Okay, currently I am have my mother's cutting mat on "long term borrow", as in who knows when I can afford to by one of my own, and she's not quilting these days, etc.
Now she is very protective of it, which I can understand, it's a 24"X36" and we know those don't come cheap. Normally I get it out when I need it, and leave it on the floor near where I'm sewing, but as that seems to be a main thru-of-fair for my home, I've noticed people not always being careful to step over it, or slipping on the rulers in the case of my daughter, which nearly always results in a wiggle to keep from falling.
So I'm trying to keep myself busy and spend ZERO dollars. :D I cleaned all afternoon to make room for a "sewing area", all is left is what to do with the mat...
I've noticed that some people here have their cutting mat on their sewing table, along with the sewing machine. My DH is concerned, is it okay for the sewing machine to sit on the cutting mat?!?!?
In my review of our postings, I saw comment about using a green nylon scrubber to clean bits of fabric out of it and that seemed to work rather well. Does anyone know any reason why I shouldn't do that?
When I was cutting the fabric for my daughter's baby clothes quilts, I had lots of trouble with keeping the cutting mat clean, and it was always a big effort, between fabric caught in the mat and my cats being convinced it's the best place in the world to sleep (it seemed to attract fur and dirt). After cutting all that fabric for the quilts I've been keeping it put away, instead of on the table with me. But for convience I'd like to have it on the table with the sewing machine as I have seen others do in their sewing rooms. As I'm working on smaller projects and only cutting a little will I continue to have trouble with the mat attracting dirt ect, and therefore have to deep clean it every morning?
So maybe you can just tell me everything I need to do to take care of this mat, until I buy one for my one. I would hate for my mom to think I was mistreating it.