While the little bedding designed for little children to observe their midday sleep on the floor is known as a ‘nap mat’, the other bedding that is usually rolled up for portability and easy convenience is called a ‘Bed roll’ or a ‘Sleeping Bag’. The sleeping bag allows for ease of movement as it allows one to carry it around, it is also used for sleeping outdoors.
The nap mat or sleeping bag is of course, different from the traditional mat that is produced by intertwining mat leaves, found commonly in Nigeria.
Here are steps to making your own nap mats:
Materials:
2/3 yards of fabric for the front and back of the mat.
25 inches of elastic of one inch elastic for the shoulder strap.
Two buttons or zipper.
8 ounces of fiberfill to stuff pillow (fiber fills are blends of siliconized polyester fibers that create silky, down like texture or you can stuff with your old clothes)
One All-purpose thread
A piece of 1-inch thick foam cut to 20 inches width by 40 inches length. (Get this from your local carpenter)
40 inches sew-on hook and loop fasteners
Procedure:
Get your materials ready.
Cut out the measurement of fabrics you need for the mat, cut your desired size. I had cut out two 22 inches width and 52 inches height rectangular shape separately, from the fabric to be the front and back of the mat.
Make a tube for your elastic, by sewing two pieces of fabric right sides together, turn it over and carefully insert the elastic.
Right sides together, line up an edge of the square blanket (if available) along the length of one of your rectangle, be sure to leave a 4 inches gap on the bottom of your fabric rectangle.
Pin the two together, that is the blanket and the rectangular cut fabric and stitch the blanket edge together with the fabric, fold off any excess left-right to its center.
Now, sew both fabrics together, the one attached to the elastic shoulder straps and the other with the blanket, Leave the blanket stitched rectangle right side up. Gently place on it the other rectangle, right side down, stitch the top, bottom together.
Measure ten inches below from the top of the mat, from that distance, stitch the width of the mat, stuff the space with your fiberfill or your old cloth, and stitch together.
Add your foam to it.
Sew on the edges your hook and loop fastener or your zipper or button on it.
Celebrate, hurrah! you have your bedroll/ nap mat.
So, next time you are camping outdoors, remember to pack your nap mat along.
Featured image credit: a.dilcdn.com
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This article was first published on 8th November 2017
adepeju
Adepeju Adenuga is a writer (considering where you are reading this, makes perfect sense). She holds a Masters Degree in Literature in English from the University of Lagos.
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