We know bath mats are inexpensive and washable, but that’s no reason to avoid creating cooler DIY versions to replace your plain old towel mats! What’s even more fun than crafting your own bath mats is making them from unconventional materials.
Check out these collection of DIY mat and rug ideas made from all different materials, each of which would make a great bath mat!
Loopy yarn bath mat by Purl Soho
This bath mat is perfect for avid knitters! By knitting around your middle finger on each stitch, you can create big soft loops that feel great on your feet!
Quilted bath mat by Quilted Barbie
Quilted bath mats are perfect for avid sewers of quilters who have a stash of spare material they’ll probably never need. Put your scraps to good used and create a soft, colourful bath mat!
Wooden spa bath mat by House of Hepworths
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This bath mat is a lot simpler than it looks! Seek out an IKEA decking kit (or one from a similar brand) that already comes in squares. These pieces are designed to hook together to form a whole deck, but you’ll only need one back. Create the mat in the size and shape you want and choose whether you want to attach the pieces or leave the mat stackable to be moved. If you want it to look very clean, use tools to remove the links around the outer edge.
Braided towel mat by Sisters of the Wild West
Cut three old towels into vertical strips of either length. To start, pile on strip of each colour (or any three strips if you’ve chosen towels that are the same) and sew the ends together. Braid those strips and, when you read the end, grab more strips and braid them in to continue. When you’ve finished all the trips and have one long rope, sew those ends together too Shape the rope like a spiral and sew it in place!
Non-slip cotton rug bath mat by Makely Home
This one’s quick, easy, and it upcycles! Buy some gripping shelf liner and hot glue it (or sew it, if you’re worried that glue won’t hold to the material) to the underside of your mat. If you want it to be smaller, adjust the size first by trimming it before you glue the grip liner.
Nautical rope bath mat by Martha Stewart
This pattern requires you to weave eight pieces of rope in a braided criss cross pattern, sewing the ends together. If you’re worried that the ropes will shift with use, glue them together periodically throughout the pattern once you’ve finished weaving.
Colourful pom pom bath mat by Poppytalk
Making pom poms can be tim consuming, but this mat is a great way to use up your yarn scraps. Stitch your pom poms to a piece of fabric or a sheet of canvas and enjoy how soft and squishy the mat feels on your toes.
Wooden half circle bath mat by Reality Day Dream
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Technically this tutorial is for a wooden front door mat, but we think it would look gorgeous outside a standing shower! Cut wooden strips, stain them, and hold them, drill a hole through each end, and hold them in shape by stringing rope through the holes.
Table cloth bath mat by Dreambook Design
This tutorial shows you how to upcycle a table cloth into a rug! The same method would make a great bath mat if you, customized the shape. If you’re worried about the mat sliding, stick a grip pad to the bottom using spray adhesive.
“Living” moss bath mat by The Snug
This bath mat is a little more high maintenance, but very unique! Make the base out of kids’ foam play mats layered together with spaces for the moss plugs to nestle into cut out across the top.
Knitted rag bath mat by A Common Thread
Cut an old sheet or duvet cover into long strips and knot them end to end to create your “yarn”. Using your biggest needles, knit a basic 4 x 4 cable.
Pebble bath mat by Curbly
This mat feels great on your feet! All you need is a rubber welcome mat, a bag of river rocks (you can collect your own, but make sure they’re smooth so they don’t cut your feet), and very strong glue, like contact cement.
Wine cork bath mat by Crafty Nest
As long as you’re careful with your exacto knife, this mat is quick and easy! You’ll need a non stick shelf liner, hot glue, and corks cut in half the long way so each half has a flat side and a rounded side. Glue them to the liner flat side down.
T-shirt rag bath mat by DIY Network
Cut old t-shirts into rag strips and feed the strips through the holes in a gripping shelf liner. Knit the end of each strip on the underside of the mad so it doesn’t fall out. Fill as many holes as you can to make the mat thick and absorbent.
Upcycled towel and fabric bath mat by Imagine Gnats
This mat is great for sewers with spare fabric. Place a towel between two pieces of fabric for absorbency, pin around the edges, and sew the three together. bind the edges if you want it to look more tidy. If you choose two different fabrics, your mat will be reversible!
Have you made other bath mats from creative materials before? Tell us how you did it in the comments!
