Nido Wool Pressing Mat :: Review

Wool mats have become quite the rage the past year.  It's another tool for our quilting arsenal which is designed to make our lives easier.  

I was contacted a while back by a company called Nido and asked if I would review their wool pressing mat.  With little hesitation I agreed and was provided a mat free of charge.  It seems people either really like them or they don't.  I was about to find out!

 

When the mat arrived I was determined to run it through the steps and give my first hand honest opinion.  I love small and intricate piecing.  Paper piecing and improv usually leads to lots of seams and we all know that pressing is essential.  The devil is in the details!  

This wool mat is made with 100% New Zealand wool, it measures 13.5" x 13.5" and is 1/2" thick.  Tiny piecing doesn't take up a lot of space, so the size of the mat is perfect for me.  Plus, its small enough to tuck away when not in use and compact enough to take on quilting outings.   



Wool mats have very dense fibers that retain heat from your iron which ends up heating from both sides.  Perfect for seams.  I like crisp flat seams and if I can get those results quicker, I'm all for it!  Quick, easy and efficient!   



Once I had the perfect project, it was time to put the mat to the test.  This black and gray might look familiar!  My quilt 'Because', required some pieced 1/2" stripes and like most of my projects I had plenty of left over pieces.  You know I'm not about to let scraps sit for long!  This quilt is full of seams...so let the pressing begin!  

 

Pressing my seams open with the mat underneath, resulted in nice flat seams.  With this many seams so close together, it can be hard to keep them flat.  Factor in the Tennessee humidity even with air conditioning and well, seams aren't going to stay as crisp and flat as I want them.  



I do believe the wool mat helped and I didn't feel like I had to press down on the iron quite as hard.  I have been known to muscle seams into submission!  

I could really see the results of the mat when I inset the circle and pieced the larger pieces together.  The seams are perfectly flat.  Exactly the results we strive for.

My final review of the Nido Wool Mat is that I like the results very much.  I can get crisp flat seams with less work.  The hardest part of having a wool mat is remembering to use it!  Having limited space means there's a place for everything and everything has a place.  I have to put things away after each use and sometimes forget to use tools that make life easier!

Another thing to be aware of when using a wool mat is there is an odor associated with use.  To me it's very noticeable and fills my room.  It isn't an aroma that turns me off to using it, but if you have a sensitive nose it's something you should be aware of.  I think of it like this:  I love garlic and when cooking with it, my entire house smells like garlic...but it's worth it in the end!

For a limited time Nido is offering 15% off at checkout when you use the code:  TWIGGY15  If you are considering a wool mat, this might be the perfect time to make your dreams come true!