Designer: Lisa StormsI created this on-the-go activity mat for my 3 year old, who always wants to haul his car and tracks around with him when we leave the house. Not only is it a confined (and super cute) play area, it also comes with pockets for his matchbox cars. The whole thing rolls up into a neat, small bundle that is tied together for extra security. I don't know if my son will have more fun playing with it or if I had more fun making it! I am glad I had my versatile and high quality Fiskars sewing tools to make this project go together easily.
Instructions (Print version)
Roads
- To keep the road structure very simple, cut out four 5" x 7" pieces of scrap paper and place them in a grid on a half yard of gray felt on a cutting mat two inches from the edges and from each other. (You can alternately draw out any road system you can imagine free-handed to cut out.)
- Draw around each with disappearing ink fabric marker and remove. Draw in any driveways needs (I added one for the car wash).
- Cut out all marked areas out with ruler and rotary cutter.
- Trace roadway onto iron-on adhesive paper and trim.
- Follow packaging instructions to iron onto roadway and iron roadway onto green base fabric.
- Once cooled and secure, sew around all road edges with gray thread.
- Add a running stitch of yellow embroidery floss through all roads. Note: I didn't worry about where dotted lines would be on a real road since kids this young aren't usually aware of what the lines mean and crashing is the most fun part of playing cars anyway, right?
- Trim green base fabric 1 ¼" around top, right, and left side of roadway. Trim fabric 4 ¾" from left side of roadway.
Gas Station
- Cut out felt gas pump and canopy using a rotary cutter and ruler.
- Cut off 5" from end of black shoe string and securely (several times) sew trimmed end onto green base.
- Sew all felt pieces onto base with gas pump covering sewn-on shoe string.
Car Wash
- Cut out felt pieces for stop sign, building, roof, and washing flaps.
- Sew on all pieces as shown being sure to add flaps first so tops are covered by building.
- Sew on four clear button bubbles.
Pond
- Cut out pond, lily pad, grass, and cattail.
- Sew all pieces onto green base adding stems on cattails with thread.
- Sew silk flowers onto lily pad with button center.
Construction Site
- Cut out felt dirt mound and safety cone.
- Sew all pieces onto green base. Sew only one line through safety cone as shown so it can be pushed up during play.
- Add "under construction" ribbon or twill around dirt mound by sewing down with embroidery floss every couple inches.
Pockets
- Fold blue fabric in half (iron crease) and trim to 3 ¾" wide and the length of your green fabric.
- Sew ribbon trim along folded side of fabric.
- Lay onto left margin of green base and pin evenly approximately every 3 inches.
- Sew line at each pin to form six compartments.
Final Assembly
- Fold wide checkered ribbons in half and sew down each edge to form thinner ties.
- Lay green base over striped exterior fabric and trim to size using ruler and rotary trimmer.
- Place fabrics right sides together and pin, adding two long ribbons folded in half pinned into the inside of the fabrics.
- Sew around perimeter leaving 5" gap to pull mat right side out.
- Use stuffing tool to create neat edges and corners and iron perimeter.
- Hem and pin 5" opening and sew final stitch around entire mat.
Tip: Be sure to customize your car mat for the age of the child. For example, for a young toddler you should consider forgoing any buttons or small pieces and replacing the ribbons with a velcro closure.
resource:
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/
Matching ABC style! 配一配
