i recently tried to quilt a cake using an impression mat that was smaller than the size of the cake. i thought it would be easy to line up the mat to continue the pattern but i sure was wrong! you could see where the mat ended and started and finally i had to give up and use a ruler. by then the fondant was getting dry and cracking....it wasn't a pretty scene! is this difficult for anyone else? any suggestions next attempt?--thanks

A couple of things...

First, don't try to 'wrap' the mat around the cake. Rather, keep it straight and press it from left to right (or vice versa if you're a southpaw) across the cake so that only a small portion of the mat is touching the cake at any one time.

Start your impression at what will be the back of the cake because chances are, once you go all they way around the cake, the two ends will not match up exactly.

Don't start or end at the very edge of the mat. Start an inch or so in from the first edge, then stop pressing before you get to the other edge.

Keep the bottom of your mat flat on the cake board so your impression doesn't go off on a slant.

On the next go around, line up the first part of the mat with the last criss-cross you imprinted. Overlap it. This will ensure your impression continues around the cake seamlessly.

When you've gone all the way around the cake, pull off the impression mat before overlapping your starting point. Use the side of a toothpick to 'fudge' the remaining impressions since the starting and stopping points probably won't match up.

thanks so much for the help. i may do some practicing