picnic blanket.
 

i am making a picnic blanket for my daughter and i, sort of for christmas but mostly because i am waiting for the fabric for the next big project to arrive. i'm making a wonky log cabin from the stash in the bin. it's not pretty really...using up all those old ssi fabrics and stuff like that. cute, but i dunno...it doesn't wholly me please me. then i remind myself...it's for picnics. it's fine :)

we tend to do a lot of things in the evening when the grass is damp, and we are professional beach sitters.

i thought i might use that pul diaper cover stuff for the backing, but then i thought....between the price of it and poking a gazillion holes in it when quilting maybe that was a foolish waster of good pul fabric.

then i looked at cotton duck, but it's not really very water proof and it's so heavy.

then i thought...modern oil cloth is so cheap! what if i made the quilt and backed it as normal, adding snaps to the border?

then i could unsnap the oil cloth and wash the quilt. i could also replace the oil cloth when it wears out without crying over dead fabric.

all i would need to do was buy 100 or so snaps at the same time. not pricey ones...just functional.

can you see the flaws in my plan? so far it seems like the best idea i've come up with.

thoughts?

thanks!

aileen

The oil cloth isn't a bad idea. The laminated cloth is pretty, but expensive. As for snaps...how about the strips of snaps like they use on baby clothes?

another idea... you can buy spray on waterproof product

Very funny!

How about a few buttons, or Velcro strips, on the bottom to keep it the quilt in place when on top of the oilcloth/laminate/whatever - sort of how you keep the blanket in a duvet cover.

I think I'd just buy an inexpensive tarp at Walmart to lay down first. 8'x10' is only about $7.00.

This sounds like a good idea to me. I'm in the process of making my second picnic quilt. I use dark fabric for the backing and if it gets dirty...it can be washed. It's made to thrown on the ground. Such a good way to use up scraps.

We use quilts on the beach and sand really does not stick much to it. On wet grass I put vinyl tablecloth, the one with soft flanel like backing, and than I put the quilt on. Quilt and my kids stay dry.

I never thought of laying a quilt down for a picnic because it would get dirty. Thanks for the idea of getting a vinyl tablecloth and laying it down first. Will make my picnics look so pretty!