When the weather warms up, there’s no better time to get out and explore! Whether you’re packing a basket filled with tasty treats, a good book, or even a bit of stitching, it’s all about relaxing and soaking up the sunshine. Don’t forget your camera — and of course, your very own handmade swagger blanket, slung over your shoulder and ready for adventure!
Written by Emma, featured in Wairarapa Lifestyle Magazine, Summer 2025
Perfect for every occasion, this sturdy yet stylish picnic blanket is made for outdoor living. Heading out on your bike to your favourite swimming hole? Taking the kids to the park for some fresh air? Or a spontaneous trip to the coast? This blanket will quickly become your go-to essential for summer outings — or a thoughtful handmade gift for someone special.
Crafted from durable oilskin fabric to keep dampness and dirt at bay, and layered with soft bamboo-cotton batting for comfort, it’s both practical and beautiful. Handy carry straps make it easy to roll up and take wherever you wander.
The best part? It’s simple to sew. We’ve made a 140cm x 140cm blanket — but you can adjust the measurements to create one that’s just right for you.
You will need:
Main Fabric (top of blanket): 1.4m of mid weight cotton, at least 140cm wide. We used an organic cotton/linen blend gingham
Batting: 1.5m at least 150cm wide. We used our bamboo cotton blend quilt batting.
Oilskin: 1.5m at least 150cm wide. We recommend our light weight dry oilskin as it's easy to fold, sew and carry. A coated cotton poplin is also a great option.
You will also need: 6m double fold bias binding, 3m x 25mm wide bag webbing, 4 x 25mm d-rings, 1 x 25mm metal loop, 1 x 25mm slider, matching thread. You can find all our hardware options here.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Blanket:
Trim main fabric into a 140 x 140cm square. Using an erasable fabric pen or chalk, mark out a 3 x 3 grid - just like a naughts and crosses board. These lines will be where you stitch to quilt your fabric, batting and oilskin together.
Cut batting and oilskin backing so that each piece measures 1.5m x 1.5m
On a large flat work surface (the floor is normally the best option), centre and layer oilskin (with right side facing the floor), batting, and main fabric (with right side facing up). Be sure to smooth out all layers so there are no folds.
Pin three layers together along stitching lines, so that pins don’t create any unwanted marks in oilskin fabric.
Quilt your three layers together along your 3 x 3 grid lines - a walking foot is really useful for this as it feeds the layers evenly through your machine, thus reducing the chance of catching unwanted folds or tucks in your fabric.
Ensuring all layers are lying flat, baste together all three layers around the outer edge. Do this 7mm from the the outer edge of your main fabric.
Trim edges of excess batting and oilskin.
Bind your blanket. With right sides together, unfold one side of bias binding and sew to around the edge of your blanket. Use the fold line as a stitching guide - approximately 1cm seam allowance. Mitre each corner - for more details on how to bind your blanket, see our handy binding tutorial here.
Fold bias binding over and topstitch in place approximately 3mm from inner edge of binding. Ensure your binding covers previous stitching lines and topstitching is on binding on the other side.
Webbing Ties + Strap: Cut webbing into lengths. Ties: 2 x 62cm, Strap: 1 x 176cm
Ties: With the two shorter pieces of webbing, finish one end of each tie. Fold over 1cm twice, stitch in place to secure.
With the other end of Tie thread through 2 d-rings, fold over 1cm then fold again to secure the d-rings at the end of the Tie. Stitch to secure.
Fold in half (short ends together) to mark the mid midpoint of each Tie.
Strap: With your long piece of webbing, thread one end through the metal loop, fold over 3cm, pin in place to hold metal loop at end of webbing.
You are now going to sew the three pieces of webbing together - you will create an H shape. At right angles and using the end with the metal loop attached, sew the Strap to the mid point of a Tie. Ensure you secure the folded end and metal loop.
Measure 22cm along the length of Strap. Secure this point to the mid point of the other tie.
Secure Strap and Ties to blanket: mark the mid point along one edge of the blanket. Measure 5cm from the edge of the blanket and centring the ties, sew the Strap to the oilskin side of the blanket. The Ties should be 18cm apart - the Strap between the ties will naturally curve up to create a carry handle. Stitch to blanket by sewing over stitching lines at mid point of each tie (from step above)
Fold blanket into three, then fold/roll up. Secure with ties by threading through d-rings and pulling tight.
Create Strap: Thread metal slider onto unfinished end of Strap, then thread this end of Strap through the metal loop and back through slider again so that webbing folds back on itself. Turn under 1cm at end of Strap and stitch end to secure.
Adjust length of Strap to suit - et voila!
