One of my best friends lives over in Australia and she has just had her first baby so I wanted to make a gift to send over to them (although it’s taken me forever to get it sorted – sorry, Milly!). I decided to follow a pattern I have used before to make a play mat/blanket/quilt – it’s kind of a multi-functional item. I’ve made a couple of these for other friends who seemed to like it and find it useful so hopefully this will go down well. You can also use this tutorial to make a larger blanket for yourself either for your bed or as a lap duvet for chilly autumn evenings on the sofa. I bought the fabric months and months ago before the baby arrived and I think I will need to stock up on some more as I love the black and white design.
Tutorial
Pop over to this tutorial that I did a couple of years ago for the full step-by-step.
For this play mat I used two pieces of fabric 110cm x 140cm (which is the equivalent to six fat quarters). For the wadding I recycled a spare double mattress protector from Ikea, which cut the cost of the project as I spent a fair bit on the fabrics. This is where I got the fabric from:
Pocho – M is for Make (a Japanese imported fabric designed by Nani Iro for Kokka Fabrics. This 100% cotton double gauze fabric is lovely and soft).
Bianco Granite Linen – Ada & Ina (a dark grey 100% linen fabric. It has been stonewashed, which makes it ultra soft).
Full tutorial here.
Love this blush pink muslin from MORI.
I wanted to make the play mat reversible and used a dark grey linen for the underside, which I hope will hide dirt from being put on the floor…
This is a really quick and easy sewing project and I’d quite like to make myself one for a cosy lap duvet on the sofa.
What sewing projects are you working on right now?
Katy x
Gorgeous fabrics… The blanket looks so lovely with the pink. Sadly no baby to make one for, but I do have a little-ish boy who would love one of these to keep him cosy. I’ll add it to that list of must makes!
This is such a good idea and I love that spotty fabric!
I love this one, Katy! I recently went to Japan and now have quite a stock of Japanese fabrics. Just need to get some wadding and off I go sewing this little beauty! Thanks for your wonderful blog, I love reading it with my morning cup of coffee. All the best!
Katy, thank you for the tutorial. I have just made one using my stash of Japanese fabrics – one side is greenish, one side is white and blue with Japanese writing on it and the mount Fuji. All the best with your prep of the nursery, can’t wait to see the pictures.
I haven’t sewn anything in years and just finished making a play mat for my baby grandson, thanks to your easy to follow instructions. I used two layers of cotton batting (wadding) and the end result is a thicker soft mat. I’ve also recycled a mattress protector to make a changing table mat and a mattress protector for the travel cot.
My 3’s love play dough. Love your ideas! Where can I find the tall cookie cutters?