Going to a yoga class, or even practicing on your own in a variety of locations, adds depth to your practice. It can teach you new things about yourself, give you confidence to try new poses, and offer a sense of community and fun. But it can be annoying to cart your mat around, especially when it tries to unroll as you're going through the door or getting in the car or juggling your water bottle and towel...
Avoid the frustration by making your own mat sling! Slings you buy in the store can be super expensive and many - particularly the ones made with Velcro - don't always fit as mats come in a range of thicknesses. This sling is adaptable to fit any width, and by making it yourself, you can adjust the length of the strap so that it fits your body! Plus, it's practically free it's so cheap to make!
INSTRUCTIONS
MATERIALS: Start with a piece of fabric about 5 feet long and two D rings that are 1.25 inches wide (or approximate). I repurposed a fabric belt that came with a skirt. You could use any type of fabric - a old scarf, a wide ribbon. I recommend using something that already has finished edges or, if you choose to cut new fabric, consider fabric that doesn't fray so you don't have to finish the edges. You'll want a fabric that isn't too stretchy as you want to retain the length you create.
STEP 1:
Take the very end of the fabric and tuck it through the flat part of the D ring. Make sure you fold the end onto the back side of the fabric so the front side stays nice. I have mine tacked with a pin in this photo. The belt I'm using doesn't have a straight edge and that's OK. Any shape will do as long as you can loop the fabric through the D ring.
STEP 2:
Sew a straight line (by hand or machine) to secure the D ring. I recommend using a basic thread that is the same color as the fabric or one that coordinates because the thread will show on both sides.
STEP 3:
Loop the round end of the D ring through the remaining part of the belt. Make sure the fabric tucks through so that the good/nice side is on top.
You're half-way finished. Great job!
STEP 4:
Place the remaining length of fabric through the second D ring.
STEP 5:
Now, take the remaining fabric tail and loop it around the flat side of the remaining D ring. This step is just like Step 1 but is a bit trickier since the loop is already surrounding the fabric. Make sure you're flipping the fabric with the tucked tail on the bad/seam side of the fabric. Sew the tail to itself to keep the D ring in place (see Step 2 if you need a better visual).
ALL DONE:
Now that you've finished sewing your sling, simply place each end of your mat into the loops you created. Grab the middle of the strap to place on your shoulder and it will automatically tighten and hold your mat in place.
Namaste!
