Chalk Mat

I received my chalk cloth in the mail yesterday and the kids were curious with what I planned to do with it. I showed Danial a few photos on the internet of some cute chalk mats and he got excited. He even asked me to sew one last night. But I promised that I make one for him and it will be ready by the time he gets home from school today. So this morning, after seeing Danial and Azrai off, I got started on my chalk mat. The first prototype was for Arwen. This is the first time, when she woke up that she stayed next to me and the sewing machine for me to finish the chalk mat. She was so excited that she didn’t take her breakfast and went on and on doodling away on the chalk mat. While she was preoccupied, I managed to make a second one for Danial. 

There’s a lot of tutorials for chalk mats so I’m not going to do one but just show you how mine is different. I like the bias tape finishing so I had mine finished with bias tape borders. I made mine from some IKEA fabric.

For the fun of it, I attached my DIY printed labels on the mat.

Knowing that my kids can’t tie a knot, i decided to use my snap buttons. the mat is rolled and secured with some twill tape and I pressed the snap button at the ends.

I made the pocket to keep the chalks and eraser with some scrap oilcloth and sew it to the bias tape so it can move out of the way so you get the maximum doodling space on the chalk mat.

I cut a kitchen sponge to half, one for Arwen and one for Danial and gave them a few sticks of chalks.

Prior to using the chalk mat, I read in many places that you should prime or cure it first by rubbing the side of the chalk and wipe it clean. 

It’s lots of fun to make and my kids are having lot of fun doodling on it. I think this is healthier in encouraging creativity in our children than handing them a PSP or an Ipad.

I’m definitely going to make some more of these and put it up for sale in my next bazaar.