Fiskars24x36 Inch Eco Cutting Mat (01-005901)

I had had one of these mats for 13 years and it was finally ready to replace - it had a lot of lint sticking in cuts - especially from cutting fusible fleece. But 13 years was a great lifespan. I had to really hunt to find this one - did not want the grey one with the black square. I am not a quilter and just wanted a basic mat. I eventually discovered I had to search for Eco to get the one I wanted. PROS: the green is much softer shade than my old one and I really like it. It is green on both sides - another plus since the old one was yellow on reverse. I LOVE the fact that the numbering is much larger and darker and the 1/4 inch dots are darker and easier to read. Also a new feature is that the numbers repeat outside the border which is useful when you want to line up with the edge. Another pro is that it shipped flat - my older one came curled and took a while to unfurl. There was NO odor to this mat as some others have reported. CONS: one small issue I have is that the diagonal lines for cutting bias strips go from bottom left to top right - on the old mat they went top left to bottom right. I will just need to retrain my old brain to the new layout. The main glitch was that the label sticker was very hard to remove. I would have expected a clean peel label but this one was not. As I peeled it the top came off leaving a layer with the glue still in place. I was afraid to try WD40 or goo-gone in case it damaged the board or would not wash off and would get oil on fabrics. So I picked at it for a long time and finally had to use a razor blade to scrape it. Even then there was sticky residue that I finally got off with vinegar.Overall I am thrilled to have a new mat - especially with the improvements but Fiskars needs to look at its label glue!

Thanks!!

Fiskar made a business decision to go with a lower quality pad. The printing, the feel, and the self-healing quality have all turned toward a cheaper product. At least the shareholders are happy. But I would not buy this again and have instead purchased the Alvin cutting mats ... they are perfect for my use.Also, likely as part of Fiskar's quest for the lowest possible quality, the glue on the product sticker that they stick to the pad doesn't peel off without using a razor blade. Nice.

Nice color. Light weight. True size 36"x24". Most important: there is NO foul odor like the vinyl ones

I'm new to quilting, and like most hobbies, just starting out can be expensive. I have a couple of smaller mats but thought a bigger one would be very useful - and out of my price range. Then I started paying attention to some of the fine print on pricing...and discovered the wonderful world of Warehouse Deals. I am so glad I found this.I am mostly cutting strips for piecing and would have to reposition my material after 1 or 2 cuts. Now I can literally start at one end of my work desk and work my way across. It is easier to keep everything square.Now that I've used it for a couple of months, yes I'd buy it again...and even pay full price.