How to Turn a Towel Into a Bath Mat

Need a new bath mat for one of your bathrooms? Here’s how to upcycle a towel into a plush, no-cost bath mat. This quick sewing project is easy enough for beginners.

What You Need:

(1) Bath towel
A spool of 1-1/2″ ribbon
Scissors
Thread
Sewing pins or sewing clips
A sewing machine (This is the machine that I have)

Use an old towel from your linen closet; pick up a colorful vintage towel from a thrift store; or purchase an extra bath towel the next time you replace your towels, so you can make a matching bath mat. Since towels are usually cheaper than bath mats, you’ll still come out ahead, if you use a new towel.

I recommend using grosgrain ribbon to trim the edge of your bath mat. It’ll dry quickly, and hold up for the long-haul.

How to Sew a Bath Mat Out of an Old Towel

These instructions make a thick, triple-ply towel bath mat that’s similar to the ones used in hotels. They’re easy to wash, and dry quickly.

What You Do:

If your towel has fringe, like this one, cut it off. Then, fold your towel into thirds on the short side. Place the side you want on top facing up.

To create the trim for your bath mat, fold the end of your ribbon under a half-inch (to prevent it from unraveling).

Then, starting in the center of one of the sides, fold the ribbon in half long-ways; and pin, or clip, it over the raw edges of the towel, so that half of the ribbon covers the front edge and half of the ribbon covers the back edge.

Pro Tip: Before you begin, fold the ribbon in half, and finger press it to create a crease down the center, so you’ll be sure to apply it evenly to the front and back.

When you get to the corners, fold the ribbon at a 45-degree angle to form neat, mitered edges. Then, continue pinning or clipping the ribbon to the edge of the bath mat, until you make it back around to where you started. Cut the ribbon a bit long, so you’ll have enough to fold the end under, and overlap your starting point.

Now, inspect the front and backside of your bath mat careful, to ensure you’ve captured all the edges in your ribbon binding. If there are any gaps or bunchy spots, address them now.