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DIY Road Rugs and Play Mats
After reviewing the examples of rugs and mats on our Road Rugs Page, you will most likely came up with some ideas of what you would like to have in your own rug or mat. And whether you have something in mind that just isn't available, or you are looking to same money, a DIY Road Rug project is right around the corner. Now you can see how many others have approached making their own Road Rugs and Mats which should give you a good start on your project.
More info and ideas regarding Road Rugs, visit and review our Road Rugs Page
Internal Bookmarks
| Intro | Car Cozies |
Paper and Board
From the archives: DIY homemade road rug paper
Cheap fun! and reuse before you recycle! and Here sewtara.com
car playmat flickr.com
Paper template
Mama's making toys - Ride around playmat willowatsquidoo.blogspot.com
Carboard, colored paper, Highway ABC Cards
Posterboard Car Mat frugalfun4boys.com
Posterboard
Complete with DIY Cars
There are various ways that you can use just tape alone or in conjunction with other media to create a nice roadway surface to commute and race on.
Oster's first race track amillionthingsilove.com - Painter's Tape
Road Rugs ahousewifeextraordinaire.com
Masking tape on an area rug that can be rolled up and stored.
Create A Maze Of City Streets With Electrical Tape! creativejewishmom.com
electrical tape
My First Autobahn/Adhesive tape
My First Autobahn sleekidentity.com
Rainy Day Fun: Autobahn Floor Tape ohdeedoh.com
Race Cars and Track - Vinyl Wall Decals Stickers Art Graphics etsy.com
Wall Decor: Race Ya Adhesive Wall Graphics Win the Race babble.com
Race Ya Re-Stik movable wall decals by blik thisnext.com
Race Cars and Track Racing Wall Decals Art eyecandysigns.net
I am a racing-car driver just like you except I am from Formula Un. justjennrants.blogspot.com
Race track vinyl graphics moazmodernvinyl.com
Racing Stick Ons landofnod.com
Vinyl Wall Decals
RYOSUKE UEHARA: Designs for D-BROS dedeceplus.com
Gallery Images dedeceplus.com
Dedece Designer Railway and Road Tape ilovestickytape.blogspot.com
Tape road rug bakati.com
Road tape barnvanligt.nu
Play tape makes your kid King of the Road coolest-toys.com
Preschool Pretend Play Activity - Road Map education.preschoolrock.com
Paint and Markers
City Road Maps mormonchic.com
A MATTRESS TO A PLAY MAT tonyastaab.com Fabric Paint
DIY Road Play Mats favecrafts.com acrylic paints and flat canvas sheets
How to Make Your Own Play Mat familyfun.go.com cotton duck canvas and paint
Making You Own Play Mats simply-kids-play cloth and markers
Shower curtain village play mat filthwizardry.com shower curtain liner
Shower Curtain - They have the Duplo buildings and cars out too.
Car Play Mat! micahcmicahdo.blogspot.com
Map the Neighborhood lettersoupblog.blogspot.com
Fisher Price Little People Play Mat theidearoom.net
Christmas Crafting amberism.com
Kid's Toy Car Mat- Tutorial applesaucemagic.blogspot.com
Canvas, Paint Markers, Paint
Maglite Demo lettherebenight.com
Leo's Road Rug- from back in July'10... clarotxos.blogspot.com
A3 watercolour cardboards
Making Canvas Rugs marthastewart.com - Hand painting canvas floorcloths
Step by Step to Creating a Work of Art for Your Floor associatedcontent.com
How to Paint Canvas Rugs ehow.com
Easy to Make Gifts for Boys ehow.com Canvas Rug and paint
How to paint a canvas rug examiner.com
No Frills Printed Fabric
Carry-along play mat decorallure.blogspot.com printed fabric
Bradley with his car mat-inside-made by me
Perfect Take along Play Mat (Beginner Project) (PDF) Perfect Take Along Play Mat (HTML)
Merryville Playmat jcaroline.typepad.com Quilt
Quilted Playmat jcaroline.typepad.com
J’s new playmat! sewitseams2me.wordpress.com
Racing Quilt for a Nephew buzzville.typepad.com
http://www.crazyquilters.net/images/11-1-03/eyeglasses/ crazyquilters.net
Boys will be Boys fabricpaletteaustralia.com
Sew Jobs
Tapete para Brincar Felt
Roadmap Quilt littleredwren.wordpress.com
a work in progress ... car playmat homemadebyjill.blogspot.com
Markers and sewn on patterns for buildings
DIY Car Playmat hiretoinspire.blogspot.com
Oscar's car playmat homemadebyjill.blogspot.com
Eco friendly play mat flickr.com
Tutorial Thurs – Car play mat artycrafty.wordpress.com
Felt Play Mat Tutorial (sort of) mommyknows.com
Crib-to-grave Lap Quilt / Play Mat etsy.com
Lap Quilt / Play Mat folksy.com
Finished Car playmat Quilt at last! alittlebitofkaos.blogspot.com
Tori's Car Playmat Quilt alittlebitofkaos.blogspot.com
A larger car play mat quilt alittlebitofkaos.blogspot.com
Car Playmat Revised alittlebitofkaos.blogspot.com
Adam's quilt babyaidafiqs.blogspot.com
His & Her quillow playmats stitchcraftcreations.com
christmas prezzies 7 (finale) kleiosbelly.wordpress.com windows in houses fit photos
Look! Coffee Table Playmats ohdeedoh.com
Monday Craft tangarangblog.blogspot.com
Double sided mini playmat
IN THE HOOP - ROAD PLAY MAT - 5x7 and 6x10 cassandrasembroidery.com - Embroidered
Vroom Vroom car play mat or Wallhanging cottageflair.co.nz
Airplane Tray Table Car Mat Tutorial adorableoriginals.blogspot.com
Car Cozies
Car Cozie Tutorial (a.k.a. Car Cozy) mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com
Car Cozie- my original idea :) mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com
On-The-Go Car Activity Mat @ Fiskarscraft fiskarscraft.typepad.com
shoelace gas pump hose
Boy Sewing fashionedbymeg.blogspot.com
car play mat livingmysweetlife.blogspot.com
The Car Cozie cyberrenos.blogspot.com
cozy car caddy tutorial homemadebyjill.blogspot.com
Cozy Car Caddy Tutorial ohdeedoh.com
toy car travel mat edeenutcreates.blogspot.com
Car Cozy Tutorial thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com
Tutorial: Take-along roll-up car playmat sewing.craftgossip.com printed fabric
Mini Travel Car Mat obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com
Car Playmat happybabydesigns.blogspot.com
Chalkboard Racecar Playmat etsy.com
chalkboard fabric
Roll-Up Car Mat mamasamess.blogspot.com
Take Along Car Carrier/Mat mamasamess.blogspot.com
Car Totes
a play mat tinyhappy.typepad.com
Felt Car Playmat to take along unprocessedfamily.blogspot.com
Discovery Tote Cars helicopterstudios.blogspot.com
Helicopter Studios Shop etsy.com
Discovery Tote - Cars etsy.com
Discovery Tote - Cars etsy.com
Discovery Tote Cars flickr.com
cars flickr.com
Discovery Tote Cars (open) flickr.com
Discovery Tote Cars (open) flickr.com
Discovery Tote Cars (open) flickr.com
Discovery Tote Cars flickr.com
Car Playmat sadie-cakes.blogspot.com
Glue Guns and Adhesives
There are a number of ways to glue down pieces of fabric, paper and what not to create a playmat without the need to sew anything. More on this after the following examples that should work with the glue method.
Mini Car Mat-- Take 1 servingpinklemonade.blogspot.com
Mini Car Mats--take 2 ( . . . and 3 and 4) servingpinklemonade.blogspot.com
Copycat Mini Car Mat servingpinklemonade.blogspot.com
stuff your stockings saturday: mini play mat twelvecraftstillchristmas.blogspot.com
Wonder Under and Felt
How to make a City Play Mat for toy cars howtodosomething.blogspot.com
car mat kimboscrafts.blogspot.com
Car Play Mat domesticdabblings.blogspot.com
Glue gun and felt
Felt Play Mat hepburnandhoundstooth.com
Glue Gun!
Messy Monday #21 - Trains Week cleanmama.blogspot.com
Car Mat occasionallycrafty.blogspot.com
Heat n Bond
Attīstošā grāmatiņa mazuļiem. Arī trases. zksspok.blogspot.com
ePatterns for Toy Car Play Mats
Adhesives
Besides using a Glue Gun, you have other options for a quick sewless fix. A great option for fabric and paper projects are iron-on adhesive product often referred to as fusible web.
Fusible webs are glue or plastic based translucent adhesive materials that are designed to join two pieces of fabric together. They either have paper protecting it on both sides like double sided tape, or have paper on one side only. Primarily, the are designed for bonding appliqué pattern pieces to background fabric.
Like fabric, fusibles can be purchased by the yard in rolls or in smaller precut packages. If you purchase it by the yard, it is important the it isn't rolled up too tight, or the fusible web may separate from its protective paper. If separation occurs, you may be able to salvage your webbing by placing the webbing over your appliqué fabric, then placing the release paper over the webbing and running a hot dry iron over it. This should fuse the paper to the webbing and webbing to the fabric. Another option is to re-bond the paper to the webbing by sandwiching them between two pieces of silicone paper pressing it all together. Others feel that if separation occurs, you can save yourself a lot of grief by throwing out that webbing and replacing it. Some expert users recommend that you cut your webbing into smaller squares that can then be sealed in a zip-loc bag. This will protect it from further roll-up damage and from drying out. Webbing should be lightly rolled and not folded.
Some fusible web can be sewn while others will gum-up your needle. Some are made for light applications where you are just using it to hold fabric together until you can sew it up. Others are made for no-sew applications where the adhesive alone is intended to hold your fabric pieces together for life.
The basics of using fusible webbing:
Some fabrics will need to be prewashed without fabric softeners or dryer sheets. This will preshrink some fabrics, remove some bleed from others and remove any sizing or other chemicals that will prevent the webbing from adhering.
Trace the appliqué pattern pieces to one side of the paper backing of you webbing (if you are using a webbing with paper only on one side, you may need to use a ball point pen on the rough side to avoid mirror image shapes)
Cut out the traced pattern pieces (leave an intentional 1/8-1/4 inch free edge to be trimmed later for a crisper edge). Cutting out centers of your tracings will allow for a more flexible end product (for clothing and quilts) and may allow you to reuse the centers for smaller appliqués.
Place rough side of your fusible web against wrong side your appliqué fabric.
Press for 5-8 seconds with a hot, dry iron
Cut these fused appliqué pattern pieces out
Gently peel off paper backing from the fusible web
Position your appliqué on the background, web side down
Cover with DAMP press cloth.
With iron at wool setting, press FIRMLY for 10-15 seconds. (Heavier fabrics will need more more time)
Use your damp press cloth as a temperature and timing guide. After 10 seconds, press cloth should be dry. If not, raise iron temperature or hold iron in place a few seconds longer.
If you are trying to fuse through the thicker fabric of a thin/thick combination, you may wish to flip everything over now and repeat
Repeat, lifting and overlapping iron until all fabric is fused.
Remove press cloth and iron fabric to eliminate excess moisture.
Edge of Fabric - you can cut and glue some fabrics without issue. Felt and some fabrics with backings won't fray after being cut and glued. Other fabrics will need something to keep the raw edges from coming undone. There are a number of ways to stitch the raw edges to protect them. You may also be able to use fabric paint to outline the edges for more of a defined boarder and to "seal" the edge.
Fusible Webbing Chart
| Webbing Brand |
Sew or No Sew |
Type | Weight | Appliqué Fabric Notes |
| Heat N Bond Lite | Sew | Iron-on, paper backed | Lightweight | All woven fabrics except sheers |
| Wonder Under | Sew | Iron-on, paper backed | Medium Weight | Medium woven fabrics: cotton, linen, heavy weight, like canvas and denim |
| Steam-A-Seam | Sew, No Sew | Sticky on 1 side (allows for temporary positioning prior to ironing); iron- on, paper backed | Medium to Heavy | Medium to heavy weight fabrics, craft projects |
| Steam-A-Seam 2 | Sew, No Sew | Sticky on both sides (allows for temporary positioning prior to ironing); iron-on, paper encased | Medium to Heavy | Medium to heavy weight fabrics, knits, leather, ultra suede; craft projects |
| Stitch Witchery | Sew | Iron-on | Heavy weight | Lightweight to medium fabrics |
| Pellon’s Sol-u-Web |
Sew | Iron-on Film | Lightweight (washes out) |
Delicate fabrics: silk, satin, brocade, laces, trims |
| Fus-O-Bond | No Sew | Iron-on | Medium weight (stays soft) |
Craft Projects |
| Heat N Bond Ultra | No Sew | Iron-on Paper backed | Medium to Heavy weight | Craft Projects |
| Wonder Under Heavy Duty (Pellon 725) | No Sew | Iron-on Paper backed | Medium to Heavy weight | Craft Projects |
Heat n Bond UltraHold is an iron on No-Sew option your playmat ideas. This is more like a glue than the other "true" fusible web products.
Another product is
Wonder-Under.
Wonder Under is a 100% polyester fusible adhesive which is applied to a release paper. It bonds
fabric to fabric, or any porous surface, including wood and cardboard. It claims
to be faster and easier to use than glue and is machine washable or dry
cleanable. An examples of its use is shown in the
Dinosaur Play Mat. You may want the Heavy Duty Craft version if you
don't intend to sew your play mat.
Of course there are the Hot melt adhesives (HMA) "Glue Guns" that allow you apply thermoplastic adhesive. These can make for very simple and quick projects, but may leave lumps in your work and not provide as smooth of bond on the edges of your cut fabric as you would like.
Interfacings and Stabilizers
Interfacings and stabilizers are used for adding stability, thickness, support, weight or rigidity to an item depending on how thick or stiff the original fabric is and what effect is required. Some are sewn in but the majority are fusible on one side or occasionally on both sides to make them easier to use.
Printing (Computer or Copy Machine)
If you are a photoshopper or just have a computer and printer and some ideas, you can print out your designs onto the fusible web paper. Fusible web is available in printer paper sized sheets for easy use in and inkjet printer and it is possible to cut larger sheets to size. You may need to adjust your setting to "plain paper" as automatic setting may default to "Quick" and fail to move the fusible web sheets. Once printed it is important that you use a dry iron to fuse your webbing to the appliqué as steam may dissolve the inkjet ink on the webbing and stain your fabric.
Printing Your Own Fabric
There are actually several ways you can print out your own fabric to create custom parts for your playmat or even to allow for printing of the entire playmat. So if you have some Photoshop talent, you can make some incredible projects.
The professional results, you can create your design on your computer and have someone else print your mat design onto the media of your choice.
Custom Printed Fabric!
Custom Vinyl Banners
Custom Printed/made Carpets
Custom Trading Card Game Playmats
Card Game Playmats range in size and it appears that the "official" size is 24 inches wide, and 14 inches high. Since high quality mats are popular, there seems to be a market for quality mats and custom mats. You can read all about how to make your own, or find one of the playmat artists to make you one. Perhaps two or more playmats can be added together to make a large enough play area for your cars, people and animals to roam a condensed city with adjoining mountains, forest and lake.
These generally have a fantasy theme with dragons, warriors or lightly clothed women with or without armament. So the artists may find it odd that you want a playmat with roads for small cars.
Custom Mat Resources and Portfolios pojo.biz
DIY Fabric Printing
If you want to try to print out smaller sections of fabric, or have access to a large printer, you can print out your own fabric. A laser jet printer may produce a crisper more durable product. In regards to inkjet printers, HP uses a dye based water soluble ink which is more susceptible to water damage on untreated fabric, while Epson uses a pigment-based ink which is more susceptible to rubbing off. That said, it is more likely that you have access to an inkjet printer and when treated fabrics are used, the results can be fantastic.
Inkjet Printing on Fabric instructables.com
C. Jenkins Company - fabric stablizers, printable fabric sheets, other DIY fabric printing products
TUTORIAL: Printing on Fabric youtube.com
http://www.teas2dine4.com/4printfabric.html
Direct Fabric Printing straw.com
Printing on Fabric With a Laser Printer cqmagonline.com
How to Make Your Own Ink Jet Printer Fabric for Fabric Printing suite101.com
You can purchase 200+ thread count permanent press 100% cotton fabric with paper backing already setup for use in your inkjet (not laserjet) printer. Just place these sheets in your printer and hit the print button. The other fabrics such as denim, canvas and even silk are available in printer ready sheets.
If you would like to save a little cash or use special fabric or sheet sizes, you can use Bubble Jet Set 2000 (C. Jenkins Company) on cotton or silk to create washable inkjet and bubble jet printing fabric. You will need to fuse your treated cloth to something like freezer paper so that it can be fed into your printer. A strip of masking tape over the leading edge of the fabric/paper combo may help jams.
Laser Jet Printers - Unlike ink jets, laser jet printers use heat to fuse the colors onto the page, much like a photocopier does. In most cases, if you try to run specialty papers designed for ink jet printers through your laser, the pages may melt. This results in a melted mess that can significantly damages a laser printer. Poly and nylon fabrics can produce similar results. To print on fabric with a laser jet, you will need to find untreated "natural fiber" fabric (nothing that will melt) bound to printer paper or dry iron your untreated "natural fiber" fabric onto freezer paper to give it the rigidity need to allow for feeding in to the printer.
DIY Iron On Transfers
Iron On Transfers: InkJet Transfers, Laser Transfers, CLC Transfers & OffSet Heat Transfer Papers bestblanks.com
Print your own iron on transfers hp.com
Transfer Printon Fabric withComputer or Color Copier straw.com
Iron on transfers are another option for playmats. These are used by gamers, but there is a concern that the transfer will crack and become damaged with heavy use or repeated rolling up of the mat for storage.
Spoonflower custom fabric printing
Travel Car Race Track Mat for Little Boys and Girls Fits in a Diaper Bag / All Custom etsy.com
New Race Track Mat flickr.com
Textile play.. for sensory flickr.com
track mat is finally DONE flickr.com
The drawing is then scanned at a high resolution and colored on the computer and printed on inkjet printer on fabric
omemade Christmas Figts--for kids! meandmyinsanity.blogspot.com
High-Octane Birthdays! meandmyinsanity.blogspot.com
Boy Birthdays Revisited meandmyinsanity.blogspot.com
sewing, painting, computer-designed iron on fabric, and other techniques
Car Mat Quilt obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com
FUSIBLE fabric sheets
Your neighborhood custom map play mat - MEDIUM - I am Here Custom Road map of neighborhood etsy.com
Small - 3 ft by 1 1/2 ft (small size makes great childhood keepsake)
Medium - 4 ft by 2 1/2 ft
Large - 6 ft by 2 1/2 ft
10oz vinyl (15oz vinyl is available for an added fee)
Design Ideas
Just another Race Track rug doodlegirlthoughts.blogspot.com
Hot Wheels Rug doodlegirlthoughts.blogspot.com
Racing doodlegirlthoughts.blogspot.com
House of Kids - Play Rug - Roads / Railway (Seaside) 0.8m x 1.2m amazon.co.uk
House of Kids - Play Rug - Roads / Railway (Snow & Mountains) 0.8m x 1.2m amazon.co.uk
House of Kids - Play Rug - Roads / Railway / Seaport 1m x 1.5m amazon.co.uk
Printing Paper Mats
Various grades of paper are almost suitable for use as playmats. Larger playmats can be created by printing out sections of the mat with a printer and then taping the sections together. The joined mat can then be laminated, treated or covered in clear vinyl. A large DIY "map case" will allow you to change the playmat theme easily by taping on additions (buildings, lakes, etc) to your paper mat or by switching the viewable mat to a different one altogether. Multiple paper mats can be stored and protected in the "map case" for future use.
Here is an example of a prefabricated military map case. This size is perfect for travel and roles or folds up nicely. A larger once can be made with a little sewing, or vinyl cementing.
Presidential National Geographic Map Cabinet
A Plexiglas, vinyl or glass covered cabinet placed on the floor or made into a coffee/activity table would allow for a protected play surface that could be changed and even drawn on with alcohol or water based markers. Cars, buildings, signs and other accessories could be stored under the play surface.
They already make activity tables with storage and accommodations for playmats, such as this Lego activity table shown above. You can cut out a piece of Plexiglas or clear vinyl to cover your paper playmats and stack several in the same area.
Racetrack Rug Crochet Pattern Yarn
A Look Back juneatnoon.com
To the Races! juneatnoon.com
Racetrack Rug etsy.com
Grass and road rug, play mat made from recycled t shirts etsy.com
Racetrack Oval Rag Rug etsy.com
recycled t-shirts
Little People and the Granny attic24.typepad.com yarn - not really a road rug
Details on the Knitted Farm Play Rug anthromama.wordpress.com Knitted
City Play Mat from a Shower Curtain mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com Shower curtain, packing tape, cardstock, printer and crayons
AtomicMods - Local Racing Clubs atomicmods.com - many RC surfaces
Carpet
DIY: Road Way Play! theimaginationtree.blogspot.com
Carboard, black paint, white card
We’re on vacation recovergirl.wordpress.com
Chalkboard
Available: Chalkboard Vinyl (Chalkcloth Fabric) and Chalkboard Paint
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