DIY Baby Play Mat

What do you give a three-month-old for Christmas {yep, Tate is three months old today!}?  I decided to use my scraps of fabric, and some creativity, to sew a DIY baby play mat for her and I can’t wait to give it the baby test. Sixteen more days till Christmas!

How to Make a Play Mat for Baby

The main part of the play mat, front and back, is made from soft chenille.  I padded it with cotton batting, and edged the blanket with bright pink satin binding. This project was made almost entirely from my fabric scrap stash and the only thing I had to buy was the binding. 

I chose bright, stimulating colors to draw Tate’s attention and came up with a variety of simple features that a little one can use.  If you create a play mat for your little one, be sure to use items that won’t be hazards for your baby.  {The features I chose are simply ideas and may or may not be safe for your child.}

I created a big yellow felt circle in the middle of the mat to mark the spot for Tate to lay on or sit then placed the other features around that.

I tucked folded ribbon pieces into the binding along one edge to create ribbon tags to play with.  Look for ribbon with different widths, textures, and colors to create interest.

I sewed a vinyl pocket onto the blanket and will switch out different pictures: black and white stimulating prints {these can be found online or created in a photo editing program} or pictures of friends and family, as she gets a little older.

This felt star {pink on one side and orange on the other} has a bell inside. The star is attached with a ribbon so Tate can shake it but not lose it. 

The star shape can be free-handed, made with a stencil, or traced over a template found online.

Another corner of the play mat has links so other toys can be interchanged and attached to the mat.  I used a ribbon loop to attach the links and they can be easily removed or added to, as desired.

Texture squares are sewn just down the middle of each square so Tate can touch and grab and pull the different pieces.

A crinkly flower {stuffed with cellophane} is attached with a button so the edges are easy to grab onto.  As Tate starts becoming more coordinated and can grab and pull, I may remove that button so it doesn’t become a choking hazard.

It was so fun making this mat and I hope Tate likes it as much as I think she will.

What sewing projects have you made for a baby?