teaching sewing confidence, tip by tip

Saturday 16 August 2014

The Rockin' Robot Laminate Backed Picnic Playmat

   

Not long now until my grandson, Oliver, will be with us and son, Jack and Ana have been busy planning and equipping their nursery.  A few weeks ago they sent me this pic of Jack, and my daughter, Flicky, painting the room


and when they sent this finished paintwork pic they said they were going with a space theme.


In my stash was this panel - same colours and a space theme - all robots, space ships and rockets - Blue Sky Studio "Rockets and Robots" for Benartex


Sending back this pic we started discussing what I could make it into - a wall hanging, play mat, picnic blanket - the final consensus a waterproof playmat/picnic blanket - softening the wooden bedroom floor and perfect for outdoor picnics.


The panel wasn't wide enough on its own so I added red rocket fabric borders, also from my stash - Out of this World by jill mcdonald for P&B Textiles.

Once the top was complete I attached fusible batting and free motion quilted it without a backing using Aurifil 40/2 #2770 - Very Light Delft.


The background and borders are stippled while I've framed and outlined each image - you can see the fmq easily here on the batting side.


Once complete I spray basted the batting with Odif 505 temporary fabric adhesive spray and attached a red and white polka dot laminate backing (Riley Blake Designs Pattern C350-80 Dots by The RBD Designers) then bound the playmat with Kona Solid - Jade Green.  Finished playmat size 39" x 48".


Time for the photo shoot.


Oh and here's a couple of robot friends that I couldn't resist buying for Oliver too.


I did the photoshoot before carrying out the part of the process I was dreading - washing the playmat.  I had no idea what would happen given it's a quilted top and non-quilted laminate backing.


I'm delighted to report the playmat washed perfectly.  Obviously the backing is now only attached to the playmat by the bound edges and no longer firmly attached to the complete top as the temporary spray glue has washed away but that doesn't affect the finished playmat at all. In fact it was better the back was no longer attached as the top crinkled and shrank in the wash - the way quilts do - and the back remained the same size and flat.

I hung the playmat over the shower rail until it was half dry and then I ironed the quilted top (not the laminate side!) twice with a nice warm iron (taking care not to stay too long on one place - didn't want to melt through the back).  The quilted top went back to size and completely flat again.

Such a relief - no point in a baby play mat that can't be machine washed!!!

And here's a pic of the washed playmat - can't make it bigger because it's a phone pic and too blurry, it's the pic I sent to Jack and Ana the moment I knew all had gone well, but trust me it's perfect!


I simply can't wait to see Oliver playing on it :D



 
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34 comments:

  1. What a great idea! I love your quilting details around all the images. So cute!

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  2. I love the idea of a laminate back! This is so cute. You are fast. So exciting.

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  3. How fantastic! Great idea and the fmq looks amazing! The striped walls looks brilliant too. Those Lamaze toys are so well made, I'm sure Oliver will have lots of fun with the robots!

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    1. Excited to see everything for myself on Tuesday Lucy - and, of course, to see the three of them and give Oliver a cuddle :D

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  4. Oh it turned out so, co cute!

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  5. What a great idea Chrissie! Love it!

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  6. Clever idea, and how lucky that you had just the right fabric! Not sure I'd have been brave enough to quilt on batting without a back. So glad it worked out fine and the play mat made it through the washer and dryer!

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    1. Thanks, it was such a relief when all went well in the wash! It's just the same to quilt with or without backing on your batting, you just need to clean out under your needle plate and in your bobbin area well afterwards as more lint can accumulate - I clean these out every time I sit at the machine anyway so it's not a problem for me :D

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  7. Chris, what a fabulous project - so colorful and practical. I hope you will show photos of it again, updated with the addition of baby Oliver. Cute nursery - and isn't it a thrill to see one's children working together on a project. Congratulations on all accounts!

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    1. I love that pic of Jack and Flicky working on the nursery Cynthia, more pics to follow I'm sure! :D

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  8. Love LOVE this idea to make a quilt (playmat) with a laminated backing! So darn cute, too ~ that's one quilt that will surely get used a lot!

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  9. this is such a fantastic idea. Thanks for sharing how you made it - such a bright, colourful and useful baby gift - I am sure it will be well loved :-)

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  10. This is adorable, great job! I'm glad to hear it washed up well.

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  11. Such a lucky little boy, congratulations to your family's new upcoming arrival

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  12. What a great idea. Thanks for sharing the washing info.

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  13. What a gorgeous play mat Chrissie! Your grandson is a lucky little boy already! So good that it washed so well in the machine too!
    Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
    Hope you have a fabulous week!
    Jill @ Creating my way to Success
    http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

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  14. I love how you quilted this! And I'm glad the laminate turned out so well! Your kids did an awesome job painting those stripes.

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    1. They've been well trained over the years - when I had my interior design company I took additional training for 12 months as a painter and decorator so I'd know for myself what was possible/feasible/appropriate for any project I worked on. I trialled all my ideas on our own homes and it's all my kids have ever known - finally I'm seeing the results of this in them!!! :D

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  15. Brilliant! Love that laminate polka dot backing ... I'll keep that in mind :)

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  16. That's a great playmat! So glad everything went well with the washing. Thanks for linking to TGIFF, and have fun cuddling little Oliver when he arrives.

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  17. Hi there! I'm glad I found you at the TGIFF link up! I remember a little while ago you volunteered to quilt for the Glasgow Girls Club. I want to share with you my own story about the generosity of quilters. Quilters rock!

    http://modgeometry.com/quilts/prism/

    I really love the playmat you made. How nice that it's waterproof. Thanks for the update -- i would love to try this.

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    1. Took a look at your quilt Tina, how wonderful and what a great story behind it too. Getting anything to Quilt Market is always a panic- I was the same with my 'Remains Of The Day' quilt for Windham's new Meadowlark collection this year. And isn't Daryl @Andover Fabrics fab? She could talk a girl into anything!!! :D

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  18. That is fantastic. So glad the washing worked too!! Thanks for sharing your results!

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  19. How perfect! And oh, my goodness, the quilting is spectacular!

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  20. On a mat like that, playtime is sure to be a blast(off)!

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  21. Like the design (all the colours fit perfect for the room!) vut especially I like you crative solutions for practicality!

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  22. I am sure Oliver will enjoy his quilt mat as well as the grownups too.

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  23. I was wondering as I read this how it would stand up to washing, glad to hear that it came through with flying colours!

    Thanks for linking up to New to Me too.

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  24. Saw your pic @ New to Me and came over for a peek :) That's a great panel, and it made a totally adorable quilt! I really wouldn't have expected the blanket to come through the washer/dryer as well as it did - that's good to know :)

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  25. Congratulations on a new grandson ! My new grandson came 3 weeks ago ! I love the quilt for him and the paint job for his nursery......my kids went with a cowboy theme, Texas you know, so I made a baby quilt, twin quilt and curtains, etc.

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    1. Isn't it just the best fun time having a grandchild?! Congrats on yours too, Oliver was born 11 days ago and I get to see him next Tuesday, simply can't wait :D

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  26. What an awesome idea to use laminate backing and the panel came up beautifully. It's wonderful to have a new grandson to make plenty of thing for so start looking for ideas.

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Chris Dodsley


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