Colorful Picnic Accessories
Along with warm summer weather thoughts go to outdoor barbeques or fun picnics in the park. Easy to sew picnic items bring color, fun and function to any al fresco dining.
A few to consider:
Bandana Table Runner - red, white, and blue color bandanas make for a patriotic theme or choose any color scheme. Bandanas come in a rainbow mix of colors. Stitch two rows of bandanas along their side seams, four to a side. Generally, eight bandanas can make the table runner. Back the table runner with a complementary solid or printed fabric piece. Stitch the two rows of assembled bandanas onto the backing fabric piece. Pink or serge the edges.
Pocket Place Mat - with pockets for flatware. Approximately 1 and 1/2 yards will make four placemats with pockets. Cut eight rectangles approximately 13-inches x 18-inches and four pockets approximately 7-inches x 10-inches. To make one placemat, place two rectangles right-sides facing and stitch in a 1/2-inch seam all around leaving an opening for turning. Trim seam, clip corners, turn right sides out, press. Insert two 12-inch ribbon ties 1/2-inch into the opening and stitch closed for a space-saving roll-up. Top stitch all around. To make flatware pocket first fold pocket right-sides out so it is now 7-inches x 5-inches, the fold will be the pocket top. Pink or serge raw edges. Stitch three finished sides to one corner of the placemat. Stitch two vertical rows through all layers from the pocket top to pocket bottom to make flatware sections.
Covered Casserole or Pie Carry Tote - One-half yard each of two coordinating print fabrics or any combination print and solid, one-half yard of cotton batting and four metal or plastic D-rings. Cut two 18-inch x 18-inch squares out of fabrics and one of batting same size. Layer the three together – batting on the bottom, fabrics right-sides facing each other. Stitch around all sides, leaving an opening for turning right-sides out. Trim seams, clip corners, turn right-sides out, press. Stitch opening closed.
Quilt a few lines diagonally or in any pattern to secure the three layers. To make the carry handle, cut a fabric piece 6-inches by about 22-inches. Fold lengthwise right sides together. Stitch down the long length to secure, turn right sides out and press. Hand stitch short ends closed. An option to make the carry handle sturdier - stitch a wide piece of webbing down the center of the handle. Attach rings at corner points by turning a corner over a ring and stitch securely. To use, cover dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to protect contents. Place dish centered on top of the now padded square. Thread strap to poke through all the rings, forming a handle to tie securely. Best to place one hand under the covered casserole/pie to steady when carrying.
Reusable Bowl Covers - make for a pretty presentation on a picnic table but will still require the dish to be covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil under the cover. With the bowl upside down on the fabric, cut a circle 2-inches wider than the bowl all around. Trim with pinking shears or serge the edges to prevent fraying. Fold over the finished edge about 1/2-inch to the wrong side of the fabric and stitch close to the finished edge leaving an opening to insert 1/4-inchwide elastic. Pull elastic tight around the bowl for an exact measurement. Stitch elastic ends to secure.
Picnic Tote - made from a laminate cotton or sturdy duck cloth to carry all for outdoor dining. Generally, 1/2 yard of sturdy fabric, 1/2 yard for a lining and the same for iron-on interfacing is needed. Sturdy webbing for carry straps can be used for handles. (Note: The tote can be made any size desired.) General directions: Cut inner and outer fabric into two 18” x 20” pieces and two of interfacing. Iron on interfacing to wrong side of outer fabric rectangles. Then stitch both together on three sides, right-sides facing, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance leaving one 18-inch side unstitched for the top opening. Sew the inner lining fabric the same way. Slip lining into the outer fabric so that wrong sides are facing, and the outer fabric faces outside, and the right side of the lining is visible inside the tote. Fold under top edges together to the inside in a 1/2-inch seam and stitch all around. Stitch webbing to the totes' top edges securely. To make the tote with boxed corners, turn the tote with the lining on the outside and the outer fabric on the inside. Pinch one corner seam at the bottom into a 2-inch triangle and stitch across. Stitch the opposite corner in the same way. Trim seam, then turn right-sides out.
Enjoy the warm lazy days of summer!
DIY Table Runners from diynetwork.com
Easy-To-Sew Lined Tote Bag found on HGTV.com
Sew happy, sew inspired.
A few to consider:
Bandana Table Runner - red, white, and blue color bandanas make for a patriotic theme or choose any color scheme. Bandanas come in a rainbow mix of colors. Stitch two rows of bandanas along their side seams, four to a side. Generally, eight bandanas can make the table runner. Back the table runner with a complementary solid or printed fabric piece. Stitch the two rows of assembled bandanas onto the backing fabric piece. Pink or serge the edges.
Pocket Place Mat - with pockets for flatware. Approximately 1 and 1/2 yards will make four placemats with pockets. Cut eight rectangles approximately 13-inches x 18-inches and four pockets approximately 7-inches x 10-inches. To make one placemat, place two rectangles right-sides facing and stitch in a 1/2-inch seam all around leaving an opening for turning. Trim seam, clip corners, turn right sides out, press. Insert two 12-inch ribbon ties 1/2-inch into the opening and stitch closed for a space-saving roll-up. Top stitch all around. To make flatware pocket first fold pocket right-sides out so it is now 7-inches x 5-inches, the fold will be the pocket top. Pink or serge raw edges. Stitch three finished sides to one corner of the placemat. Stitch two vertical rows through all layers from the pocket top to pocket bottom to make flatware sections.
Covered Casserole or Pie Carry Tote - One-half yard each of two coordinating print fabrics or any combination print and solid, one-half yard of cotton batting and four metal or plastic D-rings. Cut two 18-inch x 18-inch squares out of fabrics and one of batting same size. Layer the three together – batting on the bottom, fabrics right-sides facing each other. Stitch around all sides, leaving an opening for turning right-sides out. Trim seams, clip corners, turn right-sides out, press. Stitch opening closed.
Quilt a few lines diagonally or in any pattern to secure the three layers. To make the carry handle, cut a fabric piece 6-inches by about 22-inches. Fold lengthwise right sides together. Stitch down the long length to secure, turn right sides out and press. Hand stitch short ends closed. An option to make the carry handle sturdier - stitch a wide piece of webbing down the center of the handle. Attach rings at corner points by turning a corner over a ring and stitch securely. To use, cover dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to protect contents. Place dish centered on top of the now padded square. Thread strap to poke through all the rings, forming a handle to tie securely. Best to place one hand under the covered casserole/pie to steady when carrying.
Reusable Bowl Covers - make for a pretty presentation on a picnic table but will still require the dish to be covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil under the cover. With the bowl upside down on the fabric, cut a circle 2-inches wider than the bowl all around. Trim with pinking shears or serge the edges to prevent fraying. Fold over the finished edge about 1/2-inch to the wrong side of the fabric and stitch close to the finished edge leaving an opening to insert 1/4-inchwide elastic. Pull elastic tight around the bowl for an exact measurement. Stitch elastic ends to secure.
Picnic Tote - made from a laminate cotton or sturdy duck cloth to carry all for outdoor dining. Generally, 1/2 yard of sturdy fabric, 1/2 yard for a lining and the same for iron-on interfacing is needed. Sturdy webbing for carry straps can be used for handles. (Note: The tote can be made any size desired.) General directions: Cut inner and outer fabric into two 18” x 20” pieces and two of interfacing. Iron on interfacing to wrong side of outer fabric rectangles. Then stitch both together on three sides, right-sides facing, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance leaving one 18-inch side unstitched for the top opening. Sew the inner lining fabric the same way. Slip lining into the outer fabric so that wrong sides are facing, and the outer fabric faces outside, and the right side of the lining is visible inside the tote. Fold under top edges together to the inside in a 1/2-inch seam and stitch all around. Stitch webbing to the totes' top edges securely. To make the tote with boxed corners, turn the tote with the lining on the outside and the outer fabric on the inside. Pinch one corner seam at the bottom into a 2-inch triangle and stitch across. Stitch the opposite corner in the same way. Trim seam, then turn right-sides out.
Enjoy the warm lazy days of summer!
DIY Table Runners from diynetwork.com
Easy-To-Sew Lined Tote Bag found on HGTV.com
Sew happy, sew inspired.
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