Why I Practice Yoga While Traveling
Long ago, I discovered that yoga made me feel good but it took awhile to realize that it extended to travel. Yoga is both a physical workout and a meditation, two things that are great for you no matter where you are. I started doing yoga while traveling on a business trip it wasnt vacation so I wanted to stick to my healthy routine and stay somewhat fit. When I realized what a help it was both physically and mentally, I added it to my leisure travel, too.
Yoga helps me sleep better, clear my head, and physically stretch my body after a cramped flight or a long day of walking. I do energizing practices when Im fighting jetlag to stay awake and restorative practives when Im too excited to end my day. Many days, 15 minutes is enough, though other days Ill practice for a full hour so I have plenty of opportunity to stretch, focus on my breathing, and quiet my mind.
Joining local classes and special events can also be a ton of fun. Why limit yourself to traditional tourist activities when you can add in yoga at rooftops, breweries, museums, and other fun spaces?
Some people build time into their vacations to read a book or sleep in past breakfast. My husband likes time for guilty pleasures like watching a movie. I just happen to carve out some time for yoga.
About Our Guest Blogger
Hi! I’m Emma, and as well as working on the Fiskars Design Team, I blog over at hellobeautifulblog.blogspot.com/
I’m an obsessive sewer, often leaping into projects with more enthusiasm than talent, more bravado than skill and more good luck than anything else. This technique has worked well for me so far and more often than not, I make things I love, even if they’re not absolutely perfect. And though I’m no expert, I have a passion for fabric, color and design. I know what I like and what I like makes me smile.
Sew Your Own Yoga Accessories Mat Wrap Mat Bag Zafu Meditation Pillow Yoga Bolsters And More
You know Simplicity pattern company has come out with patterns for making bolsters, cushions, yoga mat bags and such, but there is a wealth of info out there on the web to help you make your own yoga props.
I made my yoga mat bag out of upholstery material. I didnt need to use any lining material because my upholstery fabric was very thick.
How to Make a Zafu and Zabuton
Whether youre looking for some comfortable, casual seating or you want to make your meditation sessions more pleasant, a zafu and zabuton are wonderful things to have around the house. Zafu and zabuton are traditional Japanese cushions used for meditation the zafu is a circular pillow with pleated sides, and the zabuton is pretty much just a large, flat pillow. You can order them online for $40+ each, but its cheaper and more satisfying to make your own at home.
The zafu elevates and cushions the pelvis, and the zabuton cushions the knees and ankles. This position facilitates better posture, eases joint and back pain, and may help one achieve deeper longer meditation sessions. As long as youre making one set, why not make two? Keep the extra set for guests, give it to a friend who meditates or has back problems, or donate it to your local Zen center or Buddhist temple.
As for filler, I used organic pillow-grade buckwheat hulls for the zafu and plain ol polyester stuffing for the zabuton. Kapok would be a better choice for both, but its fairly expensive.
Zabuton
From Simplicity:
Kwik Sew
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How To Clean A Yoga Mat
So many times, we get too engrossed in our exercises and keeping fit activities and we forget to clean up our yoga mats. This is not as difficult as we assume it to be. While using a soft cloth to do the cleaning, you will need to pay attention to the areas that your feet and hands get in contact with. Yoga mat special wipes can be of help
Make Your Own Yoga Mat Bag
By | Submitted On April 19, 2009
A lot of people who practice yoga have their own mat, and if they plan to practice yoga anywhere other than their own home, they will need a yoga mat bag. Too many of these people think that they need to purchase one of these bags, however, they overlook the fact that it can be extremely simple to create your own mat bag. There are plenty of reasons why you might want to make your own bag, hopefully this article will help you to decide if making your own mat bag is right for you.
The primary benefit that making your own yoga mat bag has over purchasing one is that it can be far less expensive than purchasing one. All you need is the materials, a sewing machine, and some spare time to make your very own mat bag. It is entirely possible for you to spend under $10 for a very high quality, hand made bag that has all of the features you want. This beats spending anywhere from $20 to $50 on a bag that was purchased.
Another thing that you are going to want to consider is what features you will want your yoga mat bag to have. Some of the best mat bags have some feature to keep the mat rolled tight, whether it be a drawstring at the top, straps in the middle, or even a zipper or snaps. You will definitely want to consider a durable solution for keeping your mat rolled up tight which makes it easier to transport as well as store. You will also definitely want to use some sort of shoulder strap to carry the bag as well.
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The Cleverly Named Reversible Mat From Lululemon Is Like Having Two Lightweight Yoga Mats For The Price Of One
Pros: Reversible with a grippier side for when you sweat, very thin and light, antimicrobial
Cons: Not much cushion
One of the downsides of taking your yoga practice on the road is decreased access to the props and extras that make classes and at-home vinyasa sessions more enjoyable.
The Reversible Mat from Lululemon helps solve that problem with a moisture-absorbing polyurethane-coated layer on one side, and natural rubber on the other. If you get super sweaty during a vigorous practice, use the grippier side to keep yourself from slip-sliding off the mat. For more chill sessions, you can use the rubberized side. The mat also has an antimicrobial additive to help prevent mold and mildew, which makes for more peace of mind while traveling.
This mat is a bit thinner than our other picks at 1.5 mm, so if you like mats with ample cushion, you may need to look elsewhere.
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How To Make A Yoga Mat Bag
You need to start by cutting your fabric. I cut one big piece for the sides of the bag. The width of the cut should be 18 . The length was 35 .
I folded the big piece of fabric in half and sewed up the edge only. This creates a long tube. I serged, but you can certainly sew normally as well. You may want to finish the edges with a zig zag, depending on what type of fabric youre using.
Create your strap. You want the finished length to be as long as your finished yoga mat bag. You can turn and topstitch the strap, but I choose to just serge the strap because I like the look and its fast.
The strap is 34 x 3 when finished .
Now you need to cut the bottom circle for your bag. To figure this out, measure the circumference of the opening at the bottom of the bag. Add your seam allowance. Thats how big your circle should be.
Next you need to pin your circle for the bottom right sides together at the bottom of the bag. Youll want to sandwich the bottom of your strap in between the layers too. I placed mine along the side seam.
Once the bottom was sewn on, I serged the top of the bag. I folded it over, pinned the top of the strap on, then I used a straight stitch around the top to finish the seam.
Quite frankly, this was so fast, easy and satisfying that Im not sure why I havent made a million of these. Love this? Check out 15 Small Home Gym Ideas.
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How To Choose The Right Yoga Mat
Choosing a perfect yoga mat can be tricky. Regardless of whether you are new to yoga or whether you have been practicing for a while, the yoga mat you use can make or break your session. A yoga mat is a yogis private space the place where you find peace, mindfulness and zen. In other words you want the flow. The last thing you need from your yoga mat is to mess up your flow. No one wants to be slipping or sliding, and one definitely does not need bruised knees or a painful spine after practice. You want to maintain focus and avoid injury. So if you are a regular yoga enthusiast, invest in your own mat.
Thread The Drawstring Through The Top Of The Bag
Cut a length of ribbon to serve as the drawstring for your bag. Then, thread it through one of the drawstring holes, and work it around to the other side. Continue to tug on the ribbon until it is even on both sides. Finish by tying a knot at each end to prevent the ribbon from slipping back through the holes.
This step can be a bit frustrating. So, untwist a metal coat hanger, tie the ribbon around one end, and use it to guide the ribbon through.
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Bringing A Yoga Mat In Your Checked Luggage
If your rolled-up yoga mat is too tall to meet the carry-on item dimension restrictions and too thick to be folded up into your carry-on luggage, your last option is to pack your yoga mat into a larger checked luggage bag.
To do this successfully, you will want to make sure your checked bag is large enough to fit your rolled up yoga mat diagonally across the bag. Remember the Pythagorean Theorem from school? This is one of the few times in your life where you might actually use it! You can use the length & width of the internal compartment dimensions to determine if your bag will bag large enough to fit your rolled-up yoga mat inside. Larger luggage bags may even be tall enough to fit your rolled-up mat lengthwise inside.
Beyond just the dimensions, it is also worth mentioning that all airlines have checked luggage weight restrictions. While your yoga mat probably isnt very heavy, do not forget to factor in its weight to ensure that you dont end up paying overweight checked baggage fees when you get to the airport.
How To Make A Yoga Mat Holder
Traveling around with your yoga mat can be a lot easier if you have a yoga mat holder. Guess what? If you can make a yoga mat by yourself then you can also make a yoga mat holder by yourself too. Its more interesting when you have an opportunity to customize it. This strap is easily adjustable and it requires the easiest of materials to use.
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Free Yoga Mat Bag Tutorial
If youre looking for a cute way to carry around your cumbersome yoga mat to your next class, or even to coffee afterwards, why not make your own carrying bag? I have an easy and quick tutorial to make a bag that can be completely personalized to your taste.
This post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!
What youll need:
1 Outer Fabric : 28 in by 20 in If you choose a fabric that is not too stiff, use interfacing to add weight and stiffness.
1 Liner Fabric : 28 in by 20 in
1 32 x 4 inch piece of fabric for strap
1 6 in. diameter circle for bottom in outer fabric
Material for pocket 2 piece 8×10 inches and 1 piece 8 x 6.5 inches
Snaps or velcro for pocket
1 Piece of cord at least 32 inches long for drawstring.
I love getting fabric from fabric.com. They have lots of canvas and cotton prints to choose from. I debated making this bag in this awesome canvas by cotton and steel, but Im saving it for a tote bag instead.
I also have quilting cotton available for the lining and pocket pieces. Take a look here.
You will need a sewing machine, and if you have it, a serger will help as well! You can check out my recommendations here at my resources page.
Top stitch around the three sides of the pocket, leaving the top open. Be sure to back stitch at the ends. Then position the flap piece so it overlaps the top. Stitch along the top.
Stuff You Are Going To Need
First things first. Youre going to need a few things before learning how to make your own yoga mat bag. You can make your own yoga bag with these materials:
- Ruler
- 1 yard of medium weight outer fabric
- ¼ yard of Eco Canvas, contrasting your outer fabric.
- 1 yard of light or medium weight lining fabric
- Drawstring of your choice
- A cord lock
*Eco canvas is a durable and sturdy fabric that is 100% polyester canvas made with 45% recycled content. They come in a variety of bold and awesome colors, too!
**Kona cotton is a 100% cotton fabric that is of a heavier weight than your average cotton shirt. Its sold in solid colors and can act as cool inner linings.
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Ways To Clean Your Travel Yoga Mat
There is more than one way of cleaning your yoga mat. Dont worry about being always on the go you can still clean your yoga mat. For a quick clean after your session, here are some tips:
Using Vinegar and Water
I usually make a mixture consisting of equal parts of water and white vinegar. This is usually my go-to homemade cleaning solution. You can add some essential oils to your solution for that pleasant aroma.
Simply spritz some of the solution to your yoga mat and wipe it down with a clean cloth or sponge. Never use any rough material like steel wool as this can easily damage your mat surface. Once done, allow your mat to dry outside or inside if you have a well-ventilated room.
Using Soap and Water
Cleaning with a mix of mild ecological dish soap and water is another method of cleaning your yoga mat. Make sure not to use too much soap in your mixture. During rinsing, run water on each side of your mat to remove any residue.
If you have either of the abovementioned cleaning solutions, you can carry it around and use it to lightly spray and wipe down your mat after a sweaty session.
How To Make Your Own Colorful Custom Yoga Bag
Its time to unearth some of those old New Years resolutions about getting healthy! Youve been meaning to make it to yoga one of these evenings, but still havent made it happen. Well, we cant promise this bag will actually get you to your class, but we can guarantee itll make you the most stylish budding yogi around!
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How To Build A Yoga Mat Holder
When you are done with your yoga exercises how you preserve your yoga mat is quite important. If you have children who move around distorting what has been arranged then you will need more than just keeping them leaning by the wall of the room. This wooden yoga mat holder is really helpful and it is not difficult to make.
Responses To Yoga Mat Bag Tutorial
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sbrizz
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That looks awesome! 😀 Ive made a yoga mat bag once, but not for a yoga mat. ^^ It was for my A2 size drawings there are these plastic black carrying tubes you can buy, but I figured I could make my own.
I also LOL-ed at the your bottom part. x)
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That looks awesome! 😀 Ive made a yoga mat bag once, but not for a yoga mat. ^^ It was for my A2 size drawings there are these plastic black carrying tubes you can buy, but I figured I could make my own.
I also LOL-ed at the your bottom part. x)
A space-saver tracing tube! Thats clever. 🙂 I will mention that to my roommates. Three of them are architects. One is studying to be an architect. 😀
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hehe can you do this without the sewing machine?
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johanna
Thanks for the great instructions! I just finished by bag yesterday. I added a piece of mesh sewn to the top to let it air out and it makes it easy to weave ribbon or thin rope thru and cinch. I recycled a spare badge strap for the tie and tighten it with a cinch-pinch button thing . I wish I had read all your instructions for all the good stuff you makeI might have used some light interfacing in the yoga bag too to keep it looking nice. Thanks again for sharing! :^)
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