Hi Tish,

As for size, I would recommend the biggest one that fits on your cutting table. I have a large one that covers most of my table (I think it's 24x36) and a smaller one that sits on the sewing table beside the machine for those little quick cutting tasks that don't require the bigger table.

I'm OK with the colors because I don't want them to compete with the fabric. Something that fades into the background is fine with me.

A bigger mat would be nice for you if your table can accommodate it. I have to use a mat similar to yours because I have a small work table. It does take a lot of adjusting and folding that you would not need to do with a bigger mat.

Don't worry about the green color. The mat is a quilting tool. You'll be looking at your pretty fabric not the mat.

I used to cut on the floor but I'm getting too old for that now. The dining room table always had to be cleared off before I could cut..it's a flat surface for everyone to stop and drop. I was lucky to find an old table at a thrift store...it is narrow in the middle (about 12" or so) and then has the long leaf on each side that you lift up and pull out the support legs. So far I've just used the one side, it gives me pleanty of room for cutting. I wish I'd had it years ago. The really big mats are so expensive. I'm gonna be looking for the 40 or 50 percent off coupon for the.

Some of the mats are advertised as self healing, I thought they were all self healing, am I wrong in thinking that?

JoAnne's has Olfa mats on 40% off right now. I have a gray Fisker's mat, 17x23. I'd like a 24x36 one, and the new Fisker's one online say they're pale yellow on one side and soft lime on the other. I'm like you Lily, those green mats hurt my eyes, but for 40% off I might be able to adjust.

That self healing thing is more important than you might think. I have both grey and green but the grey is so hard I think it dulls my blades. The green is softer and works better for me. I don't pay any attention to color. I also have a large white one that covers a whole table but my green still has the best feel.
Linda

Mine is 24 x 36 and the next one is going to be bigger if I can afford it. You can't have too large a cutting mat!

Annie

I have an 18 x 24 Olfa green mat which has worked okay for me, but it always seems to be a few inches short. I have ordered a 24 X 36 from Joanne's on the 40% sale. I have priced them in the stores, and it seems to be a pretty good deal.

Lee Ann

Is toolgranny right? I mean, for those of you who have used several kinds of mats, is one brand better/softer for blades? I just assumed they were all the same except for color and markings!

Petalpatsy, I had a Fiskar mat when I first started quilting and I was constantly changing blades and I wore that mat out in no time, around 6 months. I have cut marks all over it. I splurged on an Olfa 24 X 36 and my blades last a lot longer. And, I have no cut marks after more than 2 years of use and still looks brand new. With the savings of not buying blades so often has more than paid for the Olfa mat.

Rebecca

I'd recommend either a Fiskars (grey) or Olfa (green) mat--they are both soft, self-healing types. A couple of years ago, I got a June Taylor mat (also grey) with the ironing surface on the back to take to demos and I hated it. It was so hard that the cutter slipped on the mat. Now I only use the ironing mat and I have a small Olfa mat that I take for cutting. My big mat is a Fiskars, but that's mostly because I was able to get it at Walmart. I have no preference between Fiskars and Olfa .

Annie

Thank you Rebecca and Annie. My Fiskar's is also showing cut marks, but I blamed myself for using a dull blade. I figure I've processed about 100 yards of fabric on it, between all the ten inch squares for my CW (including the batch I cut and then rejected....arrgh) and then 400 apple core pieces.

I remember telling my mom I hadn't really taken up quilting, I'd taken up washing and ironing!

LOL! For the longest time, my husband thought the iron didn't work until I started quilting about 3 years ago!

Rebecca

Keep an eye open for garage/yard sales also.I got my largest mat,like brand new for 5.00 at a yard salw.The lady was giving up quilting.Mine is 28x56 and is opaque.Love it.I also have 2 of the largest green ones,got those with the 50% off coupon at a fabric store.
Kathi

I have a 24x36 Olfa mat on the cutting table and a 12x18 on top of it which I use for smaller pc. I like to beable to turn and cut. Also have a 12x18 next to the sewing machine. I like the Olfa mats. I have a June Taylor like Anne's and agree about the hardness. I have some clear mats from when I started but they were not as good as the cutter made grooves in them I use them under things and us the markings at times. I got my big mat at JoAnnes one time with a 50% coupon. I usually get my mats that way. Jayne

I have been using a 24x36 Olfa mat for years and years, and it's still going strong. I have a smaller one for small things, 12 x 18, just like Jayne. Unfortunately, what I don't have yet, is a cutting table where my mats can live. Instead, they are crammed down behind furniture that keeps them flat against the wall.

My cutting mat needs probably differ from most quilters, since I used to do a lot of commercial sewing for needlepoint finishing.

That said, my mat is from Sew-Rite, and the marked lines are 28"x56". The actual size is about 32"x60". The mat is a translucent white with blue markings. It is "harder" than the Fiskars and Olfa mats, but I haven't noticed it dulling my blades any faster.

I've gone through three of these in twelve years, but I cut A LOT!, LOL, and daily.

I really like the green Olfa mats, but they didn't sell any large enough for my commercial purposes. My DH built my cutting table for my upholstery business, and this sized mat fits one end of the table, and has served me well.

Thanks for all the great info. Joanns is just a few miles from my house. I'll stop by there tomorrow and see if they have the olfa 24x36 one at 40% off....the price really jumps after the 18" size, so I guess green it is. I seen on one website that comments from some people said the yellow mat smells really bad and had to be returned others said theirs had no smell...curious.