A very good idea to make mats/cushions for use during meditation ;-)

Back to the time of the Buddha, there were a kind of mat (or cushion) that monks used to sit on when meditating. There were also issues of monks asking (or begging) for the best (highly priced) mats from poor but benevolent mat makers; monks using very thick mats; monks using colourful (patchwork) mats; etc. The Buddha had to make rules ('vinaya') specifying what mats were acceptable for monks. (Would any one with the knowledge of the Vinaya explain more?)