Exercise/Sleep Mat

I don't like to exercise.  Anything to make it more enticing is essential.  Susan Wasinger's book, The Feisty Stitcher has directions for a beautiful exercise/sleep mat.  Being that I am genetically predisposed to change any pattern I come across, I made some minor changes with mine.   I tacked on a nice grosgrain ribbon for closing instead of making the tab Susan used.  As I've said before, if it stands still, I WILL put a ribbon on it.


Here it is all rolled up!

And all stretched out!

Susan's closing method is nicer, but mine is easier and quicker--two guiding principles in my life at this point. (Actually,  I'm supposed to be removing wallpaper paste and painting the room, not sewing in it.)

The unrolled pillow square is sewn into the top of the mat.  When you roll the mat up that piece of pillow fabric is on the outside! It's not just rolled up fabric, but an ATTRACTIVE, coordinated roll of fabric!  I tacked the ribbon to the very edge of the pillow piece.  (Find the middle of the ribbon and tack it there so that it will wrap around the bundle when closed for tying. That is unless, of course, you do it the right/elegant way that Susan did.)

I've included a  picture here of the partially rolled mat that might make all this a little clearer.  You just keep rolling from the bottom of the mat and tie it all closed with the ribbon.  The ribbon gets rolled into the pillow when you are using it to keep it out of the way.  No one wants to strangle themselves during Yoga.  How embarrassing for the family to have to explain that!  "Yes, my wife/mom/grandma strangled herself while doing Yoga."

This is a view of the top where the pillow and mat are connected.

Susan's used some beautiful cotton fabrics.  It's practically elegant--if you can call anything related to exercise elegant!  I went for a bit more comfort with a plushy velour mat and a soft flannel pillow fabric.   Kind of garish, but freaking soft!  I will probably have to fight small children, dogs and cats for it.

Mine also has 3 layers throughout of the kind of batting that can be tied off every ten inches.  I tacked the pillow part by machine but decided to tie the mat part by hand.  There are so few ties needed that it only took a half hour or so.

Next I'm doing the little bag that is on the cover of The Feisty Stitcher.  I have a basket on my bike (that humiliates my super-bicyclist husband), but things can pop out when you hit a bump. I am going to add this bag facing toward me on the bike to hold my wallet and other things I'd rather not share with the general public. 

Must go scrap off the wallpaper paste first, though.