Stitch Corinne Bradd’s nautical picnic blanket for a fun day out

What you need...

• Fabric, Makower, 24 x 25cm squares: Sea Breeze; Pinstripe; spot; Linea Tonals
  Plain white cotton, 110cm x 145cm
  
  Size
  100cm x 135cm
  Seam allowance 5mm unless stated

instructions

1. Patchwork Blanket - 1. Sort the 25cm print fabric squares into two sets of twelve, keeping the more heavily patterned pieces together. Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the reverse of the paler set of squares. Pair up a lighter print with a heavy print and stitch right sides together 5mm either side of the drawn line.
   
   2. Cut along the line and open out the resulting two colour blocks. Press the seam to the darker half of the squares. Lay out the pieces in rows of four, orientating each square onto its corner so they create rows of diamonds.
   
   3. Unpick the original centre seam of the top row of diamonds and move one half of each to the bottom of the layout so that the top and bottom edges are straight. Take the diamonds from one side of the layout and cut across the centre seam, moving one half to the other side of the arrangement to square off the sides.
   
   4. Start from one corner and sew diagonally adjacent pieces together along their straight edges. Continue stitching diagonal rows together in this way, laying each completed strip back into the arrangement.
   
   5. Sew the strips together, matching the seams accurately for a better finish. When the entire panel is sewn, press well and neaten the edges. Pin the panel to the centre of a 110cm x 145cm piece of white backing fabric at regular intervals before topstitching along the seam lines.
   
   6. Trim the backing fabric 3cm larger than the patchwork. Double hem the edges, folding the fabric over the raw edges of the patchwork and mitring the corners neatly. Topstitch the hemmed border 2mm from the inner edge.