For the longest time I had a cotton stripe runner from Dash & Albert under my sink, over the years it got soiled so I need to have it cleaned. Meanwhile I was looking for something vibrant and colorful, I thought of just buying another rug but instead opted to sew a fabric floor mat with some outdoor fabric I spied on sale at Joann Fabrics.
I used a yoga mat as an insert to make the floor mat thicker and softer underfoot and I love the fun palm print, it’s very Lilly Pulitzer-ish with a tropical vibe, and a much welcome color injection in my kitchen in my favorite shades of blue and green.
To make a fabric floor mat, all you need is 1 ½ to 2 yards of canvas or outdoor fabric (the length depends on if you want a runner size or something smaller), thread, and an inexpensive thin yoga mat to fit inside.
I found my yoga mat at HomeGoods for $10, you can also find them at sporting goods stores, or sometimes Walmart or Target or online at Amazon. The fabric I chose is a stain and water resistant outdoor fabric in a fun palm print. (It’s a new Richloom Solarium print but I can’t find it on the Solarium website so I don’t know the name.)
The process for making the floor mat is the same as sewing these easy envelope pillow covers – you create it with one long strip of fabric, you’re basically sewing one big envelope to cover the yoga mat. Trim your yoga mat to the size you want your floor mat to be, leave it long for a runner size or trim it shorter like I did to make it smaller.
With a sewing machine, fold over and hem the edges of the long side that will wrap around the mat and form the envelope opening: the A side of the fabric.
Next, flip the fabric inside out and overlap the A sides to form an inside out envelope.
Lay the yoga mat insert on top of the inside out envelope to make sure the width and length of the mat will fit inside the floor mat.
Pin the overlapping A sides together (inside out), this is where you will sew the B sides together to create the envelope.
Once you’ve sewn both the B sides together, flip it right side out and insert the yoga mat like you’d fill a duvet cover, tucking the corners of the yoga mat into the fabric envelope.
I used a safety pin to keep the flap closed so it doesn’t move out of place on the floor.
To avoid slippage, add a piece of masking tape to each corner underneath to hold it in place in front of the sink.
The yoga mat insert softens the mat for those hours spent standing on it, and the tape helps keep the fabric mat in place.
The good news is the mat is completely washable, when soiled after a few weeks simply toss the fabric cover into the washing machine on a gentle cycle then put it back in place!
Choose any fabric you like to make your own floor mat, I recommend washable canvas or outdoor fabrics that are moisture, stain, and fade resistant.
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