Chambray

My granddaughter is new to sewing and quilting. She can't afford to go out and buy an expensive(to her) cutting mat. I was going to suggest that she go somewhere and find a cheap piece of glass such as an old window or picture frame glass....put masking tape all around the perimeter of the glass. Do you think this would work as an alternative to a plastic mat? What do you think?

Judy78

The glass would dull the rotary cutting blade. She would spend more money replacing blades than she would for a cutting mat.

DebraK

I'm not sure why, but this sounds like a really bad idea to me..

Prism99

Sounds actually dangerous to me. Rotary cutter could slip and slide on the glass. A rotary cutter is designed to be used with an appropriate mat. If it were me, I would go to Amazon and pay for a mat to be sent to granddaughter.

patchsamkim

Sorry, but a piece of glass wouldn't work. As Judy said, it would dull her rotary blades. Maybe she could find someone with a used one that they would sell it? Maybe post on the looking for board and see if anyone has a used one to sell.

Judith1005

I would think glass would be kind of slippery. I don't think I would recommend that. Could she maybe get a coupon for some place like JoAnns and get a cutting mat for 40% or 50% off with a coupon?

Or maybe try a modern (forgiving) way of quilting and go wonky with scissors for awhile and see how that works out for her.

Jan in VA

Cutting mats are NOT "just" plastic mats!! The better ones, the proper ones, are of a special substance that "closes" after the slight indentations of the cuts are made. One "best brand" calls theirs a "space age" self-healing material.

Gosh, the safety issues of using glass surfaces for rotary cutting just scare me to pieces!!
Would you cut up your meat with a razor blade? Would you cut your daughter's hair with a rotary cutter? There is a reason there are particular tools for a particular purpose! Please encourage her to use the "real thing".

Jan in VA

Chambray

OK....bad idea...I'll have to come up with plan B. I didn't think about the slippage factor. I have already sent her several sewing notions, etc. plus a new Brother sewing machine. I was trying to think of another alternative. I told her to watch Craigslist in her area.

Cyn

There are cheap cutting mats out there. Of course you get what you pay for but they work for a while. I got a large one at walmart for less than half of my other ones.

QuiltE

With all the $$ you saved her with your gifting, perhaps she could manage the cutting mat on her own IF she is really serious about wanting to do it.