What would you do?
12-15-2014, 10:35 AM
#21
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
I have been quilting for over 25 years and I never use the mat for measurements. I don't care if there are lines or not. I do occasionally refer to the measurements on the edge to quickly measure out if I have enough fabric.
12-15-2014, 10:57 AM
#22
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 177
Wow, thanks for all the replies! I have learned from all of you. Yes I think that I used my ruler and mat interchangeably and there's the answer to the blocks being off. I do use my ruler to measure but I also used the mat not knowing any better. I have been learning quilting on my own but thanks to all of you I will be turning over my Olfa mat and use the line only for alignment and stick to using my trusty rulers to measure! Also I wasn't thinking about reimbursement of the tweaked mat (not an Olfa) but just thought they should know but after reading all your comments it sounds like most people knows mats could be off so they use the mats for cutting and alignment! Well this has been a good lesson and now I think my cuts will be more uniform. Thanks everyone! This board and your responses are my teachers!
12-16-2014, 06:32 AM
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
I agree completely with this. Most importantly, use the same brand rulers all the time. Measurements are different (typically) with different brands. Always use the same brand and/or ruler throughout ANY project...not just quilting...if you want all of your pieces to go together correctly.
12-16-2014, 08:25 AM
#26
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,659
if you are using something that is gridded - check the measurements both ways. I have had gridded template material be off and a pressing mat with lines printed on it was also off. the pressing mat was okay to use to get 90° corners, but not trustworthy for blocking a block to size.
12-16-2014, 12:41 PM
#27
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,018
The only demo I know of where someone uses the lines on the mat for measuring, then uses the ruler as a a straight edge is our loved Jenny From MSQC, and I sort of squirm when she does it! All books I have ever read or demoes watched all else use the ruler for measuring and cutting.....but I may be wrong........I know F&Ps mat does not have lines for that reason......
12-16-2014, 12:49 PM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Indiana
Posts: 880
I would contact the company--specially if they are a big name company. Just to let them know. I would tell them the facts about it just as you have told us...and tell them you are just informing them till they can check for accuracy on their current mats.
12-16-2014, 12:57 PM
#29
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 7,850
Jeanne S If you are left handed do you do the same thing but from the right side.
I used to cut fabric the way I think you are doing: you lay the fabric across the mat, with the cutting edge to your right and the bulk of the rest of the fabric folded on your left, slide the ruler on top of the fabric to your left until you have the right strip width and then cut your fabric on the right side of the ruler with the strip to the right of your ruler and the rest of the fabric under the ruler and to your left. You have to use the lines on the mat to do it this way, and you are simply using your ruler as a straight edge for the rotary cutter. Then one day I was watching a quilting video and the presenter cut a different way--using the ruler as the measure of the strip width. To do it this way, you straighten the edge of your fabric the way you usually do, but then FLIP the entire length of fabric over so that the new straight edge of the fabric is on the left side of the mat and the rest of the length of the fabric is on your right. Then place your ruler on top of the fabric, and then look through your clear ruler to line up the straight edge of the fabric under your ruler to the right strip width. If you are cutting a 2 1/2" strip, the right edge of your ruler should be 2 1/2" right of the end of the fabric--the strip you are cutting is UNDER the ruler. Remove that strip and keep going down the length of the fabric to your right. With this method, you are only using the ruler lines for vertical and horizontal measurements and don't look at the mat lines at all. I hope this makes sense. I am getting much more accurate cuts now with this method, but it took me a little while to adjust to it. Here is a photo of the placement of the fabric and ruler if I was cutting a 2 1/2" strip.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502595[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502595[/ATTACH]
12-16-2014, 01:01 PM
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nawth o' Boston
Posts: 1,879
The only demo I know of where someone uses the lines on the mat for measuring, then uses the ruler as a a straight edge is our loved Jenny From MSQC, and I sort of squirm when she does it! All books I have ever read or demoes watched all else use the ruler for measuring and cutting.....but I may be wrong........I know F&Ps mat does not have lines for that reason......
I do not ever use the mat for oversize measurements. I put two rulers together side by side, and to check my math I put a third one on top of them going across, or use my carpenter's tape measure to double-check, so I don't accidentally have the 1/2" side in there twice!
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