I agree!

I always use the lines on the mat as well as the lines on the ruler.

I carefully and precisely fold the fabric so it's never too long to cut with my longest rulers.

I don't trust mat measurements and only use them as a general guide.

I use the ruler linned up with the lines on the mat , other wise
I would never get the right cut..

Like this ,sometimes I count more than once beffore cutting

I never ever use the lines on the mat! I really think I am a creature of habit and I do it the way I first learned.

Rulers rule (so my quilting teacher says and she's my inspiration).

I only use the lines when accuracy is not as important. Other wise I use the ruler for more accurate cuts.

I mostly use the mats to line up and use ruler for straight edge - I have never had problems with this method. I think as long as you are consistent it should work out.

I think you put the ruler over the piece you want so that it's protected. If your cutter goes off course, you don't ruin the piece under the ruler. Also, if you do go off course it will result in a larger cut than you intended, allowing you to recut it.

I never use the lines on a mat for cutting. I use the plain side of my mat and all my rulers are the same brand for consistency. Most of my quilts are miniatures to wall sized. When I do make a lap or bed sized quilt, the individual pieces are usually in the smaller range. I have found that when the pieces are smaller, there is less "wiggle room" for sewing the pieces together. Being more precise starting at the cutting step has made it so much easier for me to construct the quilt top.

I use the ruler to cut strips and then I use a smaller one to cut squares and triangles.

I do not use the lines on the mat, and have actually turned it over so I can't. I have always read that it isn't accurate and I want my pieces to be as accurate as possible.

I use the line on the mate to line up but use the ruler for me straight lines, double check both before cutting. I have termors so I do alot of double checking to make sure I haven't moved anything lout of line... Everyone has their
procedure, when I learn to quilt the mats and roller cutters were not thought of.

Like this statement

ditto. measure your mat markings first to be sure they are accurate. all mats are not created equal.

Well, I guess I am the loner here. LOL I don't have all the rulers so I have to cut a template and draw around it then cut with scissors. May not be the correct way, but has to work for me.

Grandmother and Mother didn't have rulers either, but the quilts turned out beautiful. Of course, they weren't fancy patterns like is available today.

I only use the mat lines rarely (when cutting yardage for 9 patch posies, or to cut left over fabric into fat quarters, etc) other than that I only use my rulers for cutting.

I use the both together.

This is how I was taught to do it. I can't even think how I would do it without lining the fabric in my mat lines. :-P Ah, bless you Nancy ( my quilt teacher), she was so good and so patient with someone who's never even threaded a sewing machine before :mrgreen:

I forgot to say, that I still use my ruler to measure too, and it always lines up with my mat lines :thumbup:

You loose accuracy if you use the lines on your mat. If you are off 1/8" on each square, and that is easy to do, especially if you have several pieces in each block, then if you have 4-8 blocks in a row, you would be off 1/2 to 1 inch. That makes a lot of difference.
Sue

I use the lines of my cutting mat to line up my fabric but use the rulers
to cut. My cutting mat is metric (LOL) but still in good shape.

I use the lines to help line up the fabric, but use the rulers for cutting.

I've seen Eleanor Burns (in videos) use the lines on the mat for cutting.

I never use the cutting mat lines when cutting.
Only use my rulers and I have several sizes,this is the way i first learned and the way I have always done it. :D

I don''t use my mat because it is warped - too many times used as a placemat I guess. Since it never goes off the dining room table LOL!
I use my rulers exclusively. Esp my June Taylor shape cut. I love that ruler!

Me too!! I have never understood putting the ruler on a 2 inch wide section of a yard cut of fabric. It made a lot more sense to me to leave the 2 inch part free lined up with the mat and cover the rest to cut. I tried doing it another way that I saw on a video - just couldn't make it work for me. I have an Olfa mat and have never had trouble with the measurements not being accurate!

If you use the cutting lines on the mat, soon you will have permanent grooves and your mat on the measurement lines and it will become useless -- I turn the mat over and don't use any lines at all but use the ruler for measurements. Also make sure each ruler you use are synced. Not all rulers are equal, and if you swap between ruler, make sure each measures the same. Hold them together and check to see if the lines match up - surprise, many don't especially if you have different brands.

CrashNQuilt is sooo right

Never use those lines

I quit using the lines on the mat after taking a class years ago but after watching the Quilty video I think I'll give the mat a try again.

I think that using the lines on the mat as a straight edge with your ruler to make that first straight edge on the left side of your piece of fabric (if you are right handed) is completely different from using the spaces between the lines on the mat as measuring units. The method I was taught in a quilt class was to use the lines on the mat to get your fat quarter, etc. aligned with the mat. Then line up the ruler with the mat line for that first cut only. From there it was ruler only to measure and cut the strips. This method requires that the ruler is placed on the piece being cut away from the whole. I agree with whomever pointed out that placing the ruler on the piece you are cutting prevents ruining the piece if your rotary cutter should veer away from the ruler.

I use the lines on the mat for squaring up, but use a dedicated ruler for the final cuts. Don't always trust the mat for the 1/4" markings.

I cut both ways it just depends on what I'm doing.

I use the lines on my mat when I am cutting strips.
But use a ruler when I cut my pieces from the strips.

I've never had a "matching" ruler and mat! Therefore, the discrepancies between the two always made for chaos in putting anything together. I depend on my ruler. Never pay attention to the mat except to straighten something.

Out side of a cutting surface and doing a quick measure of fabric (that's what I use the mat for), I always use my rulers to cut.

I use both, the lines and a ruler

I use the mat lines to make sure the corners are square, but I use the ruler to measure.

I use my ruler.

I was taught to use my ruler, I try to do this.