Yes, it is true, you can't buy everything. BigPuzzleMat is one of those things. Meaning a mat for 9000 piece puzzle sized 193 x 139 cm. That's why I had to make one and here's tutorial also for you. Then you or the kids can freely enjoy about the hobby. Just roll it all up when you need to clean the floor. My design for you.
The 1st guestion was; around which to roll it all up? The result was this cardboard tube. Around these they rollup the fabrics at the factories to transport the fabrics to the shops. And the fabric shops have plenty of these. And if you buy fabric they usually give this for free to you because for them it is just trash. Ask for it and ask it for free. I bought 2,5m of fabric that was 1,4m wide. It costed 19,60€ and 3m of cord that cost 2,10€ so it all together made 21,70€.
My tube is 1,4m wide so the size was just perfect. But you can also cut these tubes shorther.
Neaten the edges of the fabric. You can use sewing machine's zigzag stitch or overlock machine.You need to neaten only there where the fabric has been cut. If the fabric's side edges are not cut they won't ravel out.
If you are using overlock machine this is good way to hide the loose end. If you cut it; it will ravel out during the time for a bit. But if you leave the yarns a bit longer and hide them like this the edge will stay good looking. (From this picture you can see the side edge of the fabric which doesn't ravel out.)
You need to measure the size of the tube ring.
Mine was 19cm. I made the fold that forms out the passageway for the tube. The size of the passageway is half of 19cm = 9,5cm plus 1-2cm extra (to get the tube easily in) and the seam allowance 1cm.
Sew the passageway. And then fasten the cords to the other end of the fabric. I made 3 cords. One in the centre and two 15cm far away from the side edges. I had 3m of cord which I cut in three 1m long pieces. Then I sew these pieces from their midpoints so that each cord -at the end- was 0,5m long.
Slide the tube in.
Roll it all up.
Tie it all up.
Ta-dah! You made it! It was not difficult at all!
PS. Excellent gift idea for a PuZZleLoveR <3
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