Toolbox Thursday

There are a lot of different tools I use, but the most important (and one of my favorites) is my extra long cutting mat. Several years ago I purchased this mat from Jo-ann Fabrics. It was the perfect width and length for placing along the back table of my quilting machine (you can see a glimpse of it in the upper right corner of the picture).  It is 35 inches wide and 70 inches long when placed edge-to-edge. Now, my machine table is only about 25 inches wide, so I actually have the mat placed top to bottom instead of side to side, so it ends up being 24 inches by 105 inches. It is great for trimming quilts once they've been quilted and are ready to be bound, or for just cutting binding strips, quilt backs, etc.

You'll notice I haven't said anything about the scissors, rotary cutter, or rulers that are also in the picture. Well, you'll just have to stay tuned for the next Toolbox Thursday to see which tool I decide to feature next! :)