do you measure fabric on your cutting mat?
07-05-2011, 05:43 AM
#61
Super Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 6,764
Originally Posted by Glassquilt
The old cloth tapes stretch. Plastic tapes don't stretch.
Some rotary rulers have thick lines. Some have thin.
Whatever measuring tool I use, I use it throughout a project. Consistently makes for accuracy.
Some rotary rulers have thick lines. Some have thin.
Whatever measuring tool I use, I use it throughout a project. Consistently makes for accuracy.
07-05-2011, 06:10 AM
#65
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 11,940
I use my rulers and never the mat. It helps if you are consistent so either all mat or all ruler. I use the back of my mats too but mostly if the front is all worn. I do lay blocks and strips along lines on the front of the mat to make sure they are laying straight or are squared up before cutting. I believe there is no right or wrong way on this.
07-05-2011, 06:27 AM
#68
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Athens, Georgia
Posts: 1,700
I have several rulers and have found the thickness of the line can cause problems.
The thickness of rules on my mat varies (1 inch to smaller increments) so I never use it for cutting, only for ballpark measuring.
I have one ruler that is a problem because of those thicker lines. I only use it for squaring up or cutting selvages.
One ruler I have in particular is best: thin lines, limited number of lines to avoid confusion and longer than the others.
I think once I figured this all out, my cutting improved and my points started matching up easier.
I highly recommend using one ruler for a specific project and not switching around from one to the other. Whether they are "actually" inches or not is not crucial for me.
Also, I have found that if my blade is dull I can really ruin my cutting board, not to mention that cutting is harder...
The thickness of rules on my mat varies (1 inch to smaller increments) so I never use it for cutting, only for ballpark measuring.
I have one ruler that is a problem because of those thicker lines. I only use it for squaring up or cutting selvages.
One ruler I have in particular is best: thin lines, limited number of lines to avoid confusion and longer than the others.
I think once I figured this all out, my cutting improved and my points started matching up easier.
I highly recommend using one ruler for a specific project and not switching around from one to the other. Whether they are "actually" inches or not is not crucial for me.
Also, I have found that if my blade is dull I can really ruin my cutting board, not to mention that cutting is harder...
07-05-2011, 06:31 AM
#69
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Monmouth, Oregon
Posts: 5,884
I do use the lines on my Olfa mat to measure.
Originally Posted by AlwaysQuilting
I was reading another post just now and they mentioned rulers and mats being inaccurate sometimes.
I always measure with my cutting mat. It is the way I learned years ago. I only use my rulers to cut a straight line. I've never noticed any trouble.
Am I in the minority?
I always measure with my cutting mat. It is the way I learned years ago. I only use my rulers to cut a straight line. I've never noticed any trouble.
Am I in the minority?
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