What I have to share today I actually finished quite a while ago, but as it was a gift I couldn't share it straight away, and I didn't actually get any pics before giving it away, so I only managed to get photos of it this weekend.
My darling friend Mindy turned 30 in October, so I decided that a special present was in order. I teamed up with a mutual friend, Laura, and together we made Mindy a picnic blanket.
Getting photos was, of course, easier said than done. Obviously the picnic blanket wasn't allowed to steal the show, so it was first auditioned as an 'accessory' (read 'cape')... Thankfully the girls soon decided that the sprinklers were too hard to resist in 30 degree weather...
We chose the fabrics with Mindy very much in mind, going for the brightest, most cheerful floral prints we could find!
I was inspired to make a picnic blanket by Rachel at Stitched in Color who has made some beautiful picnic blankets.
Mindy on her picnic blanket
While a few people have called it one, it's not technically a quilt as it only has two layers. We stitched the front to the back inside out, then turned it, top-stitched the edges, and tied it with some perle 8 thread in the corners of the squares.
I think it's the only time in my life where I've described a hot pink and purple polka-dot fabric as 'calming' compared to the other fabrics it's being teamed with! But that's what we chose for the back, using that theory. It's also got two ties on one edge so that it can be rolled up and dropped in a bag.
I'm super jealous that I don't have one now, so one for myself has been added to my to-sew list.
Laura & Mindy on the picnic blanket
(Incase you're wondering, these pictures were taken outside the Royal Exhibition Building, in the Carlton Gardens. Isn't it beautiful there?!)
Wow what a lovely quilt. I love the colours and Mindy's dress. :)
ReplyDeleteWow what a fun photo shoot :) All those floral fabrics are gorgeous, Mindy is very lucky and I love the back too - I think I need a picnic blanket-quilt for summer now, what a great idea to use up some of the fat quarters that I can't seem to stop buying!
ReplyDeleteAww, I'm jealous...you guys look like you had such a fun time :)
ReplyDeleteOh dear - it's now a matter of public record that I'm a 30yo who likes to play dressups and run under sprinklers...
ReplyDeleteThanks Rach! (And Laura too, of course). I love love love it!
And thanks Kat - the first self-sewn, non-costume thing I sewed since high-school, it's still my favourite :)
Gorgeous picnic blanket, and photos, too!
ReplyDelete