The Cutting Mat Blues for Crafters on the Go & Lacking Space
As quilters, sewists, and paper crafters, our lives and spaces are dynamic. As a result, there's a shared frustration we all endure: cutting mat shortcomings. We absolutely need our cutting mats, but in many cases this essential tool often brings more trouble than help. Today, let's delve into the biggest problems we deal with.
Traveling Trouble
-
Multiple Mats: Most of us buy several mats to suit different needs, which becomes a constant juggling act when we travel.
-
Which Mat to Bring: If you're heading to a class, retreat, crop, or crafting cruise, deciding which mat to take is a headache. Do you bring a large mat that's hard to transport, or a smaller one that might just be too small?
-
Transportation Hassles: Lugging rolling totes, big bags, sewing machines, notions, etc. is already tough. Adding a bulky cutting mat makes it even harder.
-
Uncertain Workspaces: You almost never know how much space you'll have at your destination, just adding to the stress.
Storage Struggle
-
Space Issues: Most of us lack the space to store large cutting mats. Our homes are filled with crafting supplies (& not to mention, everything else we need to live), leaving little room for permanent cutting surfaces.
-
Left Out at a Loss: When we do leave our mats out on kitchen counters, dining room tables, crafting tables, etc., how often do they get warping coffee spilled on them, damaged or nicked by other things placed on them, colored on by kids & grandkids, etc.?
-
"Flat" May Not be Enough: Mats should of course be stored flat to avoid warping, but finding enough space is a challenge. Even flat under the bed, they can warp if not positioned perfectly or if hubbies unknowingly store something on top of them.
-
Heat and Sunlight: Leaving mats in hot cars or near heat sources causes warping. Once warped, they're nearly impossible to fix.
-
Forgetting Storage Locations: When we stash our mats in hidden crooks and crannies, it's easy to forget where they are. Out of sight, out of mind as they say.
-
Custom Solutions: Some of us build custom storage (by ourselves and often enlisting our hubbies) or make our own custom storage bags, but these solutions are often very time-consuming and costly.
Warping & Damage Torture
-
Devastating Effects: As we've all likely experienced, warped mat can make precise cuts impossible. Fabric slips, cuts go wrong, and frustration mounts.
-
Repair Futility: Trying to fix a warped mat is usually pointless. Despite numerous tips and tricks, our experience is success is rare.
-
Accelerated Replacement Cycle: The storage problems we've explored increase mat replacement frequency. How many mats have you unnecessarily gone through over the years as a result?
Emotional Toll
-
Stress and Frustration: Dealing with these cutting mat problems can nearly sap the joy out of crafting. The thought of another warped mat or difficult transportation can sometimes turn a fun class into a stressful punishment.
Despite these struggles, we've continued crafting, mostly just accepting the frustrations as part of our creative journey. We've endured silently and sometimes loudly with creative cuss words, possibly because it's simply "always been that way."
After all, until recently, many of us used windows for tracing and transfer in the style of our ancient ancestors. Is that really necessary though? Just as how light boards emerged as a vast improvement over windows, is there a solution to these cutting mat woes and will we ever find it? ;)
