At the risk of sounding stupid I am wondering if it is time to replace my large cutting mat. When cutting fabric there is always one or more small spots where the fabric isn't cut all the way through. This happens even with a brand new blade in my rotary cutter.

I guess I am wondering if there are so many cuts in my mat that the fabric is pushed down into these cuts and the blade runs over these areas and fails to cut the fabric.
I never cut more than a double thickness by the way.

I have had mine for years, 15+. I did have to replace one my DH used his exacto knife on.

I have had to replace my mat a couple times in the last 12 years.

Have you turned it over to use the other side?

That's the same thing my mat is doing. I'm curious to see the answers here.

i turn it over and keep going. i hardly ever use the lines anyway. i use the ruler lines.

Me too.

Two years ago at the Paducah quilt show, Eleanor Burns was giving away a little heart shaped thingy that felt like sandpaper. She said to "clean" cutting boards with it. I use it every month or so and never have a problem with fibers being stuck in the board. I use a circular motion all across the board and you wouldn't believe what it pulls out!

you can also use those plastic scribbly washing pads made for dishes. they're like long shreds of plastic or nylon all bunched up and then stapled together somewhere and made into a ballish thing. they clean out the grooves, but eventually the mat gets so many grooves that you end up unable to cut without skipping, or worse, falling into a groove and following that wrong cutting line. at that point i flip it over and it's like a new one without lines. it really extends the life an entire life-span. which is very nice given the cost. :hunf:

I am probably on my third or fourth one in the last 5 years. I sew all the time. I do turn mine and use different spots to cut on but they do still wear out.

I've cut through mine in several places.

I have spots that are cut all the way thru, I still use it.

I bought a new, larger cutting mat for my cutting table. I couldn't believe how much better I can cut on it, even with a blade that isn't exactly new. At times, I go back to the old mat on another table and always have problems with "skipping", even right after the blade worked fine on the new mat.

I think we all have "favorite" areas that we cut in repeatedly on our mats and they just wear out! I'll have to try turning the old mat over and see if cutting is better.

Sue

Yes, I agree we have favorite spots to cut. That's why I've cut all the way through in a couple of spots. In my 40+ years of sewing I've only replaced my mat three times.

I know I have a favorite spot to cut on my mat also. I don't like flipping it over so that is why I don't get as much use out of mine.

Hmmmm wonder if this would help my self healing mat, I have a couple cuts that seem to be permenant.

before reading the other responses I will say YES. I just replaced two, one of them for the second time.
They get dry and brittle, grooves from cutting almost in the same spot most of the time.
I replaced the last when my blade didn't last much more than a week.

Hi I don't know what I did to my mat - but it has split in half!!!! I am just going to cut it smaller and buy myself a big one again.

I cannot believe something like that could have happened as I really look after my things. It is heartbreaking as I have had it for so long and I know each and every line.... :O) ciao

Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. I do tend to cut in the same area, so I need to flip the mat around, or over, and maybe watch for them to go on sale. Thanks again.:)

Yes matts need to be replaced periodically. they will also dull you blades if it gets too bad. Worth it to replace them. but I also turn it over and use the back side too. Marge

This is not stupid! There are no dumb questions! :thumbup: I had the same problem. My mat covers almost all the top of a queen size bed. I simply turned it around to use the other side that had not been used at all. I did put inches on it instead of the metric markings. Now, that part is doing it so I'm going to cut it apart as there are two ends that are still usable. Maybe that will last a while. Silvia