Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Cutting Mat Cleaner

Some of you who popped in at the right time may have seen this photo on this post (and possibly wondered what happened to it later?).


After posting it, I decided I didn't like that photo in with the others... that little package in the pocket seemed distracting from the rest of the pic. So I quickly took another photo and swapped them. I think in the original post I'd even said I was going to tell you more about the Cutting Mat Cleaner in that pocket, but I edited that part out, too.

But now I'm going to tell you! It's a much-appreciated tool that I got for Christmas last year. It is, indeed, a cutting mat cleaner. In case you can't quite read what it says, it "Removes fleece and flannel lint and batting fibers from your cutting mat."


It's small and flat:


Here's the best shot I could get of some fibers from fabric I've recently cut, stuck in my cutting mat. I've previously found fuzzy fibers, particularly from cutting fleece or batting, a real pain to get out.


But this little tool does the job quite handily! See what I got? Just by rubbing the cleaner across the lint a few times, it picked it right up.


I believe this set (2 in the pkg.) came from Nancy's Notions. Maybe if you have a seamstress (sewer? sewist?) on your Christmas list, this might make a thoughtful gift or a great stocking stuffer!

Maybe I'll show you a few of my other favorite sewing tools, in case you need more gift ideas... or simply to show you what works for me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm always curious about tools and useful things and the attributes of different materials. Your fuzz remover looks like a piece of carpet padding. Is that what it is like.

Would a regular sticky roller (lint remover) work for cleaning your cutting mat?

Dale

Grandma G said...

Hmmm... how to describe it! Definitely not like carpet padding. It's much harder, yet flexible. Sticky plastic? I mean, not sticky-sticky, but eraser-like sticky, maybe? It's rough, not smooth, and has enough drag to pull those fibers out. I guess if I see you this weekend, I'll try to remember to bring it along and show you. :)

I don't think a sticky roller would work. The fibers are embedded in the cuts in the mat that have "self-healed", so the roller wouldn't be able to grab them hard enough to pull them out.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I guess the self healing aspect really gets a grip on the fibers.
We are so lucky to have all these modern materials and tools.

Looking forward to the weekend.

Dale

Live a Colorful Life said...

I would not complain if YOU decided to be my Santa Claus and put both the mat cleaner AND the triple-zip pouch in my stocking this year. Nope. I wouldn't complain in the least. :)

Grandma G said...

But the question is... Have you been a good girl???