I have a small 12" square one made by Olfa. I use it for squaring up small blocks (under 12"). It's one of the ones where the mat has a rigid plastic/acrylic back with a protruding circle that fits into a plastic base. It's very flat, no lip and no moving parts to wear out. The mat itself has lasted me for a good long time, though there are lots of surface scratches from years of quilting. They don't seem to affect the accuracy of my cuts when I'm squaring up blocks.

Rob

Grama Jo have you checked to see if you need to take it off the base and turn the base over? The base has one side that is a hard plastic-- if you make sure that side is up then the hard surface of the mat bottom will glide right over it when you go to turn it. The other side of the base is softer feeling and if you've got your cutting mat resting on that it does get hard to turn.

Rob

I have a square rotating mat & love it. I don't use it a lot but when I need it, I am glad to have it. Don't have to worry about fabric shifting (even a little) & for what I spent on it, I feel it was worth it. The most use I get is when
I'm squaring up pieces & would normally have to keep turning the fabric & worrying about distorting it. Money
well spent IMHO.

I never use mine. It looked like a good idea at the time, but because it rotates it's hard to get it to stay still.

I use my rotating mat quite a bit, especially when cutting fabrics for blocks and especially when sub-cutting for a block. I have a 13" square mat and I find it very useful.

6 1/2 of one, 1/2 a dozen to another. I imagine, it depends on who you ask. I don't have one and it's definitely not top on my must have list. I just turn mine manually. lol But, I will respect the opinion of someone who can't live with out there's. I hope this debate tips the scales in whichever way you want it to go.

Thanks, Rob. I just turned it over and it turns easily. Duh! I don't know why I didn't think of that.

I use my Beba rotating mat so often that I even take it to quilt retreats with me if I'm working on something that will need it. A great example is a D4P.

When I use my mat for cutting I place it on my Dinning room table. Pull the chairs out and walk around when I need to cut at a different angle. This Works for me and I am getting a little exercise by moving..ha ha (not much)

I have the 12" rotating Olfa and would not be without it. I do a lot of cutting on it and it is fantastic for squaring blocks. It's on my "must have" list. I did get it at JA with coupon.

I love my rotating mats. I have 2 - a large one and a small one. I use them a lot when fussy cutting and when I cut fabric for making hexagons and yo yos.