Car Mat...Part 2 Trains, Planes, Mountains & More

Now that all the buildings and houses are sewn (but not sewn to the mat) it is time to add the big items.

 This building is the airport.  The control tower has a referee from one of my I-Spy squares.
*Don't draw the runway until you have marked the railroad.
I've always been attracted to mountains--hiking, camping, fishing, the directional sense they give and the beauty.  So my car mat needed a mountain too.

 My Mom added the "Y" I added the butterfly.  My hubs and I both went to BYU-now we go picnicking in the mountains and catch butterflies.

My mom sewed the mountain on to the mat.  She appliqued the inside edges then added the stuffing.  The outside edges were finished off with a long zig-zag.  To make the canyons she moved the stuffing around and zig-zagged around.  The mountains were really puffy at first, after a lot of sewing on the mat and some play time they are starting to settle just enough.  The binding around the edges helped too.

Every child needs a sand box or dirt to play in, right?

This is just a dirt pile, lift the flaps to find...

A treasure...

 or Fossils!

 Once all the big items (zoo, mountain & lake) spread the mat out on the ground and lay out all the buildings and houses.  Determine where you want your roads to go. Mark the corners of each building and house with a pencil.  Label and draw an arrow to mark which direction the building/house should face. 
On my carmat I wanted to have a railroad around the edge.  If you want this too, remember to leave room around the edge before sewing any buildings on.
Once the buildings/houses are sewn on, pencil in the railroad.

 Use a long yard stick to make sure your lines are straight.

 I used the lid for a candle to mark the rounded edges.

After penciling in the railroad use a permanent marker to make it official.  Once the outside edges of the railroad are done add the railroad ties.

Next Up...

Part 3...Mark it up and Play