How to make a doormat

1. Materials & tools

Materials (one mat, standard size)

• Outer (canvas or heavy cotton) — about 70 × 45 cm
• Lining (the same) — about 70 × 45 cm
• Wadding (heavyweight) — about 65 × 42 cm
• Bias binding, 25 mm folded — about 2.3 m
• Non-slip sheet — about 60 × 38 cm
• Sewing thread

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Home” → “Doormat” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the width, the depth and the corner radius. Presets cover small, standard and large.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Trace the pattern
   Lay the pattern on the wrong side and trace the cutting line.
2. Cut the pieces
   One outer, one lining, one wadding. Cut the wadding without allowances.
3. Transfer the notches
   Mark the center of the top edge as the starting point for the binding.

4. Sewing

4-1. Stack the layers

1. Lay lining wrong side up, then wadding, then outer right side up.
2. Baste or clip. It is thick, so pins do not go through easily.
3. Smooth from the center outwards.

4-2. Quilt it

1. Stitch a grid from the right side, about 8 cm apart.
2. Work from the center outwards.
3. Skip this and the wadding shifts and clumps in the wash.

4-3. Bind the edge

1. Bind all round with bias tape and stitch.
2. A doormat is walked on, so the wider 25 mm tape suits it.
3. Ease the tape round the corners.
4. Overlap the start and finish by 2 cm.

4-4. Add the non-slip sheet

1. Lay the non-slip sheet on the underside and stitch it at the corners and a few points in the middle.
2. Stitching all over makes it hard to wash — points are enough.

✏️ Do not skip the quilting. A doormat gets walked on and washed. Without the stitching, the wadding shifts and turns into lumps after a single wash. An 8 cm grid keeps it flat through any number of washes.

5. Tips & variations

• Non-slip is essential: a mat that slides in an entrance is dangerous.
• It washes: that is the advantage over a bought one.
• Wide binding: at 25 mm the edge survives being trodden on.