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A few months back I was asked by Provo Craft to help test some new Cricut Mats. They were testing three different mats, each with a different type of adhesive grip to use for specific types of materials. Each mat is a different color so it will be easy to tell which mat to use. All the mats will come in 12X12 format. MSRP of the mats runs between $10 – $18 USD depending on which mat you get. YOU CAN PURCHASE ANY OF THESE HERE.
I am happy to announce these mats are finally hitting the market later this March 2013.
Light Grip Adhesive Mat – Blue
- Printer Paper
- Thin Cardstock
- Vellum
- Construction Paper
- Vinyl
- Cardstock
- Patterened Paper
- Embossed Cardstock
- Iron-On Materials
- Vinyl
- Thick Cardstock
- Glitter Cardstock
- Magnet Material
- Chipboard
- Poster Board
- Fabric with Stiffner
Standard Grip Adhesive Mat – Green *REVISED 2 mats in pack
12X12 AND 12X24
Strong Grip Adhesive Mat – Purple *REVISED 1 12X12 mat $14.99 on Cricut.com
MY REVIEW of the NEW Cricut Adhesive Mats:
PROS –1) Worked perfectly for each type of material listed for the each of the different grip mats, 2) Cut images were easy to release from each mat type, 3) Adhesive grip lasted much longer than the older Cricut mats so you get about 2X as many cuts off one mat before you need to replace or add more adhesive, 4) Color coded mats make it easy to tell which mat to grab for your material type
CONS – 1) The cover on the TEST mats I received were really thin, rolled up and hard to put back on the mat after use. Note: I have not seen the actual mats being released but hope they improved the cover based on recommendations of the testers. 2) NO registration marks for IMAGINE on these mats soImagine Users beware…these new mats are not for you. Note: PC has confirmed that they will continue to make and support the current IMAGINE mat as of 3/14/2013 per PC Facebook page.
MY RECOMMENDATION: TWO THUMBS UP ! The new mats will definitely be worth getting when they hit the market later this month. I love the fact you can finally use the right level of adhesive for the material type you want to use. Finally, you can use the heavier cardstock, poster board, chipboard, etc and not have it lifting off your mats when it cuts OR tearing thinner material like lightweight cardstock, vellum, etc when you try to peel off the mat !! YOU CAN PURCHASE THESE HERE.
MY PROJECT EXAMPLE: I actually made this project using the Strong Grip Adhesive Mat (Purple) to cut poster board and glitter paper and heavier cardstock. It cut beautifully and was easy to lift off the mat.
So, are you excited about these new mats hitting the market ? Are you planning on buying any of them to try out for yourself?
These sound awesome Debbie! Great review. Thanks for sharing.
Great review! Can’t wait to try them!
I am super excited about these mats coming out especially the one for the lighter card stock and vellum because mine almost always tears 🙂
Thanks for the reviews. I think they are a little more expensive, but if they last even 1/3 longer, it is worth it. Love the project you posted. What cartridge(s) did you use?
Thanks Kathy. Angelina Skeleton was cut from the Cricut Craftroom Exclusive Digital Cartridge “Moveable Monsters”. I used Cricut Cartridge “Forever Young” for her shoes, and purse and heart. She is about 4 ft tall but you can easily make the Skeleton much smaller. There is also a mummy, frankenstein and other fun Halloween iconic shapes found on that digi cart. Very fun cartridges.
Love your project example! I love how you have it on something with a door handle. I would not have realized how large it was otherwise! Gave me a good giggle when I got to your photo! Oh, and very interesting info on the mats! Thanks for your thoughts on them!
Thank goodness. I bought out a store full of the old old style dark green mats and they are just about used up. The current white mats barely hold for one cut. I wrote to Cricut customer service and they replied with a stock email that said the white mats are meant to be less sticky, customers complained, and that I needed to ‘burnish’ the new mats to make them work.
Which mat most closely resembles my beloved old green mat? Are they sticky right out of the package or do I have to do a voodoo dance to make them stick 🙂
Thank you for your review.
Glad to hear good things! I was a bit wary when I saw Cricuts post about them earlier today. But I trust your opinion! Lol!!! Thanks for the review 🙂
I wish these had been available when I still had my cricuit. Your review was so thorough,. And your project is beautiful.
Thanks! This gives me hope that they (PC) isn’t going under!