A homemade picnic blanket is a wonderful gift idea or a simple, enjoyable sewing project. While making one does require sewing skills, it's not a very challenging project to finish in comparison to many other goods. Choose a thick, resilient fabric for your blanket and buy at least two sheets of it if you want to build a picnic blanket. If you wish to waterproof the underside of your blanket, get a layer of flexible vinyl. Set your cloth on a flat surface with the pattern facing down. If you want a fluffier blanket, add some padding or cotton batting on top. The edges of the second layer of cloth should be secured by sewing them. If you want to use nylon and specific fabric Velcro strips to store your blanket, you may also add straps.
Proper Procedure Of Making A Waterproof Picnic Blanket
If you’ve ever gone on a picnic, you’ll know the ground is usually always moist. Sitting on the ground for an extended period of time becomes a bit... wet because grass absorbs rainwater. This homemade picnic blanket features a vinyl backing to protect your food from dampness.
Materials Needed
- Thick, Non-Stretch Fabric
- Vinyl Fabric
- A Wide Piece Of Elastic
- Coordinating Thread
- Sewing Machine And Pins
- Masking Tape And Scissors
Step 1: Cut Your Fabric And Vinyl To The Same Size
- No matter how big you want your waterproof picnic blanket to be, cut your fabric and vinyl to the same size. Depending on what you require from your blanket, this will vary. A twin-sized sheet is roughly the size of several blankets, some of which are square.
- If you require space for only two people to sit on it, then you need to reduce its size. You might need to sew two pieces together to create a larger piece if you want a blanket that is wider than the width of your fabric or vinyl.
- Lay the vinyl and the fabric side by side, right sides facing in. Pinch all the edges.
Step 2: Sew The Fabric And The Vinyl Together
- Leave a 5-inch opening on one side while you straight-stitch the vinyl and fabric together. Turn the blanket inside-out through this opening.
Step 3: Topstitch All Edges Of The Blanket
- Turn the opening's edges inside the blanket, then secure them with pins. The blanket's edges should then be topstitched, with the 5-inch opening being closed as you go.
- Your sewing machine needs to be somewhat modified in order to sew with vinyl. Unlike conventional cloth, vinyl does not glide easily under the foot of the machine. Put two strips of masking tape on either side of the feed dogs (the device that moves the cloth beneath the foot) to aid in moving the vinyl. Do the topstitching with the ordinary fabric on top and the vinyl on the bottom.
Step 4: Roll Up Picnic Blanket Tightly When Not In Use
- The blanket is completed. With a little elastic and more vinyl, you can make a strap to keep the waterproof picnic blanket neatly rolled up while not in use. Cut a strip of vinyl that is twice as broad as the 3-inch elastic and just a bit shorter than the blanket's circumference when it is rolled up. Next, cut a 3-inch length of elastic.
Step 5: Stitch The Elastic In Place With A Straight Stitch
- Another small modification to the sewing machine is necessary before stitching the strap. You must also apply masking tape to the machine's foot because the strap has vinyl facing out on both the top and bottom. Make sure to leave space for the needle to pass through when attaching two tiny pieces of masking tape to the bottom of the foot.
- The vinyl should be folded in half lengthwise, with the elastic attached to one end. Put a straight stitch through the elastic and along the vinyl's open side to secure it in place. Stitch the other end of the elastic into the other end of the vinyl after folding the strap in half. Tie off after carrying the seam up the opposite side.