Nap mat made from a shower curtain!

I have so many projects that once I get done I think it's my favorite - gonna add this one to the list! :)

Back at the beginning of May I went garage sale shopping and came across this shower curtain....

Now I didn't need a shower curtain but I am sucker for some Madras so I bought it.  I got a whole box of stuff for $10 so I'm guessing I paid $2 for this.

It had been sitting around for a while waiting for the perfect project and when I was looking for fabric for my son's nap mat for kindergarten it hit me... THE SHOWER CURTAIN! :)  I love when something just hits you like a ton of bricks! :)

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me during construction (stupid I know) so I can only tell you what I did.

So, I started my whole pattern around the grommets at the top.  I loved the industrial look of them and knew as soon as I was starting this project that I was going to use these as the closing point for the mat.  Originally I was thinking of ribbon going through them to tie, but knowing that this was for a kindergarten boy I had to simplify.

 I bought a strip of velco for $.99 at JoAnn's. Didn't like having to look at velco so I covered it with left over fabric!!! GENIUS! Okay, maybe not genius but at least clever, right?

So now all he has to do is roll it up and loop the velcro through to attach it.

Now the nice thing abour constructing this out of a shower curtain is that it already has nice seams and even a lining! :)

Once I got everything measured and laid out the way I wanted it I laid a couple of pieces of batting down and stitched around each box - so that when I wash it the batting dosen't seperate.  Now it has little square pockets of fluff! :0)

Cute huh?  I even had enough fabric to make a "cover" for him.  And I didn't have to do any of the hem here - it came like that and had that cream fabric backing.

And to make the pillow I just sewed off the top part and stuffed it.  Easy peasy!

Oh yeah, and I monogrammed his name on it first thing so that the back of the monogram would be hidden in the inside.

I can't wait to see him "try it on" :)

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