Pins & Needles Yoga Mat Strap

Many of us at Pins & Needles are big fans of yoga, so after discussing all the different ways we all carry our mats - in a yoga carrier, in a our tote or just holding it in our hands we thought let’s stitch up an easy strap for a lightweight no-nonsense carrying option. Here we share the steps to make one for yourself or a fellow yogi! Have fun and “Namaste”.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:• Fabric - 1/4 yard of medium to heavy cotton fabric • Interfacing - 1/4 yard of light to mid-weight fusible interfacing• 32” of 1” webbing• Matching Thread• Chopstick or turning tool• Basic Sewing Supplies

STEPS:

1. Cut two pieces of fabric and fusible interfacing into 3.75” X 30” strips.

2. Iron the fusible interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric according to the manufacturers directions.

3. Pin the two strips of fabric on the short side and sew together creating one long strip. Press seams open.

4. Fold the strip in half right sides together lengthwise and pin. Sew beginning on one short end along the pinned edges leaving approximately 12” - 13” of an opening at center of edge you are stitching.

5. Take out all of your pins and turn the strip right side out - this is where your chopstick (or turning tool) comes in handy to push out edges.

6. Fold under the open edges approximately 1/4” to hide your raw edges and using a hot iron press entire length of strap closed. Pin the open edge closed.

7. Take the length of your webbing and pin it in place on top of your strip centering it both length-wise and width-wise. Each end should be approximately 16” - 17” out from the center.

8.Top-stitch around the entire strip making sure to catch your webbing which should be approximately 1/8” - 1/4” in. Also do not forget to catch the opening you originally pinned.

9. Sew a 2” buttonhole approximately 1.75” in from the end of the strap. Open up the button.

10. Pull one end of the strap through the buttonhole on the opposite end to create a loop and then repeat this on the other end of the strap. Take your yoga mat and insert into the loops and pull the strap tight.