Anyone use Seklema Mats for Fabric Cutting?

Sure, lots of owners have used them - no problems.

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Thanks, Yeah one layer at a time, which is why using magnets to hold things down was too labor intensive. Look forward to getting the mat tomorrow and giving it a go :slight_smile: Thanks again for the advice and heads up :slight_smile:

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@deb1, I’d love to hear about your experience using the Seklema mat for cutting fabric. Please let us know how it goes!

I haven’t spent the money on a Sekla, but I made my own by taping painter’s tape sticky-side-up to a piece of draftboard. It worked pretty well, actually.

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I had perfect results cutting fabric on a vacuum table, but it’s a bit of work to make one.

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I will let you know! I only use 100% quilting cotton, I design quilt patterns and have been doing a ton of appliqué lately. Shabby Fabrics just did a laser cut kit of one of my quilt patterns called Silent Night and it sold out :slight_smile: I wish I had my mat for this! I did a starched turned edge appliqué on this though :slight_smile: )

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I am using this as a testing point, if I end up needing to do a larger volume I am going to invest in a bigger laser with a vacuum bed.

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Sometimes a girl just needs the tax write off lol…if I mess it up however, grabbing myself a board and some sticky tape! lol :stuck_out_tongue:

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Beautiful pattern. Congrats on the sales.

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Oh, this is a beautiful quilt pattern!

I actually purchased my Glowforge because I was just getting into quilting, and I didn’t much enjoy cutting fabric. But in the two years I have owned it, I have yet to cut even a single scrap of fabric! I’ve been having so much fun learning about everything else it does, I sort of forgot about my original motivation. Your post sparked both my memory and a renewed interest.

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Oh thank you! I worked in art licensing for years and then did fabric design…the progression to designing quilts came after I found out I was having grand baby #3 :slight_smile: I have cut MDF Christmas ornaments, acrylic templates all kinds of things lol…Using it to test is great, production, not so much. But hoping this mat will make a difference! I will let you know how it goes :slight_smile:

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You can also spray a board with Krylon Easy-Tack. Wait 15 minutes after you spray it before you put your material on it. I use it all the time for paper and posterboard, and just reuse the same board over and over. When the tack is no longer tacky, I just spray it again.

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It is an option and a great alternative for others reading :slight_smile: Sadly allergies and spray or aerosol anything are not a great combination for me. Easier during the summer, harder to do in the winter as sprays behave differently in the cold air. I can’t even use Best Press when ironing my fabric, the tiny particles in that spray make me cough…But thanks for sharing it will be of great value to someone :slight_smile:

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I have done this also. The great thing about it is you don’t need to re-treat often. A friend cut all her wedding invitations on my GF and used this method.

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Just a heads up: I had trouble getting fabric (silk) to adhere to the Seklema mat. Something about the weave I think. I was able to do it by applying low-tack masking to the back, as the Seklema mat will stick just fine to masking. You can read about my testing here (from 2017 but still relevant):

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Thanks for the heads up. I am using 100% quilting cotton backed with Soft Fuse which has a thin paper backing. It stays put so far (have not run it with the laser yet but sticks to mat and does not fall off when turned upside down ) Finishing up a few orders then will test this afternoon, but I don’t think I am going to have an issue :slight_smile:

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While I am fairly handy, I am also a slight Diva…will buy one with a vacuum table if I need to lol :slight_smile: On a serious note this is good for someone who can do this kind of work and a very helpful post :slight_smile: Thanks for sharing…

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It all comes down to how you want to invest your time. I’m sure you could do it, your quilt work is more complex than the vacuum table build…but you want to stay focused on your other interests, I don’t blame you one bit.

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It really is about time and how you spend it. My time as a designer is valuable. I need to think about that whenever I take on a new project and decide what I need to do and what I can hire someone else to do. Or in this case, what I can make myself for buy :slight_smile:

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I agree. Time should be everyone’s most precious currency. I don’t do many for-pay glowforge jobs but I did make an exception here: I made three of those trays for a designer who made an outstanding starwars-themed project.

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