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There’s something about summer that just says tie-dye and picnics to me.  Since I’ve discovered how fun tie-dyeing can be, I’ve become addicted.  I thought I’d combine the two to make a DIY tie-dyed t-shirt quilt picnic blanket that’s perfect for summer picnics and absolutely perfect for a 4th of July picnic or for watching fireworks.

Tie-Dyed T-Shirt Quilt Picnic Blanket

Last summer I tried tie-dying for the first time and I was immediately hooked.  I’ve made several different tie-dyed projects since then, but this picnic blanket may be my favorite so far. 

If you don’t have the time to make your own t-shirt quilt, you can have one made for you from your own t-shirts. Project Repat makes quilts right here in the USA from the t-shirts you supply.

Supplies 

Tie-Dye Kit  – thanks to Tulip for my kit – I prefer using a tie-dye kit because it contains everything I need for a project.

Cotton t-shirts – You can use old white t-shirts or purchase new shirts. I recommend using men’s size large or larger. The larger the shirt, the larger the square you can get for your quilt and the less sewing you have to do. 

Iron-on Lightweight Interfacing – you need this to stabilize the t-shirt material.  Without the interfacing, the t-shirt material will stretch as you sew it, making your quilt wonky, buckled and not square.

Backing fabric or bed sheet – I purchased a soft, inexpensive fabric for my quilt back, but you can also use a flat bed sheet in the size you’d like your finished quilt to be (minus the side seams).

Tie-dye your t-shirts according to the directions in the kit and check out my 10 Tie-Dye Tips from Our First Time Tie-Dyeing.  I used 6 t-shirts, but you may need more or less depending on the size of your t-shirts and the desired size of your quilt.

Cut the t-shirt front and backs out.  Cut them a bit larger than your desired size.  I cut the squares as large as I could so I had less sewing to do.  My finished squares came out to 14 1/4 by 19 inches (so the squares before sewing were 15 1/4 by 20 inches).

Iron the interfacing to the t-shirt squares following the directions on the package.

Cut the t-shirt squares to the desired size.  I then cut sashing pieces approximately 3 1/2 inches wide (with 1/2 inch seams, the finished width of the sashing piece is 2 1/2 inches). The sashing pieces helps stabilize the t-shirt material and keep it square over time. I sewed the quilt back to the finished top of the quilt and chose not to add any batting to the quilt since I plan to use it as a picnic blanket.  If you want to use the t-shirt quilt for warmth, you’d want to add quilt batting.

The tie-dye makes such cheerful and interesting quilt blocks.  

The t-shirt material is so soft and flexible, …

… which makes it perfect for a picnic or beach blanket.

Using red and blue tie-dye makes this picnic blanket perfect for a 4th of July picnic, trip to the beach or watching Independence Day fireworks.

I’m so in love with this tie-dyed t-shirt quilt picnic blanket that I’ve already started planning the next one I want to make.  It’s a great project to make with older children and results in a memory making picnic blanket for your family to share for years to come.

More amazing 4th of July ideas from my friends:

• Homemade bug spray, which is much needed for 4th of July celebrations, from Andrea at Homemade for Elle
• The Essential Guide to a Stree-Free 4th of July Picnic from Corinne at Wondermom Wannabe.