DIY Repurposed Denim Checkered Picnic Blanket

I had been thinking of making a durable blanket for an upcoming camping trip.

Also, with summer upon us and my family spending lots of time outdoors, apicnic blanketwas much needed.

Here are the do-it-yourself instructions to turn a bunch of unwanted jeans into a stunning and usefulpicnic blanket.

I knew I wanted to do a quilt-inspired blanket.

So heres the math:

I chose the size of each of my finished squares to be 6.

I added 12 seam allowance to all sides which gave me a square template measuring 7 x 7.

I knew a good size picnic blanket would beabout60 wide x 70 long.

Close enough to my desired size!

A checkered picnic blanket made from different colored denim, draped over a chair on a front porch. A basket of pink flowers are in the background.

I created a square template measuring 7x7 out of cardstock to use as my cutting guide.

I cut up the jeans into usable fabric pieces.

I cut the jeans along either the inseams or the outseams to avoid wasting any fabric.

A checkered picnic blanket made from different colored denim, draped over a chair on a front porch. A basket of pink flowers are in the background.

Finally, the preparation was done and I could begin working on the blanket!

Then, continued to mark and cut the squares until I had 99 pieces in total.

Or you’re free to do random as well if you prefer.

Stack of old jeans used to make a checkered denim picnic blanket.

This is important most especially when you are creating a pattern.

I stacked each row the same way working from left to right.

And then I began sewing the squares together along each row starting with row 1.

Stack of old jeans used to make a checkered denim picnic blanket.

Take care to align the intersecting seams on each row as your sewing.

Serge the length of the seam allowance to eliminate raw edges.

Thepicnic blanketis almost done!

Close up view of a stack of old jeans showing different shades of blue and gray denim fabric.

And the final step is to add a tie so thepicnic blanketwhen rolled up stays in place.

I chose to use one of the waistbands from the unwanted jeans to make the tie.

I cut the waistband away from the rest of the jeans, cutting kill the seam allowance.

Close up view of a stack of old jeans showing different shades of blue and gray denim fabric.

Related:The Sweetest Vintage Repurposed Planter Idea

And done!

So whos up for a picnic in the park?

What other ways have you thought to repurpose old clothes?

Do you have a favoritepicnic blanketyou use?

Using a template to cut out denim squares.

Fabric chalk lines of a section of grey denim

Stack of cut-out denim squares prior to sewing the picnic blanket

Denim fabric squares sorted by color

Laying out all the denim squares to help decide on the picnic blanket design.

Sewing the first row of denim checkers together

How to join together two rows of the denim checkers.

Backside view of all the denim fabric sewn together

The picnic blanket all rolled up and lying in the grass, showing the detail of how the strap fastens together.

The DIY checkered denim picnic blanket laid out on the grass.

A bowl filled with watermelon resting on the new picnic blanket