Best color for cutting mat
 

I currently have Olfa mats that are grey/yellow and I find the colors difficult to cut on as its hard to see. I’m ready to replace them with something easier on my eyes. What colors do you prefer?

Mine's a Martelli with the purple side up (yellow lines) and works well for me. Have previously used a green Olfa one and that's now in DH's shop. I swapped to the Martelli solely because Olfa didn't make one in a size that would work on my DIY Ikea cutting cabinet.

I would not use the Martelli yellow-side up. Too harsh on the eyes.

Personally I prefer different color of mats for different colors of fabric.
I find it hard to cut black fabric on a black cutting mat. I need contrast.
I have a cutting mat that's dark green on one side and black on the other side.
I use this for lighter fabrics. Then I have a pale grey mat that I use for dark colors.

I have a couple of mats that are blue on one side, pink on the other. Like EasyPeezy, I prefer options. My first mat was grey with orange lines, impossible to see.

I suggest you go to the store and look at all of them and see which ones are more pleasing to your eyes. We all see differently, it also depends on the lighting in your room. Perhaps you can purchase a few different ones to take home and look at them in your sewing room. Then return the ones that are not appealing to you.

I like Quilter's Select color mat, light gray on one side with dark lines and the other side is very dark with light lines.

Both of my large ones are the darker green with yellow lines by OLFA. I have a reversible one by the quilting machine that is Gray and purple, but I almost never use it.

I have the green Olfa 24 x 36 mat on the cutting table. The numbers read left to right and match across the lines at the top and bottom.. I have aqua mats by Friskars. The numbers are large and easy to read.

Two important features are the numbers layout and the size of the mat.

I always measure with my ruler, not the matt. I have several different colors, Downstairs on the cutting table I use for trimming my quilts after quilting, I have the standard dark green matt and also one that is yellow on one side and light green on the other. I find I get good visibility with these three color choices. Up stairs I have several colors including the standard dark green, blue, a light grey. Again, I can usually find a matt that makes it easy to see the edge of the fabric. Sometimes, I use different matts to cut during the same project.

Ever since I bought my Quilters Select mat I don't want to use anything else.

I could see on the teal Olfa mat pretty well, except for similar colors and black. I now use the Martelli, and flip the mat to purple when cutting mostly light fabrics, and to the yellow for cutting darker. The main concern for me in a mat is the finish. I like something that is a bit grippy, which the Olfa and Martelli are, but I found the Quilter's Select to be too slippery for me.

Same with me. I have all the sizes of QS mats.

I have the standard green Olfa and can only use the back. I use rulers for measuring and the lines on the mat and the lines on the ruler together are too much for my brain. I want my mat plain - no lines.

I don't notice the lines on the mat at all. I use the ruler. My blades last longer using the Quilter's Select mat.

Now that you mention it- mine last longer too!

I use one I get at Walmart. I don't cut by the lines on the mat. I go by the lines on the ruler. I think it is more accurate.

I have a few green with yellow lines Olfa mats and one large white with black lines. I only use the lines to lay my fabric out straight and I used my ruler to measure. I really don't have a preference about the color.

Thanks for all the feedback, I should have clarified that I don’t use my mat for measuring but I do like to be able to see the lines when cutting fabric from the bolt, and lining up for subcutting using my slotted rulers, and the yellow and the grey don’t work for me. I ordered new ones and I hope I like them better. I too have a Quilters Select cutting mat and all their rulers, they are my favorite rulers and mats, but the mats are currently out of stock and have been for some time. I have a huge cutting table and I have 4 cutting mats held down with double sided tape, these are the ones I am replacing.

I have a large cutting mat that covers my cutting table, it's white with dr. blue lines. I really like it for dark fabric. If I am cutting white or light colors, I get my green with white line out and put on top of the other mat. Works for me. On my turn table, I had a pink mat, just didn't work out, so now I have a green one.

Quilter's Select mats have a thin layer of memory foam inside. They are almost slick to the touch. I have had my big one for about ten years and it still looks and feels like new. I usually have QS mat on top for small cuttings. I use the Martelli Roundabout for rotating. When that mat gets too used I will cut a QS mat to fit the roundtable. but the Martelli mat is holding up just fine. I haven't tried the Creative Grids mat yet. I may buy a small one and see how I like it.

I love my Martelli mat - yellow with navy lines on one side, lavender with white lines on the other. I mostly use the yellow side. It's held up well over the years. Like you I use the lines for lining up rather than measuring, and I find them very easy to see.

I just realized, I also have a gray mat with white lines. I actually like that one a lot.

The mat I am using right now is light blue on one side and pink on the other. I also have an olive green on one side with yellow on the other side. This one has black lines that are easy to follow. I have not been able to distinguish much difference between most of the cutting mats that I have had. As long as the lines are clear.