Project Time – Beginner, 1.5 hours
All seam allowances are 1/2”
My cot measures 25” x 72” so I made my sleeping pad the same size- it is 3” thick. You can of course change these measurements to suit you, and follow the same guide to create your own sleeping pad.
Cut fabric 56 x 76”
Fold fabric in half lengthwise, right sides together. Using a 1/2” seam allowance, begin sewing at fold across the top, pivot and continue sewing along the side, and pivot again. Sew a few inches, and then backstitch. Leave an opening about 8-10” for stuffing and then continue stitching to the folded edges.
Pinch the corners into triangles (as pictured) and use a ruler to mark a line in from the point that is 3” in length. This will be the thickness of the pad, so feel free to modify if you want a different degree of thickness here. Stitch along the line you marked, and repeat with the three remaining sides. Do not trim the excess fabric.
Flip the pad right side out.
Begin to stuff fiberfill through the opening. I used a full 5lb box of fiberfill, but do whatever feels right to you.
Once you are happy with your filling, you can stitch the opening closed by hand or with a 1/8” seam allowance on the machine like I did.
To finish, all you need to do is hand tie some knots to secure the front and back of the sleeping pad. I used a thick upholstery thread and yarn needle for this part, and it worked quite well. I loosely measured 6” from the edge of the pad and had about 12” spacing between each knot. You can do as many or as little as you like!
That’s it! This really does pair beautifully with my Quilted Sleeping Bag which is also a free Janome project. Here’s to long summer days and starry nights!
