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If you’re new to quilting, you’ll quickly learn that your cutting mat, rotary cutter, and quilting ruler are the three tools you’ll reach for the most. But here’s the thing: there are so many different cutting mats out there that choosing one can feel ultra confusing. So, let me save you the guesswork.

This blog comes from a brilliant question by one of my YouTube subscribers, Denise. She asked:

“Why can’t I just use the lines on my cutting mat for measuring? They’re there for a reason, right?”

It’s a great question, and one lots of quilters wonder about when they start. The short answer is: cutting mats are for cutting on, not for measuring with.

Let me explain why.

If you’ve been quilting for more than five minutes, you’ll probably have noticed that the sewing channels and the quilt shops seem to go a little bit Christmassy… right in the middle of summer.

What on earth is all that about?

When I first started quilting, I was baffled too – but once you know the reasons, it all makes perfect sense.

I reached out to the very top, the folks at Olfa Japan, where high quality mats are made, to get the lowdown. By the way, their advice applies whether you’re using an Olfa or any other brand of cutting mat.

So if your cutting mat is starting to look a little tired or you’re not quite sure how to help it last, don’t worry - I’ve got you covered.

I’ve been using the Brother A150 for a few years now. Whilst it’s not my main machine, the Brother A150 has helped me stitch up dozens of tutorials, demo all sorts of projects on camera, and it doubles up a teaching machine to help my beginner sewers and new quilters on their journey. So, you’d expect me to say that it’s perfect, right?  Not quite.