I bought some kitchen mats that were cute and inexpensive. But not so inexpensive that I was willing to replace them again when the tops began to separate from the foam pad (I did try gluing them down, with no success.) The foam pad is still nice and cushiony. I considered punching holes along the edges of the mats and stitching or crocheting the edges with yarn, but since I was in a fabric de-stashing mood, I decided to go with fabric covers. The fabric I used is an upholstery type fabric, and it has a nice fringe if I unravel it a bit along the edges. It is about the weight of corduroy.
I realized that if I simply just made a pocket of fabric and slipped the rug in, I would be left with an accident waiting to happen: a piece of fabric on a slippery smooth floor; whereas if I left a good portion of the rubber mat exposed underneath, the mat would keep its place. I made straps of the fabric to go across each end of the mat, and sewed the straps to the edges of the mat.
My finished, re-covered mat! The benefit also of this cover is that I can remove it easily and give it a washing.
Note: I walk easily around in the kitchen without disturbing them, but I notice that my husband tends to kick them up into wrinkled piles! The foam rubber cushion of the mat is about 1/2" thick, so I'm amazed that he manages to do this. I simply smooth them when he leaves the kitchen, but I'm keeping a close eye on whether they become a trip hazard for him... If you plan on trying this project, be sure to just do one mat first and let it sit around a bit to see how it goes.
Posts
