Weekend Weaving: Picnic Blankets

Summer has arrived and I’m still splitting my time between Southern California, home of some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, and Colorado, home of some of the world’s most beautiful mountains. With warm weather in both places, my weekends beg for a picnic. Since I love the idea of incorporating handwovens in all aspects of my life, the picnic will include at least one of my handwoven items. This may sound crazy, since picnics are outside and things get dirty. However, after weaving for years, I have developed the attitude that if what I’m weaving is too special to use, something has gone awry. Everything in my stash of handwoven blankets, towels, and napkins is machine-washable. Plus, I believe my handwoven items to be much more stain-resistant than many store-bought items: for example, I wove placemats for myself using 3/2 pearl cotton about 15 years ago and to this day there is not a stain on them.

Therefore, the weekend weaving projects I’m suggesting aren’t necessarily something you can make in a weekend; rather, weaving projects you can use for your weekend picnicking. I propose creating a set of napkins with either a matching tablecloth or placemats, or a sturdy picnic blanket.

For your al fresco table, check out our Summer Weaving Pattern Pack. Dorothy’s Fresh Citrus Napkins and Tablecloth by Rebecca Fox will add a summery combination of citrus colors to your beach picnic table. The pack also includes Kate Lange-McKibben’s Sunshine Napkins and Raffia Placemats: another cheerful combination of colors and textures that would look good at the beach or in a woodsy park.

Left: Tom Knisely’s Weaving Together Generations twill blankets, Center: Dorothy’s Fresh Citrus Napkins and Tablecloth by Rebecca Fox, Right: Kate Lange-McKibben’s Sunshine Napkins and Raffia Placemats.

For a picnic blanket, take your pick from the many blankets that have been featured over the years in Handwoven; although, I would suggest that you avoid using wool since it might feel scratchy on bare summer legs. Try Tom Knisely’s Weaving Together Generations twill blankets in the November/December 2016 issue of Handwoven. Woven using 8/4 cotton carpet warp, these sturdy blankets can be washed and dried by machine.

Whether you take my suggestions or weave items of your own choosing, I hope you join with me in incorporating handwoven items in every aspect of your life—even the picnic.

—Susan