How to make a pet mat

1. Materials & tools

Materials (medium dog)

• Main fabric (cotton, oxford or boa) — about 110 cm wide × 80 cm (44 × 31 in)
• Backing fabric (non-slip fabric works well) — the same amount
• Medium batting — the same amount
• Optional: bias tape if you bind the edges instead

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 “Pets” → “Pet mat” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the width, depth and corner radius. Presets cover cat/small dog, medium 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
   With the corner radius at zero it is a rectangle, so mark it straight onto the fabric.
2. Cut
   Cut one main, one backing and one batting, cutting the batting 1 cm smaller all round.
3. Finish the edges
   Not needed — everything is enclosed.

4. Sewing

4-1. Layer the three pieces

1. Stack backing right side up, main fabric right side down, batting on top.
2. Clip all four sides. It is a large piece, so use plenty.

4-2. Sew and turn

1. Sew all the way around, leaving a 20 cm (8 in) gap.
2. Clip the corner curves and trim the corners.
3. Turn through the gap. It is bulky with the batting in, so ease it through gradually.

4-3. Topstitch

1. Fold the gap allowance in and press.
2. Topstitch 1 cm (⅜ in) from the edge all the way around, closing the gap.

4-4. Quilt a grid

1. Mark a grid at 10–15 cm (4–6 in) intervals.
2. Stitch along the lines, always working from the center outward so the batting cannot bunch ahead of the needle.

✏️ Do not skip the grid. Batting caught only at the edges migrates to one side in the first wash and never comes back. And always quilt from the center outward — starting at an edge leaves you with a ripple at the far end.

5. Tips & variations

• Non-slip backing: sold in craft shops. It stops the mat sliding on a wooden floor.
• Make two: pet things get dirty. One in use, one in the wash.
• Bind instead: layer the three wrong sides together and bind the edge, and you skip the turning entirely — much easier at large sizes.