Hey everyone! Today you will learn how to make a sturdy picnic blanket from one wideback fabric.
Here we go.
First, let's look at this fabric
This is Brown Dry Brush.
It comes from Wilmington Fabrics.
It is a cotton wideback fabric.
And it measures a full 108" wide.
The fiber type is 100% pure cotton.
It is sold by the yard.
The color is rich brown.
Warm brown hues run through the whole piece.
The pattern is a seamless dry brush design.
That dry brush look adds soft texture.
It looks brushed, not flat or shiny.
The description calls it machine washable, too.
And easy to care for.
That matters a lot for a picnic blanket.
This one will live outside and get used.
And that 108" width is the real helper.
One cut gives you both sides of the blanket.
No piecing narrow widths together first.
No seam running down the middle of your back.
Just like that, the fabric does the heavy lifting.
The project: a roll-up picnic blanket
We are making one finished picnic blanket.
It finishes about 50" by 68".
That is a good size for two or three folks.
Both sides use this same brown fabric.
So the blanket is fully reversible.
Flip it over, same warm brown.
Why does this fabric suit a picnic blanket?
The wide width gives us both panels.
The brown color hides real life well.
Grass bits and crumbs show less here.
And the cotton should hold up to washing.
You could quilt it in straight lines.
You could meander it freehand instead.
Or you could stitch in the ditch across a grid.
My preference is a simple grid.
It holds the layers flat on the ground.
The other two work great too.
Completely up to you.
Materials list
- 2 yards of Brown Dry Brush Cotton Wideback — that gives you one piece 108" wide by 72" long, enough for both panels plus binding strips
- Low-loft batting — one piece about 54" by 72", trimmed down after quilting
- Matching thread — I like a 50-weight cotton for piecing and quilting
- A size 90/14 needle — fresh, so it handles the three layers cleanly
- Two fabric ties or a strap, each about 18" long, for rolling it up
- A long tape measure — this fabric is wider than most cutting tables
- Chalk or a removable marker for marking your panel lines
- Pins or clips for basting and binding
- Your iron — big fabric holds fold lines, and pressing tames them
Brief steps
First, press your whole piece well.
Lay it out flat somewhere big.
A clean floor works just fine, y'all.
Mark two panels across the width.
Each panel measures 54" by 72".
They sit side by side, sharing the width.
Here is your warning, right at the risk.
Measure twice before that first long cut.
A crooked cut here follows both panels.
Slow down, square the edge, then cut.
Slow down or the needle snaps on thick spots.
That goes double when you cross seams later.
Now layer backing, batting, and top panel.
Pretty sides face out on both fabrics.
Smooth from the center toward the edges.
Pin or clip baste every few inches.
Quilt your layers together, nice and steady.
Keep your grid lines about 6" apart.
I use a stitch length of about 3.0 mm.
Travel across the blanket, row by row.
Then trim the sandwich square and even.
Trim it down to about 50" by 68".
Cut binding strips 2 1/2" wide.
Join them into one long binding strip.
Attach the binding, miter the corners, and finish.
Sew your two ties to one short end.
Roll from the opposite end, tie, and go.
Practical tips from my table
Press before you measure, every single time.
Then measure again after you press.
I learned that one the hard way, y'all.
Big yardage shifts more than you expect.
Use your longest ruler for the long cuts.
And keep the fabric supported, not hanging.
Hanging fabric pulls your cut off line.
If a quilting line wobbles a little, breathe.
Nobody on a picnic will hunt for that.
It does not have to be perfect, folks.
You are your own worst critic here.
Take your time, it is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Roll it up and stand back a minute.
Oh my goodness, that brown looks so warm.
Super duper easy, and ready for the park.
Thanks for spending a little time with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Brown Dry Brush Cotton Wideback Fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
