I made my first picnic blanket not long after I caught the quilting bug. I simply sewed large squares together in bright, beachy fabrics and finished the patchwork without batting. That simple picnic blanket has journeyed with us through the years, forming the backdrop of many happy moments as a family. I still take it with me today, when we meet up with friends in the park or pack for the lake.

That’s why I wanted to make Aria her very own picnic blanket. She will soon begin a new phase of life as a young married woman. I wish her and her someday-family happy memories together that are too many to count, in the great outdoors and sometimes on this very blanket.

As far as colors and fabrics go, my inspiration was blue and green - the favorite colors of Aria and her fiancé. From that basis it was not a far leap to a woodsy, nature vibe. Deer, mice and swallows all found a place in this woodland scene.

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Since this blanket has no batting, it is not technically a quilt, but that doesn’t mean one can’t indulge in some special stitching to hold the front and back together. I opted for sunbursts radiating from each star and a straight-line patter in the lighter value “border” area.

She’s finished with solid aqua binding and that Growing Tree wideback fabric from Dragonfly Quiltworks.

Here’s to life’s simple pleasures!