Ok all - I know that I am not the only dummy in the world. Last Summer I went to a Guild meeting and we were working on Quilts of Valor. I brought my big cutting mat and when I got home I left it in the car in the garage :oops: (bad idea). Looked like the Ocean the next morning.

So, I did suck it up and purchase a new one :cry: . The old one was warped and useless (so I thought). I pushed it to the back of the closet because I was so mad that I had messed it up and I was convinced that I could save it (ha ha).

DH tried to "reheat" and flatten it as one big cutting mat with a "heat gun" to no avail.

Well . . .I was thinking after I made these sewing totes

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-38717-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-38958-1.htm

wouldn't it be cool to have a small cutting board in the tote. So, I cut a 9 X 12 piece out of the warped mat and placed it with aluminum foil on either side between two cookie sheets in cold oven. On top of the cookie sheets I put 2 cast iron skillets. I turned the oven on to 200 degrees. I allowed the oven to heat and then "cooked" the "sandwich" after the oven reached temperature for 30 minutes. I then turned the oven OFF and did not remove the "sandwich" until the oven was COMPLETELY cold.

The piece of cutting mat was perfectly flat.

Now - I will be honest with you, it is not as flexible or pliable as it was before BUT it is flat and very usable. Hope this helps some you you who have done this as well. :oops:

That is a great tip!! Thanks!

Great idea, thanks.

That is a great idea. I used the hot sun in the summer also. Quite by accident. I had a warped one and left it out on the concrete patio when using it for a craft project. It got warm so I figured what the heck, try to weigh it down. One large concrete block on a piece of plywood with mat underneath and a day later, flat mat!

What do you use to cut up a cutting mat?

I have cut old cutting mats into smaller sizes. I used a pair of tin snips from DH's tool box. Tin snips are scissors that cut metal sheeting. They come in straight cut, left cut, and right cut. Straight cut is much easier to keep a straight cutting line. LOL

That's terrific! I never would have thought of that. :thumbup:

What a great idea! I have ruined a few cutting boards myself. I took them out to my garden to use as paths where I didn't want weeds to grow. I've even moved them (after a year or so)to a new spot. I make a lot of totes so this is a great new idea. My husband usually saws and sands boards for my bags.

I've also used plastic needlepoint sheets as bottoms in totes. They are inexpensive and can be cut to size. Usually come in 9x12.

Wow, I never would have thought of that. Great idea.