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[sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>]

EarthNSky wrote:
> This is a question for Susan Jane or anyone who sews...
> Also, if anyone here exercises on a mat, please weigh in with what you
> think would be best, too.
> I have a piece of foam, 2" thick, 6 feet long x 2 ft wide.  I want to
> make an exercise mat.
> My first thought was to use an old comforter that I have to make a cover
> for it, but after laying it out, I'm having second thoughts.  Option 2
> is to use heavy denim, what was once a sofa cover that I made.
>
> Plan A was to make a fitted cover for the foam, but then, it wouldn't be
> removable for washing, and I need that, so I had the idea of making it
> like a pillowcase, where the foam slides into the covering.  I would
> also add straps with velcro at the end of the foam so that I could roll
> up the mat like a sleeping bag and secure the roll using the velcro
> laden straps.  The backing of the comforter I wanted to use sticks on
> the foam and does not slide, which makes it great for exercise, but
> would be a real pain in the butt to get the cover off and on the foam
> mat for laundering.  
You can cover foam with a cleaner's bag, leaving 'far' side opening of 
the bag, insert foam into cover, remove cleaner's bag.  That's how they 
do couch cushions and the like.   I think it would still be a PITA for 
that shape/size.

I would likely cover the foam with a pretty closely fitted cover before 
I put any other cover on it; that will help keep it from breaking down 
so fast.  I'd use an old all-cotton sheet for that, if I could.  Then 
the foam and that cover I'd cover with whatever.  Lay out the foam, lay 
old sheet over it, and try the comforter for 'slip'.  It will likely 
slip more than on bare foam but I'd think there still might be enough 
'grab' there to make it workable.  My guess is you will still need a 
cleaner's bag to get the foam in/out, even with it covered with cotton.  
Some poly in the sheet cover would make it slip into the cover more 
easily but would also increase the slip after the cover's on, which I'd 
think wouldn't be good.

As to design of the cover, I'd likely make an envelope cover that could 
be tucked to the back just an inch or two, and use the soft Velcro to 
fasten that. Much easier to apply, and depending on the length of the 
zipper, may not cost any more.  Velco is likely to well outwear the 
zipper and it never needs it's pull replaced....

Fitted covers are a PITA on foam any way you go about it, I think, and 
to me an easily-removable cover would be important.  If you fit it, 
though, piping in the perimeter seams will help give it enough shape to 
help with that skinny 2" edge.  And piping's not hard, it just gets a 
bad rap.  Oh, I'm thinking you're missing your zipper foot.  Hmmm, 
piping in that case might be a hassle.

The denim will wear better than the comforter, simply because a twill 
weave wears better than almost any other weave, and it's probably also 
heavier than the surface factor of the comforter.  Less likely to pick 
up/show dirt.  But it's not like you're a 6 year-old, and if I wanted 
the comforter, that's what I'd use.

SJ