New – My Snuggle Mat Kits

Posted on December 6, 2018
by Karen S.
with 0 Comments

My Snuggle Mat kits are super adorable!

My Snuggle Mats are now available at JOANN Fabrics – make one or gift the kit! The newest Land of Whimzie kit includes a printed plush panel to make the pillow front and blanket, comfy fleece for the mat and woven strapping for the handle. You add 1″ high loft batting, fiberfill and a few hours of sewing.

Your little one may need a little encouragement at rest time, especially during the holidays. Having a special snuggle place is always nice. It’s portable too, so little hands can be helpful doing it ‘all by myself’! I couldn’t wait to make one!

Mini Tutorial & Tips

The instructions take you step by step, but I love some photos and tips when I’m making something new.

Steps 1 – 5: Cut and Label

Label the mat and pillow back and front to save time. The fleece looks the same, but the ‘right’ side has a higher pile.

If you haven’t sewn with high loft batting, you don’t need extra tools or skills. Your rotary cutter or scissors will work fine. I did treat my machine to a heavy duty needle because of the layers.

To keep you from accidentally cutting your fabrics, use the marker to trace the pillow and mat shapes, then cut safely away from the project pieces.

Step 6 – 9: Pillow Talk

Fleece, plush and high-loft batting can slip under the machine foot, so you need to pin and baste for the best finish. Try to hand baste, using a larger needle and big easy stitches. It actually took the same time as machine basting, and the edges were perfectly matched.

Put the pillow front on top of the batting, pin and baste around. Baste around the head shape, too, so you can topstitch/quilt neatly, without puckers. Topstitch around the face. then stuff as directed. Set aside until Step 15.

Step 10:

Make fins, tails, horns, etc as directed. Stuff, but don’t overstuff or your machine foot won’t want to sew.

Pin in place matching the cut/raw edges on the right side of the mat back. Keep them pointing inside until the last step.

Making a Comfy Mat:

Making the back of the mat: Place the back, with all the pieces attached, on top of the high loft batting piece. Pin and hand baste 1/4″ around the edges. Isn’t hand sewing relaxing?

Position fleece pillow back right sides together on the back, leaving a 10″ opening. You’ll turn everything through this opening at the end.

You’re half way finished!

Let’s start the second half, you are now working on the mat ‘front’ :

Step 14 – you are adding the plush blanket at the bottom and the plush pillow front on the top. The blanket is loose, so it is pinned out of the way of the side seams. Plush edges do not need finishing, which also keeps it from being bulky and too warm. Here is how our designer did it:

At the bottom edge of the blanket, pin half inch under: Then pin half inch from the side and all along the bottom of the fleece mat:

You are going to sew the blanket to the bottom edge only with 1/2″ seam, starting and ending 1/2″ from the edges. This keeps the blanket from twisting in the corners. It works!

Next you will be adding the stuffed/quilted pillow. To prepare, let’s pin the blanket safely away from all the seams. When you look at the ‘wrong’ side of the printed blanket it is white, just like in the instruction’s diagram. Use safety pins if you are pin-pricklish. It’s not a sleeping bag, and we don’t want to accidentally sew the blanket around, so gather it up and pin!

You’re ready to join the front and back!

Sew right sides together, with the front mat/pillow upside down on top of the back. The blanket and parts/pieces should still be tucked inside, pinned safely in between. You will sew around the mat and pillow. Pin the edges to keep them together. It will be lumpy, so stitch slowly.

Turn right side out and admire your sewing! Here’s a peak at the blanket corner – see how turning in the 1/2″ finishes up? Nice!