no-sew picnic blanket

Happy August! Something about the transition into this month has my mind filled with Fall already – and with thinking about how we spent our summer. Did you do what you wanted with yours? If there’s something missing – the good news is there are still a few weeks left to make it happen! I wish we had picnicked more, so it is a goal of the next few weeks… and a perfect excuse to jump into this no-sew picnic blanket project. Use it now for the beach and later for Saturday morning soccer games!

I’ve always loved the idea of a reversible and easy to wrap picnic blanket, but I also hate dragging out my sewing machine – so this version is perfect for me. Double layered, lined with oil cloth for waterproof security, easy to throw over my shoulder, and not a stitch of sewing needed… Low-maintenance, exactly how I like the end of summer to be.

To make your own no-sew picnic blanket start, with 2 four feet x four feet (or whatever size you want to make!) lengths of cotton fabric. Choose light and dark, or patterned and plain (the fun thing about this blanket is that it can have 2 personalities). You will also need one piece of oil cloth that matches your fabric dimensions, and iron friendly hemming tape. Read on for the full tutorial.

Turn your fabric over one inch along the seam and iron the seam down into place. Iron the tape directly to the edge of the fabric and then remove the backing before folding a one inch hem over and sealing it with the iron.

Next, cut a piece of oil cloth to the exact dimensions of the cotton fabric. Use the hemming tape once again to bind the two pieces to each other. Add a third layer of cotton on top (if you prefer) using the same process. Seeew simple!

Created a handle to carry the blanket by tying a piece of ribbon around it, leaving a long enough length to hold on to or to throw over your shoulder.

Project design + photography by Tina Fussell at the base of the Swiss Alps for A Subtle Revelry.