Arts and Crafts is a beautiful hobby to take up; it allows you to express your creativity with different designs and patterns that you can come up with. However, designers usually worry about their work area, whether they are sewing or quilting or just enjoying the thrill of arts and Crafts.
This is because a great deal of their work has to do with cutting fabrics and other materials. As such, designers often have to wrap their minds on the best way to cut their materials without damaging their furniture. Hence, the need for self-healing cutting mats.
The Next question you should ask is how do self-healing cutting mats work? Well, they are specially made to prevent any form of damage to your furniture and any other part on which your working material is placed.
How Do Self Healing Cutting Mats Work
What Is A Self-Healing Cutting Mat?
It is a substitute for cutting surfaces on which arts and crafts projects, sewing, and other cutting works can be done.
The Self-healing mat helps prevent the knife from getting dull and the working areas from being damaged.
This is a tool that most stylists enjoy as it allows them enough freedom to cut their materials without any fear.
A self-healing cutting mat has specific measurements imprinted on them that not only safeguard you from cutting and damaging the work surface. You also have an accurate measurement of the amount of material you want to use for your project.
There is no need to worry about the line’s straightness, as the self-healing cutting mat ensures that you work with straight and clean cuts for the materials you want to use.
What Material Is A Self-Healing Cutting Mat Made From
It is important to note that the self-healing cutting mats are available on hard surfaces and soft surfaces. They are usually made of materials like rubber, glass, Polypropylene (PP), and Vinyl. Also, the mats are usually rectangular.
The hard surface cutting mats are rugged and smooth, which allows the blade to glide effortlessly without damaging the mat surface.
On the other hand, the soft surface cutting mats are more flexible and thinner in texture.
This, however, leaves some tint mars or scratches on the surfaces. Interestingly, these scratches are invincible and in no way affects the condition of the mat itself.
Why Use A Cutting Mat?
One of the perks of having the cutting mat is that it preserves the blade’s lifespan to cut the materials. It offers dual solutions by also safeguarding the surfaces from any scratches or impairment. Plus, as some others call it, the lines or rulers ensure that you cut straight and clean cut-out materials to use for your projects.
How Do These Mats Heal?
When you watch a demonstration of the cutting mat being used, you will most likely think it is some Houdini magic. On the contrary, the self-healing cutting mats are a conglomeration of tiny pieces of elastic pieces formed to join a whole mat.
Therefore, when the knife cysts through the material you want to use, what happens is that the tiny parts are being separated momentarily.
The elastic nature of the materials allows them to form back together without any trace of disjoining.
What Size Cutting Mat Will Be Suitable For Sewing?
One of the tools that are dear to most sewing enthusiasts is the rotary cutter.
Understandably, any inefficient use of a rotary cutter can damage your beloved furniture.
Therefore, knowing the right size of cutting mats that go well with your spring projects is key to delivering an excellent job for your clients.
Also, there are many sizes of cutting mats available today. Here are some tips in getting the right size for your situation:
● Use the 24″ by 36″ size if you are working on arts and craft projects, as it is one of the most popular sizes. It allows users to have an understanding of the amount of fabric they need during their projects.
● The 18″ by 24″ rotary cutting mats are apt for leathercraft, sewing, scrapbooking, patchwork and quilting.
● If you are taking arts and crafts as a hobby, it would be advisable to use 12″ by 18″. This size is more manageable for you to master the uses of the self-healing cutting mats.
Bottom Line
Arts and crafts have gotten an added feature to save you from the dilemma of losing great furniture, carpets, and other lifestyle and household materials. It is one of the best investments you can have if you are looking to start a career in any craft.
It would be best if you got an eco-friendly cutting mat that is not harmful to you or the environment as you will be using this material for a while. Also, it is best to get quality materials so that they will not jeopardize your work quality.
