I'm just beginning to learn to quilt. I bought a green rotary mat and it is warped. Is there a way I can flatten it out?
Thanks, Di

Di,
If you just purchased the mat, take it back. It is a defective product. Warping usually happens when the mat has been exposed to heat (the sun or iron).

If you think you warped it (sun or heat), iron your table surface, quickly place the mat atop and then stack heavy books in an attempt to straighten.

The mats will also crack if exposed to extreme cold. Sorry you having this problem as a newbie, but hang in there. Blessings. Suz

I saw some large rotary mats displayed on end at fabric store badly warped for have been so, so long a time. So you have to take care as to how you store them when not in use also.

I used to store my mat on the floor under the sofa far away from the heater board. I do not do it any more because I have a cutting table. Alex Anderson gave a great tip in one of her programs<< use skirt hangers to hang your mats>>. Why couldn’t I think of that before? It just makes so much sense to me!
Lucia

Yes, I either saw that on a recording from Alex's show my sister made for me or I heard it somewhere, but had forgotten. The idea of hanging from a clip-style pant hanger is a great idea especially since I have one of those over the door place to hang things in my work room it would be very handy. Thanks for the reminder. :lol:

You are awelcome. Glad I could help!

I used a skirt hanger and my board warped real bad. So now I lay flat on my table or store flat under my bed. :-)

:shock: I wouldn't have thought that would happen. Well, I settled my problem of storage by using large metal clips an just clip it to my craft table then even if I lower the table leaf the rotary matt stays put, this is my biggest one I keep on the table all the time. I have a smaller one I store against the wall between wall and a bookcase. I know I am not the only one who has more than one.

Didn't you have a source of heat close to the place where you hang your mat? I only can talk for "Olfa" cutting mats; I never had a problem. Did you take it in the car or trunk of car? I am just surprised for what happened, but glad you found a solution.
Lucia

The heat vent is up by the ceiling, so the heat could have got to it. :oops: As it was hanging across from it.

I had it hanging in a closet. :oops: It very well may have gotten to warm. Thanks for the reminder.

I know this is a little late, but just found this wonderful forum. Anyhow, my map was severely warped due to being left in a hot truck for several days. I took it outside and laid it on my tiled patio and left it in the hot sun for the day and presto! Flat as when I bought it. Hope this helps.

Cheryl,
We are all coming to your house!!! Where do you live? I live in Central Pennsylvania and the temp is hovering around 10 above zero but this does not include the windchill which I think makes it actually -14. This has been going on for several days now and will not end until Wednesday if we are lucky.
I'm a good cook and I can clean in exchange for the use of your sunny patio!!
I'm glad you came up with a solution to your warped mat problem. Thanks. Suzanne

Oh, Suz, I wish you could make it here in wonderful Southern New Mexico. After growing up in the Midwest snowbelt, I truly appreciate this climate! Since you don't have the sun, why not try laying on the floor (no carpet), cover with a towel, and using your iron, gently "melt" it flat - I don't think you would leave the iron on a section for too long, jusat to warm it. CHERYL

Cheryl,
Mine are not warped. I just wanted your "SUN" and warmth!!! It is sunny here but bitterly cold. School was delayed again today, basketball games have been postponed, etc.
Thanks for the info. Suzanne

I have only one cutting board; it is a Fiscars. After the first round of cutting it had lots of cuts.
Later this Spring I will purchace a new one. Which one gives the best value ,price wise and in durability ?

The Olfa green mats hands down, in my opinion are the best.

It's the only one I've used but I've looked at some others and they just look too slick and hard.

If you have a small piece of unused wallspace could you put one of those plastic stick on hooks and hang it on that?

Those kind of hooks I see advertised on TV that are supposed to stick yet when you pull down on it, it comes off.

I think WalMart has those. That's another storage solution for me that I will have to try for my mats and rulers.

Cheryl,
Thanks I tried your sugestion of ironing my mat, and it worked like a charm. Now I have two mats ( can never have to many), as it was impossible to use the warped one until your cure. I just love quilters they are always there to help you. :)

LOL Liz

Hi Ruth,

I too have a Fiskars Mat, and have run into the same problem of a lot of cuts in it. It is just to thin. :( My last mat was a Olfa green mat and you can bet my next one will again be an Olfa as they seem to be a lot better quility for the price. :thumbup:

LOL Liz

Another thought on subject of cutting mats. Replace your blades. Often we just tend to press harder as they dull and this will cause those cuts in any mat. You will recognize this if there is bits of lint and fabric stuck in the cuts.

Just to throw my 2 cents in, I had a very badly warped mat and solved it by sliding it under my area rug in my livingroom. Everyone walked on it for a day or two and when I took it out, it was perfect. Now if it gets a slight warp, back under the rug it goes and that is now my favorite tip to my quilting girlfriends...IT WORKS...

I pudt my roatery mat on a piece of plywood so I can use it on my lap and I can store it in the closet or where ever I need to while visiting family and friends.

Please do not forget....you can find a web site for nearly every quilt product on the market. Contact them...let them know what you have encourntered and ask how to correct the problems. Often they will send you replacements or gifts in order to keep you as a value customer.

Let them know we appreciate the products they make as well as the fact we are not happy with others. They need to hear from us.

June

I put my vote for the green Olfa mat! I have, um, 1 big one that lives on my coffee table, 2 mediums - one lives on my sewing table, partially under my machine - it's actually the first one I ever bought, about 15 yrs old & cracked on one corner, but I can trim stuff on the other end ;-) - the other medium lives to travel to class with me, in my rolly cart, one small one, for paper piece trimming & one of the ones that rotate around - currently also on the coffee table! LOL (Also have a rather large collection of rotary cutters...have bought a couple on sale as they were cheaper than buying a blade alone!)
sue :D

Here is an idea that has been passed around our quilt guild: Take your warped mat to Kinko's and have them put it through the machine press used (ordinarily) for attaching a poster to a posterboard. The machine heats to 200 degrees and draws a vacuum. Some one actually tried this and it worked and saved the cost of a new mat. Kinko's charged $8 for a large mat and $5 for a small one.

What a wonderful tip! Thank you for sharing that information and welcome to our forum.

Thank you, I have been reading for a while and have enjoyed and used tips left by others here.

I'd left mine in a hot car - a brand new one - and flattened it by putting it on a sidewalk in the hot sun (summertime) with several large sheets of plexiglass over it and weighted down with large flower pots. It did the trick! Now I keep my mat under a throw rug (the throw rug is on carpeting) and it stays nice and flat.

The ones I have are blue and are called duraheal. I've had good success with them. I keep one by the sewing machine and one on my cutting table. I've been using them for about 4 years with no problems.