What Is a Dual-Sided Cutting Mat?
The Quilters Select Dual Sided Cutting Mat measures 24 inches by 36 inches — a generous surface for laying out folded quilting cotton, squaring up blocks, and cutting long strips without constantly repositioning your fabric. It is a multilayer mat, usable on both sides, so you get two working surfaces in one mat.
Across the mat you will find one-inch lines, with two sets of corresponding numbers placed around the perimeter. Those numbers can be read left to right and right to left — so when you measure from the opposite end, you do not have to count backwards, flip the mat, or lose your place.
Why Quilters and Sewists Use It
A cutting mat is the foundation of accurate rotary cutting. It protects your table, gives your blade a proper surface to cut against, and provides the grid you measure against. If measurements at the mat are off, every strip and block cut from them will be off too — and those errors show up later as seams that do not match.
The 24-inch by 36-inch size handles everyday tasks comfortably, from cutting folded yardage to trimming larger blocks. Because both sides are usable, you can flip the mat when one side gets heavy use. The dual-numbered perimeter helps left- and right-handed cutters work from whichever side of the table suits them.
How to Use It, Step by Step
- Set the mat on a flat, sturdy surface. A mat that rocks or hangs over a table edge cannot give you a straight cut, so support it fully before you start.
- Press your fabric first. Wrinkles and a crooked fold will distort your measurements no matter how good the grid is. Press, then fold with selvages aligned.
- Lay the fabric on the grid. Align the fold or a straight edge of the fabric with a horizontal one-inch line on the mat, and smooth the fabric flat without stretching it.
- Square up the first edge. Place your ruler on the fabric, line it up with a vertical grid line, and trim away the uneven raw edge. Now you have a true edge to measure every following cut from.
- Measure from the perimeter numbers. Use the numbered one-inch lines to count out your strip or piece width. Read the numbers from whichever side you are standing on — they are designed to read correctly in both directions.
- Cut, then check. Hold your ruler firmly and cut in one smooth pass. Measure the first strip in two places to confirm it is consistent before cutting the rest of the fabric.
Practical Tips
Rotate the mat instead of reaching awkwardly across it — the dual-numbered design means the grid still makes sense when you turn it. Use different areas of the surface rather than always cutting in the same spot, so wear spreads across the whole mat and both sides. When subcutting strips, keep re-checking against the one-inch grid lines; fabric can creep a fraction at a time, and a quick realignment keeps a whole stack accurate.
Care and Storage
Store the mat flat, never rolled, folded, or leaning at an angle, and keep it away from heat and direct sunlight, which can warp a mat and ruin its flat measuring surface. Keep it away from hot irons and steam as well. Wipe it clean with a soft cloth to remove lint and fabric dust so the grid lines stay easy to read. Use it only as a cutting surface — writing, gluing, or painting on it will mark the grid you depend on.
Project Ideas
Use this mat to cut strips for rail fence, log cabin, and strip-pieced quilts, square up finished blocks before assembly, trim quilt tops before binding, and cut yardage for borders, sashing, and backings. It is equally handy for cutting bag pieces, garment pattern pieces, and home decor fabrics — any project that starts with accurate measuring and clean, straight cuts.
Shop the Quilters Select Dual Sided Cutting Mats 24" x 36" at Linda's Electric Quilters.
