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Merriment Design

DIY projects, crafts, free sewing patterns and printables that look handmade, not homemade

Home / Project Type / Sewing Projects / Kid’s non-slip fabric Play-Doh mat or coloring mat

Kid’s non-slip fabric Play-Doh mat or coloring mat

March 17, 2012 by Kathy

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How to make a kid's DIY non-slip fabric Play-doh mat or coloring mat - free sewing pattern and instructions. Great kids DIY gift!

I sewed this non-slip fabric kid’s play mat for Play-Doh and coloring for our living room coffee table. The DIY fabric kid’s play mat is super oversized (16″ x 28″) to give lots of playing room. It’s machine washable, hang dry. And did I mention the play mat is non-slip too? Yep, I backed it with this super cool grip-stop rubber-backed fabric:

How to make a kid's DIY non-slip fabric Play-doh mat or coloring mat - free sewing pattern and instructions. Great kids DIY gift!

The front kid’s alphabet fabric is oil canvas — and no, that’s not a typo; it’s *oil canvas* not oilcloth or laminated cotton. This is my first oil canvas project and I like it a lot better than laminated cotton – the sheen and feel of oil canvas is much more like fabric than like plastic, it drapes well, folds nicely and is a lot easier to sew in general while still being wipe-able.

How to make a kid's DIY non-slip fabric Play-doh mat or coloring mat - free sewing pattern and instructions. Great kids DIY gift!

I used yellow bias tape to edge the kid’s play mat that I made myself for beans with my Simplicity Bias Tape Maker. And I wrote up a special post on how to sew bias tape around corners without cutting or pinning up front.

How to make a kid's DIY non-slip fabric Play-doh mat or coloring mat - free sewing pattern and instructions. Great kids DIY gift!

I love that Elise has a play mat for all her Play-Doh creations …and no more rolling out Play-Doh on my wooden coffee table thank you very much. And even better, I like that it’s doubling as a kid’s play mat for crayons and coloring books too …with no more stray crayon marks on my wooden coffee table…yay!

How to make a kid's DIY non-slip fabric Play-doh mat or coloring mat - free sewing pattern and instructions. Great kids DIY gift!

And I love that the oil canvas and grip-stop fabric can easily fold up for clean up time.

How to make a kid's DIY non-slip fabric Play-doh mat or coloring mat - free sewing pattern and instructions. Great kids DIY gift!

WANNA MAKE IT? Keep reading for my free sewing pattern, step-by-step tutorial instructions and supply list for making my non-slip fabric DIY kid’s play mat for Play-doh and coloring –>


Supplies for making my non-slip fabric DIY kid’s Play-doh playmat and coloring playmat:

  • 1/2″ yard oil canvas fabric – I used “Back to School Alphabet”
  • 1/2″ yard grip stop fabric – white fabric with little rubber circles on one side that make it non-slip, great stuff
  • 1/2″ yard sew-in interfacing or drapery lining
  • Thread
  • Bias tape (1/2″)- I made my own using my Simplicity Bias Tape Maker
  • Rotary fabric cutter, clear plastic ruler and self-healing mat
  • Good fabric scissors
  • Sewing machine

How to make a non-slip fabric DIY kid’s Play-Doh play mat and coloring play mat:

Cut a piece of grip-stop rubber-backed fabric 16″ x 28″ using your rotary fabric cutter, clear plastic ruler and self-healing mat. It’s like a canvas with little rubber non-slip dots on it.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Cut a 16″ x 28″ piece of oil canvas fabric (not oilcloth) – I used “Back to School Alphabet.”

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Place the grip-stop rubber-backed fabric face down on your table. Layer the oil canvas fabric face-up on top.

Now I didn’t do this but I’d recommend adding in a layer of sew-in interfacing (or drapery lining if you feel comfortable using that material with kids) between the oil canvas fabric and grip-stop rubber-backed fabric because teeny circle indentations can appear when you roll out Play-Doh on the play mat. Elise and I don’t mind it but for all you perfectionists out there might want to try to cushion it a bit.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Here’s a trick on how hold fabric together without using pins: I use barrettes to hold together fabric that isn’t ideal to pin, like oilcloth, laminated cotton, PUL fabric and oil canvas. Someday I may buy these Clover Wonder Clips but in the meantime barrettes do the trick.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Let’s get the bias tape started.

UPDATE: I found a new and improved technique for sewing on bias tape. Check out my post on the best way to sew bias tape with mitered corners. You can either use my new method for sewing on the bias tape, or keep reading below.

Pick a straight raw edge; I chose the lower right side of my playdough mat. Fold the folded edge of the bias tape down towards your raw edge to make a triangle and pin.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Now start sewing your bias tape onto your fabric by stitching in the bias tape fold that’s closest to the raw edge. You can do this without pins if you’re confident, or you can pin it, or just use barrettes like I tend to do on oil canvas, oil cloth, laminated cotton and PUL fabric.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

OK, so here we are now approaching a corner so slow down. We’re going to make the bias tape go around corners to make really nice mitered corners. I wrote up a whole detailed post on how to sew bias tape around corners to make mitered corners so check that out for step-by-step details.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

In a nutshell, you will fold the bias tape to the right (see how to sew bias tape around corners to make mitered corners)…

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

…then you fold it back over itself and secure without pinning by using a barrette.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Continue this way around the entire mat. When you reach the beginning again, overlap your bias tape a couple inches and backstitch.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Cut the bias tape off close to where you finished stitching.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Now turn the folded bias tape edge over your raw edge to the back. Be sure to pull the bias tape tightly so that the bias tape on the back will catch when you sew it from the front. Pin or use a barrette to hold.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Here’s what the play mat for Play-Doh or coloring looks like from the back…

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

And here are those nice bias tape mitered corners on the front.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Sew close to the bias tape edge, removing barrettes as you reach them, making sure to catch the bias tape on the back when you sew.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Now some people like to stitch in the ditch here (which basically is stitching in the seam between the bias tape and your fabric, which essentially hides the stitching on the front while catching the bias tape on the back). Personally, I kind of like the topstitched look on the bias tape but this is totally up to you.

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

Now roll out your Play-Doh, get out the crayons and play on your fabric play mat!

How to make a kid's non-slip fabric DIY Play-doh mat or coloring mat great kids DIY gift

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Be sure to pin this easy DIY play mat sewing project for later.

DIY kids non-slip play mat free sewing pattern. Use it for Play-Doh, markers, coloring, painting, sand and more. Stays put and toss into the washer to clean! #freesewingpattern #sewingforkids #diyforkids #diygifts #sewing #sewingforkids

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Tell me in the comments below – what is your favorite color of Play-Doh?

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Copyright stuff: You’re more than welcome to use this free project and tutorial for personal use. Contact me for commercial use and etsy sales.

Filed Under: Baby & Kids, DIY Gift Ideas, DIY Tutorials, Free Patterns, Sewing Projects, Under 1 Hour

About Kathy

I'm Kathy, maker of things and Chicago mom who likes simple and clever DIYs that look handmade, not homemade. I like sewing, printables, handmade birthdays, holiday decor and easy cakes. See my work at HGTV, DIY Network, Apartment Therapy, DesignSponge, more. ✂️

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Comments

  1. 1

    Haixiang Wang says

    March 23, 2012 at 1:06 pm

    Email: [email protected]

  2. 2

    Sharon says

    April 6, 2012 at 9:55 pm

    Love it! I’ll be pinning this for sure. Mine don’t use the coffee table but they do tie up the kitchen table…Not anymore! Thanks!

  3. 3

    Shala says

    April 22, 2012 at 2:12 pm

    So smart! No going to lie, I would probably just use a vinyl table cloth instead of oil cloth. lol

    • 4

      Kathy Beymer says

      May 7, 2012 at 3:00 pm

      Hi Shala! That would work too, and then you’ve already got the no slip on the back. Smart thinking…

  4. 5

    Marcia says

    June 5, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    I just want to know where you purchase the oil canvas fabric. I have looked all over the place for it. Joann’s don’t know what I’m talking about. I want to know if you could just laminate it. Let me know where I can find the abc print thank you

  5. 6

    Jennifer says

    January 10, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    Could you tell me where you have found the oil canvas fabric? I noticed the link in the tutorial is for oilcloth yet you said that wasn’t it. Thanks for the information. LOVE the tutorial and idea!

  6. 7

    keyword2 says

    October 18, 2013 at 3:45 pm

    You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the paintings you write. The sector hopes for more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time follow your heart.

  7. 8

    Vikki says

    November 14, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    Did you post where to find the oil canvas fabric? I am looking for it also. Please advise!
    Thank you!

    • 9

      Kathy Beymer says

      November 15, 2013 at 3:40 pm

      Hi Vikki, I have searched Jo-Ann and it looks like they only sell oil cloth now, not oil canvas. That’s a shame because it was so nice to work with! If you end up finding any would you please let me know?

  8. 10

    Amie smith says

    April 2, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    I am hoping to cover a kids table and chairs with this fabric. Do you know where I can get it from? Thanks.

  9. 11

    Sheryl says

    April 30, 2018 at 12:23 pm

    Hi Kathy, I was doing a search to try and find where I can get the oil canvas fabric and all that would come up was something called duck cloth so my question is are the two the same thing and also where did u find the non slip fabric, thanks Sheryl B.

    • 12

      Kathy says

      May 2, 2018 at 8:11 am

      Hi Sheryl, a good substitute is laminated cotton and there are lots of cute prints out there. Or you could use oil cloth; however, check the label because some oil cloth is not tested for kids (from what I understand, all laminated cottons are tested). I got the no-slip fabric at JoAnn in the utility fabric section, but honestly I have so much of it that if you have any trouble, email me directly and I’ll pop some in the mail. Happy sewing!

Kathy Beymer from Merriment Design
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