorials as it is small enough to use on screen and it includes an ironing pad. It’s also a great one to take to classes. Highly recommend it!
[asa2 tpl=”Flat_box_horizontal” button_color=”#ff9900″]B001CE5DPK[/asa2]Other mats we haven’t tried but have been recommended by others:
We’ve seen a lot of people recommend the Martelli brand of cutting mats, but they are not easy to find in Australia and they are double the price of the Olfa mats. We’d love to hear your comments below if you use a Martelli mat.
[asa2 tpl=”Flat_box_horizontal” button_color=”#ff9900″]B00MMLNHGY[/asa2]
Willette B Bagwell says
I love to watch your YouTube videos. I’ve learned so much. I’m hoping I have the confidence to begin my own stash of quilts in the next month. I’ve just received my supplies to begin. My quilter cousin is my cheerleader. She sews daily & has such a beautiful collection… Thank you.
Alanda says
That’s so great to hear Willette. You are certainly going to love seeing what you can create with your new stash. Quilting is such a satisfying craft, being able to tune small pieces of fabric into amazing works of art. All the very best with your quilting journey 🙂
Vicki C says
I have a Martelli mat and I love it. I use it with Martelli rotary cutters and they work quite well together. I also have a large Gingher mat that I have used for 6 – 8 years. It still looks great and I’m sure I will be using it for a few more years. I also clean with a wipe and then spritz with a mist of water to help the mat heal. I was told to do this several years ago and I don’t know if this is the reason my mat has lasted so long or it is just an really good mat. I have the Olfa rotating mat also and it has really had a workout this summer as I make a queen size pineapple quilt. The mat has held up very well. I agree that using sharp blades and learning how much pressure to use to cut the fabric will keep any mat healthier.
Alanda says
Thank you for you great comment Vicki. We have a Martelli rotary cutter. Paula really likes it but I’m not such a fan. I find it a bit awkward to use, but that is just me, I like the straight handled rotary cutters.
Debbie says
I am a garment maker and quilter. Like you I’ve tried several mats . I always come back to Olfa. They are durable, well marked, and reasonably priced with a variety of sizes.
Have you tried the titanium rotary blade? I used it for a large paper piecing project and found it held up longer than others.
Thank you for your Scan n Cut videos!!!!! Being new to automatic cutting machines, I have found them wonderful teaching tools. You guys are great!!
Alanda says
Happy to hear you like the tutorials Debbie, good feedback is always lovely to receive. We haven’t tried the titanium rotary blades, Paula is now looking at them online, as we speak. We do tend to go through a lot of blades so titanium may be the way to go. Thank you for the suggestion 🙂
Debbie says
I am a garment maker and quilter. Like you I’ve tried several mats . I always come back to Olfa. They are durable, well marked, and reasonably priced with a variety of sizes.
Have you tried the titanium rotary blade? I used it for a large paper piecing project and found it held up longer than others.
Thank you for your Scan n Cut videos!!!!! Being new to automatic cutting machines, I have found them wonderful teaching tools. You guys are great!!
Alanda says
Happy to hear you like the tutorials Debbie, good feedback is always lovely to receive. We haven’t tried the titanium rotary blades, Paula is now looking at them online, as we speak. We do tend to go through a lot of blades so titanium may be the way to go. Thank you for the suggestion ?
Debbie says
I clean my Olfa mat with a little .warm water and the scrubby side of a soft scrub dish sponge. I
GENTLY rub and it seems to remove imbedded fibers without leaving residue. Don’t scrub too hard or use a rough sponge or it can affect the markings. You can air dry or pat dry with a microfiber towel.
Alanda says
What a great idea, thanks for the tip Debbie.
Mary Baldwin says
I use a roller lint brush to clean my Olfa mat. It will pick up most of the loose threads and the lint from pre-cut fabrics. I run the lint brush over both sides of the jelly roll before I roll it out to get most of the loose fabric. When cutting batting you may have to use several sheets to collect all of the extra lint.
Thank you for all of your helpful information.
Alanda Craft says
That’s an awesome idea Mary.
Courtney says
what is needed to sharpen rotary blades?
Alanda Craft says
We have one of these rotary blade sharpeners, available from Amazon https://amzn.to/36P2FbX. But honestly, Courtney, I haven’t had much success with it. However, that could be operator error as it has good reviews on Amazon.