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.
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/sew.jpeg)
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.
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/corner-flat.jpeg)
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/corner-mark.jpeg)
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/corner-sew.jpeg)
Flip the pad right side out.
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/corner-right-side.jpeg)
Begin to stuff fiberfill through the opening. I used a full 5lb box of fiberfill, but do whatever feels right to you.
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/stuff.jpeg)
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.
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/close-opening.jpeg)
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!
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/hand-ties.jpeg)
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/pad-and-bag.jpeg)
![](/siteassets/inspire/inspire/projects/crafting/sleeping-pad/sleeping-bag.jpeg)
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!