Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to sew a kindergarten-ready nap mat roll with a built-in pillow, padded with insulated batting so it stays warm on a classroom floor.
Here we go. That first school supply list is a long one. And right there on it? A nap mat. Or you can make one your little one picks out of the cubby every day because the fabric is theirs.
The secret is the middle layer. Insulated batting cushions a hard floor and helps block its cold from creeping up during rest time. A flat, needle-punched kind gives you that barrier without puff — and this mat has to roll tight and tie shut, five days a week.
The built-in pillow is my favorite part. No separate pillow to lose — just an extra-padded section stitched right in. Super duper easy.
Materials You Will Need
- 1 1/4 yards quilting cotton or flannel for the top
- 1 1/4 yards coordinating cotton or flannel for the back
- Insulated batting, about 20 by 50 inches, plus one extra 20-by-10-inch piece for the pillow
- Two fabric ties or ribbons, each about 18 inches long
- 50-weight cotton thread and a size 80/12 needle
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, and pins or clips
- Optional: a name label — teachers will thank you
Sizing note: most kindergarten mats are 19 to 20 inches wide and 45 to 50 inches long. Check your school's cubby first.
How to Sew Your Nap Mat Roll
- Cut your layers. Cut top, back, and insulated batting all at 21 by 51 inches. That finishes near 20 by 50 inches with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- Stack in order. Back fabric right side down. Insulated batting on top. Top fabric right side up. Smooth from the center out and clip every 4 to 5 inches. Insulated batting can feel slippery, so do not skip the clips.
- Mark the pillow. Measure 10 inches down from one short end and draw a chalk line across. That top section is your pillow. Everything below it stays flat.
- Quilt the flat section. Stitch straight lines every 4 to 6 inches below the pillow line. Use a stitch length around 2.5 mm, roughly 10 stitches per inch, and a walking foot if you have one. Slow down near the edges or the layers will shift.
- Plump the pillow. Slide that extra batting rectangle into the top section. Add thin scrap layers if you want it fuller, but keep them even. Lumpy is not comfy. Lay your head on it and test it. Really.
- Close the pillow line. Stitch straight across the chalk line through all layers. Backstitch at both ends. Just like that, the pillow stuffing is trapped and the mat stays flat.
- Finish the edges. Sew around all sides with right sides together, leave an 8-inch opening, turn right side out, and topstitch at 1/8 inch to close the gap. Or bind it like a quilt. Completely up to you.
- Add the ties. Roll the mat from the bottom toward the pillow. Mark where the ties catch the roll, then stitch two 18-inch ties to the back of the pillow end. Roll, tie, done.
Tips and Variations
Pick the right batting weight. High-loft batting feels plush, but it will not roll tight and it springs open in the cubby. Reach for a flat, low-loft insulated batting instead. It cushions, it insulates, and it rolls like a yoga mat. If your test sandwich rolls to about 5 inches across, you picked right.
Prewash your fabrics. Wash and dry the top and back before cutting. These mats get washed a lot, and prewashing keeps yours from shrinking into a wavy potato chip later. Follow your batting's package guidance — many insulated battings go in just as they are.
Make it personal. Add a 20-by-30-inch flannel flap to one side for a built-in blanket, and put your child's name big on the pillow section before you assemble. Five mats in a cubby row all look alike by week two. Ask me how I know.
Hear me on this: your quilting lines do not have to be perfect. A kindergartner will drool on this mat and love it to pieces. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
When I make a floor mat like this, here is what I use and why. I reach for Insul-Bright. It is flat, it quilts clean, and that insulating layer really does take the chill off a hard floor. One yard gives you a full mat plus pillow padding to spare, available at lindas.com.
Thanks for sewing along, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop Insul-Bright® Insulating Thermal Lining – 45" x 1 Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
