Rotary cutting mats
 

So I’m thinking I want to buy a rotary cutting mat. I have a 25 inch square plywood shipping container to I have been cutting on. In my best trump voice...”its really fabulous. I have already drawn the greatest marks on it. It’s really nice the best in the world others might want to copy it but its fantastic.
looking on eBay seems mats are the same price as at Walmart. I’m thinking I would like to build a cutting table.

My favorite is the Quilters Select by Alex Anderson.

I have used Olfa mats for Years.............yes, they last that long. I've thought about the Martelli, but since mine are still good I won't invest in one of theirs until these give up the ghost, so to say. lol

I was given an Olfa mat for Christmas a few years ago and have really liked it a lot.

Olfa is by far my favorite. If you have a Joann's near you, you can usually catch a good sale with a coupon. I purchased a 30 x 72 with a 60% coupon and love it. It covers my dining room table (my dining room has become my sewing studio).

Right now I'm doing a lot of small cutting (foundation paper piecing) and have put a smaller mat on top of where I always sit and cut so I won't wear the matt out in one spot.

I have a 17 x 24 (or so) version of Alex Anderson's quilter's select. And since I didn't start on it, I have a hard time getting use to the slickness of it. It pairs nicely with her rulers which stick to the fabric more. I just don't use it much.

I would think the plywood would be hard on your rotary blades. I've always used Olfa and have liked them. I don't shop at Walmart, but I buy mats at JoAnn's with their coupons or when they have a good sale, which is often.

Leslie

I have a Martello mat and I love it. They do 50% off sales a couple times a year too. I used to have an Olfa mat, it was ok but the Martello is better in my opinion.

I purchased a Martelli mat about a year ago and like Pamela, I love it. I have not seen the Quilter’s Select mat but love their rulers...I have at least three of them.

I have Olfa mats, a friend of mine just bought me an Omnigrid mat, and I absolutely Hate it. I don't want to hurt her feelings though, so I still have it on my cutting table, just on the other side of where I usually cut.

I've read/heard that the Martelli mats, you can only use Their blades, and I've tried their cutters and don't like them. Regardless, I wouldn't buy them, because I like all purpose. To me, you have a mat, you should be able to use any rotary cutter on it.

I find using a self-healing mat saves on my blades. I built my cutting table around the size mat I could order online. Couldn't find one to fit my present cutting table so went the other way around. Got a piece of plywood 4 x 8 x 5/8" thick, slapped it on top of 2 enclosed cabinets, attached it with "L" brackets below and then added another shelve halfway down for more storage. I also added a piece of trim just about an .125 up from the edge to keep the mat from moving around but that was a moot point as the mat was so heavy it was not going to shift on me. Still it finished my plywood edges nicely too.