I'm a hoarder. Not the kind of hoarder who has things stuffed in her closest from the 90's, but the kind that can't let materials go to waste. The kind of hoarder who holds onto 4 inches of ric rac "just in case" or the strip of 2 inch wide fabric that I love and can't bring myself to throw away. I always buy more fabric than I need, because I love having leftovers for those spontaneous projects.
Needless to say, my cedar chest was overflowing with remnant fabric that I had to hold onto, but never actually did anything with.
The girls and I have been meeting friends at the park, spray fountains, for picnics and barbeque's. And each time we go, I think how much I hate our pathetic excuses for picnic blankets. We have fabulous tie quilts from Joe's mom, but they could fit on a California King sized bed. They're way to big for me to carry when we walk to the park. Then we have throw blankets that I just don't like anymore for my house and so they're my picnic blankets. But we can all barely fit on those. They're tiny. And not really meant for dirt and grass.
So the other day I decided I was just going to make a scrap picnic blanket for us this summer. Lots of fabric cut into seven inch squares, with a few smaller squares thrown in. I have a simple, clean cut sort of style, so I wanted it to be straight forward and basic. Nothing complicated or time consuming. I love the randomness.
A few days of sewing, a Friday fun day held on Thursday, and we have a great picnic blanket for the summer. I decided to add the large ric rac, because it seems I can't get over my love for it. Then I tied the corners with yarn I had laying around.
I am so happy to finally have a picnic blanket I love. It holds a sentimental value too. I can look down and see the fabric I made the girls first Easter dresses with, or the spool people bits and pieces, or Henry's car seat cover, or the Black Apple dolls I made for the girls for Valentines day that they love. And the girls love it too, because they recognize that fabric as well and tell me where it's from.
I think this is a picnic blanket that I won't ever let go of.