Hey Everyone, welcome back to Cool Tool Thursday.

This week’s tool is the Olaf rotating rotary cutting mat.  I added this mat to my tool box a little less than a year ago when I was making many, many, many half square triangles for my Ocean Party pattern.

It was added on recommendation from many quilters that it works fantastic when squaring off HSTs. The premise is that there is no more picking up the square of fabric and turning it around to square off the other sides. With the rotary mat all one has to do is rotate the mat.

The mat sits on top of another board attached on a disc in the centre to the mat which allows the mat to rotate 360 degrees.

I’m afraid I just was not impressed with this cutting mat. I found that it came apart when I tried to rotate it and it didn’t rotate smoothly and easily. As well it slips and slides all over my table. It just didn’t live up to all the hype for me. I know there are quilters out there who love it and think it is great – not all tools are for every quilter.

I have found a use for it, though. When I am sitting in the comfy chair it is just the right size to sit on my lap under a quilt which I’m pulling threads through. I anchor my needle in the mat surface instead of my leg – works much better and hurts way less too. Of course this has nothing to do with the rotating feature of the mat and I could use any cutting mat for this.

So if you have hints or tips on how to make this mat more user friendly feel free to post them below and I will give them a try.

Overall, the concept of this tool is brilliant. It’s execution is highly flawed and definitely not worth the hundred plus dollar purchase price.

If you really want a rotating cutting mat, I suggest looking for a used lazy Susan at your local thrift shop, put a piece of light plywood on top and glue down an old cutting mat (or a new one if you wish) and put the money you save to work buying more fabric for your stash.

Coolness Factor – Quilts by Jen rates it 0 out of 10.

Usefulness Factor – Quilts by Jen rates it 2 out of 10.

Happy Quilting!