Cutting mat - left to right or right to left
05-16-2011, 11:47 AM
#43
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Conway, AR
Posts: 216
I am right handed but I do everything left to right except write. I even sweep left-handed. Never thought about it before. I don't measure anything on the mat, so don't much care where the numbers are. I only use rulers.
05-16-2011, 11:56 AM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,284
Oh, I don't suppose I should admit this, but I have found myself walking around the table several times, trying to figure out which side to cut it from. LOL I am really thinking about one of those June Taylor mats with the slots in them, after reading such good things about them on this site, might just solve my cutting problem!
05-16-2011, 12:30 PM
#45
Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: somewhere in a cornfield,Maine
Posts: 201
So my remedy for the "new" mat is to take a permanent marker and mark below the original numbers-backwards.That way you can still cut right to left with those measurements. :thumbup: :!:
05-16-2011, 02:32 PM
#46
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Somewhere neat!
Posts: 1,146
I seldom even refer to the numbers unless I want a quick idea how long a scrap is - - I line up with a line and count over the 4, 5, or 6 inches I am looking for for a block cut. I would think you could just use a sharpie and renumber to your satisfaction. I have drawn all over mine - a 3 1/2" square, a 4 1/2" square etc. for quick reference.
Marysewfun
Marysewfun
05-16-2011, 03:56 PM
#47
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: montana
Posts: 620
Originally Posted by DogHouseMom
I'm a self taught quilter so I may very well have taught myself a bad habit. I like measuring and cutting from right to left and bottom to top (ie I place the lower right corner of fabric in the lower right corner of mat and slide my ruler to the left as I measure out to cut). I was OK with this until I bought a new cutting mat.
My Omnigrid (old mat) has horizontal markings that begin with 1" in the lower right corner and the vertical markings have both 1" in a small font and the large font is the reverse marking (24").
I bought a new mat recently to cover my entire board. It's not a self healing mat - it's the other type (made by Beba). Anyway, I didn't notice that mat is oriented to the left - both the vertical and horizontal markings for 1" are ONLY in the lower left corner. If I want to measure in both directions from the right I have to count backwards!! Wish I had noticed this when I bought it. If I flip it to the opposite side, the horizontal markings are left to right but the vertical markings are top to bottom. No where on the mat do the 1" markings meet at a corner.
So I wondered ... does anyone (other than lefties) cut from left to right? I looked at quite a few mats online just now and there seems to be as many right to left as there are left to right.
Argh ... I just went and marked my new mat with a magic marker to see if that will end my aggravation.
My Omnigrid (old mat) has horizontal markings that begin with 1" in the lower right corner and the vertical markings have both 1" in a small font and the large font is the reverse marking (24").
I bought a new mat recently to cover my entire board. It's not a self healing mat - it's the other type (made by Beba). Anyway, I didn't notice that mat is oriented to the left - both the vertical and horizontal markings for 1" are ONLY in the lower left corner. If I want to measure in both directions from the right I have to count backwards!! Wish I had noticed this when I bought it. If I flip it to the opposite side, the horizontal markings are left to right but the vertical markings are top to bottom. No where on the mat do the 1" markings meet at a corner.
So I wondered ... does anyone (other than lefties) cut from left to right? I looked at quite a few mats online just now and there seems to be as many right to left as there are left to right.
Argh ... I just went and marked my new mat with a magic marker to see if that will end my aggravation.
what my accurate rulers are for. if you notice you have to change rotary blades way more often---it is that white mat.
I's use the Olfa on top of the white one. with skid-proof
rubber matting under it. you can cut from right to left using two rulers very easily. that way, your cutting ruler is always
on top of the majority of your fabric for stability.
05-16-2011, 05:18 PM
#50
Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 135
I cut left to right....first cut a straight edge...put straight edge
at left side and cut left to right...I am right handed, but this
is the way I was taught in quilt class.....I use the ruler to measure not the mat....so don't see how that would work left
to right, unless I was left handed....was told in class to never use the lines on the mat as a true measure.
Peg
at left side and cut left to right...I am right handed, but this
is the way I was taught in quilt class.....I use the ruler to measure not the mat....so don't see how that would work left
to right, unless I was left handed....was told in class to never use the lines on the mat as a true measure.
Peg
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