BML Guest Post - Leigh from The Sewing Diva

Hi Everyone, I’m Leigh from The Sewing Diva (and her reluctant models). I’m a 31 year old disabled mum of one very active four year old boy and married for 8 years this April. I’ve tried most crafts over the years, some with more success than others!! Currently I’m doing a lot of sewing and learning patchwork and quilting at college and teaching myself dressmaking from the internet and books. Recently I’ve also started doing a lot of cookie decorating and making cookie bouquets.

Here are some of the things I have featured on my blog lately:

This is what I’m going to be talking about how to make today:

Waterproof backed picnic blanket.

I’m afraid this was made pre blog so I don’t have any step by step pictures but it’s a pretty simple make so I’m sure I can explain it ok. The reason I love this blanket so much is because it gave me a use for one of Sam’s old baby blankets that I couldn’t bear to part with, yes I know I’m a sentimental old fool!! Oh and because it cost me the grand total of £1 to make! Cheapskate? Me???

So for this make you will need:

Old baby blanket or fleece blanket. This one is about 1m by 1.5 m
Plastic coated fabric tablecloth (I got this one from poundland for £1) or piece of oilcloth
Ribbon for tying when rolled
Sewing machine (or needle and thread to hand sew)

To make:

Cut the tablecloth to the same size as the blanket.
Using the offcuts cut out the child’s name and applique onto the face of the blanket using a short zig zag stitch.
Place tablecloth and blanket right sides together.
Cut two pieces of ribbon approximately 3ft long. Fold each piece in half and tuck inbetween your blanket and tablecloth on one of the short sides with the fold poking out a little to ensure it will get caught in the stitching when you stitch the blanket and tablecloth together.
Stitch around all 4 sides leaving a gap to turn. Turn right side out and slipstitch the turning gap closed. If doing it again I would probably top stitch around all 4 sides at this point.

So that’s it! Told you it was simple. So now you just roll up and tie with the ribbon and you are ready to go. It’s flexible enough to fit in the basket under a child’s pushchair or the two lots of ties mean it will also fit over the handles. It’s machine washable on a cool cycle and stops soggy bottom syndrome when you sit on a patch of grass that you thought was dry until it was too late!