How To: DIY No-Sew Splat Mat
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 1:18AM
Nic really loves whole milk. So much so that he’s gone off purees—he’d rather just suck down a huge bottle of cow’s milk. In an attempt to make purees and other spoon-fed foods fun again, I’ve decided it’s time for Nic to start feeding himself. I knew this would be a messy proposition and that my unsealed hardwood floors wouldn’t be able to take it.
So, I went on the hunt for the perfect splat mat for under the high chair. I wanted it to be big and pretty. I couldn’t find the perfect combination, so I decided to make one for myself.
What you need:
Oil cloth edges make for easy no-sew crafts!
- Oil cloth/laminate fabric. I ordered mine from Fabric.com and they have an awesome selection, from old-school patterns to modern designs. My fabric was 54 inches wide and I ordered 1.5 yards.
- Sharp scissors
- Yard stick
- Marker
Oil cloth has the wonderful characteristic of not fraying. So, like felt, it does not need to be hemmed.
Your mat will be ready to go in just a few easy steps:
- Unroll your fabric on the floor, good side down. My oil cloth came with unfinished sides and the ends were cut a bit unevenly, so I had to trim each side. At first, I tried to do this free-hand, but it didn’t work out at all.
- Use your yard stick and marker to draw straight lines for cutting on each side. Make sure to mark the “wrong” side of the fabric.
- Cut along your lines. Again, keep the fabric good side down—it’s much easier to cut this way.
- Roll out your one-of-a-kind mat under the high chair and admire your work!
Reader Comments (7)
Nathalee, this is great! I am going to order mine today!! LOVE yours. You are so talented. I'll share a pic once I'm done. Thanks for sharing!
Well done! I have never heard of this material! Instead of trying this myself, can I buy a Nathalee original? :)
This is too cool. Living in an apt and with little Athena to pop out in July, this would be a great carpet protector. My wife read my RT of Nathalee's post and she immediately chose a pattern. Thanks for the wonderful advise!
Looks like the fabric.com is having a sale until 6/13. Might want to give a try since it's for a cheaper price. :)
This is the design we're going to order even though it's only 42" wide. Now only $11.18/yard.
http://www.fabric.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=ed8775b6-6dfc-4fe5-95da-aa4e1b79a21b
Hey Jay! Thanks for the heads up on the sale! I just tweeted it so more people can take advantage of it.
I love the pattern picked out and would love to hear how the project turns out. Post a pic to our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/MommyBeta
Nathalee, I love your DIY ideas. I can't wait to make a splash mat for my son; I would have never thought of it otherwise. Thank you!
These are cute but oilcloth contains BPA and pthalates and is not recommended for use around small children. I use laminated cotton instead.