Quick answer: choose a wool pressing mat that's at least ½" thick and 100% wool. For size, match what you press most: about 10" x 10" beside your sewing machine, about 20" x 20" for large blocks, and a long, narrow mat for binding and borders. If you want more than one of those, interlocking wool tiles let you build each size from the same set.
How thick should a wool pressing mat be?
Aim for at least ½". A thick, tightly felted mat holds more heat, and that stored heat is what presses both sides of your fabric at once. Thin mats cool quickly and can let heat through to your table.
What should it be made of?
Look for 100% wool. Wool holds heat and pushes it back up through the fabric, so seams come out flat, usually without steam or starch. It also grips fabric, so blocks don't slide while you square them up.
What size do I need?
| What you press | Mat size |
|---|---|
| Seams while piecing, beside the machine | about 10" x 10" |
| Small blocks, or packing for a retreat | about 10" x 20" |
| Large quilt blocks | about 20" x 20" |
| A full pressing station | about 20" x 30" |
| Binding strips and borders | a long strip, 40" to 60" |
Most single wool mats come in one fixed size, so quilters often end up buying two or three: a small one for the sewing table, a big one for blocks and a long one for binding.
The one-mat answer: interlocking tiles
We designed Wool Press 'n Lock Tiles to solve exactly this. Each tile is a 10" x 10" wool pressing mat, ½" thick and 100% felted wool, with puzzle-piece edges. Use one beside your machine, join four for a 20" x 20" block mat, line them up in a row for binding, then take them apart to fit in a carry-on. They're $14.95 per tile.
- 1 tile: 10" x 10"
- 2 tiles: 10" x 20"
- 4 tiles: 20" x 20"
- 6 tiles: 20" x 30"
- 4 to 6 in a row: 10" x 40" to 10" x 60"
Caring for a wool pressing mat
Lift threads, lint and pet hair with a Wool Mat Cleaner. If you use starch, felted wool can be rinsed under cool water and left to air dry.
FAQ
Do I need steam on a wool pressing mat? Usually not. The heat stored in the wool flattens seams on its own.
Can I pin into a wool pressing mat? Yes. That also makes it useful as a small design wall.
What's the best size wool pressing mat for binding? A long, narrow surface, so you can press a long stretch of binding at once. A row of 4 to 6 Wool Press 'n Lock Tiles gives you 40" to 60". Add the Third Hand Binding Folder to fold and press in one step.
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