How to Sew a Nap Mat

It's off to day care or Grandma's house, and you need a fun place for your little one to rest during nap time. Here's an easy way to make an adorable nap mat for your children that will remind them how special they are to you and, hopefully, bring sweet dreams while they nap!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 4 yards of fleece (two pieces, 2 yards each of matching or coordinating fabric)
• Batting to fill nap mat
• Matching thread
• Scissors
• Pins
• Four strips of 2-inch-wide grosgrain Ribbon to match fabric (12 inches per strip, 48 inches total)
• Sewing machine

1. Place the two pieces of fleece on top of each other, with print (right side) facing in. Lay the batting on top of the fleece, and pin the three parts together.
2. Beginning at a corner, machine-stitch around the mat until you have sewn all but one short side of the mat together. Be certain to backstitch to secure the mat.
3. Turn the mat inside out to reveal the printed (right) side of the fleece. Turn the exposed, unfinished edges of the fleece into the mat.
4. Pin ribbon 4 to 5 inches in from both the right and left sides of the still-open end of the nap mat. You should use two ribbon strips per side, with the ribbon layered on top of each other so that when finished, the ribbon can be used to tie the nap mat roll securely.
5. Hand-stitch the two unfinished sides together to close the nap mat and secure the ribbon ties.
6. Roll the nap mat and tie the ribbon to secure.

Tips & Warnings

• Make the map more durable by substituting denim or corduroy for fleece on the bottom layer of the mat.
• The mat can be either hand- or machine-quilted to eliminate bunching of the batting layers during use or laundering.
• Personalize the mat by embroidering either your child's name or monogram on the top layer of fleece prior to stitching the layers together.
• Increase your child's comfort by attaching a small nap pillow with Velcro to the top of the nap mat. The pillow can be removed and rolled inside the mat for transporting.
• Similarly, attach a small fleece blanket during the assembly process by stitching it as an additional layer with the other fleece and batting. To do so, lay the blanket between the two pieces of fleece in the initial step and stitch along with the batting, making certain to stitch only one (long) side of the blanket with the other layers.