Outdoor Picnic Quilt

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Outdoor Fabric: 2 yds (front)
• Outdoor Fabric: 2 yds (back)
• Outdoor Fabric: 1/2 yd (binding)
• Poly-Fil Extra Loft Batting: Twin Size 72"x9 0"; 1 package
• Quilt Basting Spray (optional)
• Chalk or Fabric Marking Pen
• Sewing Machine
• Walking Foot
• Basic Sewing Supplies

DIRECTIONS:

1. Trim front and back outdoor fabric pieces to be the same size, approximately 54"x 72".
2. Cut batting to match fabric size.
3. Sandwich between pieces of fabric, with right sides of fabric facing out.
4. Spray or pin baste all three layers together.
5. Use the chalk or fabric marking pen to mark quilting lines onto the fabric.
6. For this sample, a 4" grid was used.
7. Quilt along marked lines using a 3-length stitch.
8. A walking foot is helpful for accommodating the bulk of the fabric and batting at this step.
9. Roll or fold quilt to fit inside the machine.
10. Once blanket is quilted, trim excess or crooked edges.
11. To make binding, cut 5 strips of fabric 3" wide.
12. Trim salvages.
13. Connect strips together into one length by joining ends at a 45-degree angle.
14. To do this, lay two ends, right sides together, so they cross perpendicularly, forming an "L" shape.
15. Consider the overlapped area to be a square.
16. Draw a diagonal line from the top left corner of the square to the bottom right corner.
17. Stitch along the diagonal line.
18. Trim the corner of the "L" off, leaving 1/4" seam allowance against the diagonal line.
19. Repeat to join all 5 pieces together.
20. Press open all seams and trim off corner pieces that extend beyond the edge of the binding.
21. Press binding in half, wrong sides together to reduce the width to 1 1/2".
22. Starting in the center of one edge of the blanket, align the edge of the binding to the edge of the blanket and sew using 1/2" seam allowance. Leave a few inches of the binding loose at the end to allow for joining at the end.
23. To turn corners with binding, stop stitching 1/2" from the edge. When looking at the machine, fold the binding to the right, a 45-degree fold at the corner, then fold back down along the new side. Pivot blanket and sew along the new side.
24. Once the binding is back on the starting side, use pins to determine when the ends of the binding will meet.
25. Trim the binding ends, allowing for an overlap of about an inch.
26. Fold the end under on one side of the binding, about 1/2" to hem.
27. Wrapped the hemmed end of the binding around the unfinished of the of binding and finish attaching the binding to the quilt.
28. Fold and press the binding around the edge of the blanket, bring the folded edge of the binding to the backside.
29. Press and fold the corners neatly, creating the mitered corner.
30. Finish the binding with a machine top stitch or by hand with a blind stitch.