Labor Day has come and gone and I think we all expect to see an explosion of fall around the web. I’ll still be clinging to summer for a while though. I know I’ll have to accept the cool down sooner or later, so I started to think about things we might all be needing to transition us from summer to fall. One thing I love having around the house, ready for entertaining or tossing in a bag for a little wine and cheese picnic, are lightweight blankets. Toss them over your chairs in the yard for a little color during the day, and guests can grab them at night. Or leave one in your beach bag… this one won’t take up too much room! – Lauren

Materials

Large piece of linen
Fabric dye in your favorite color
Paint brush
Yarn for pom poms

Mix a small amount of your dye with water in a bucket. I wanted a faint wash of color, but you can add more dye to make your stripes more saturated. Once you have mixed the water and dye, lay your fabric out on a flat surface (outside or on something you won’t ruin). Paint freehand stripes across the length of your fabric.

You can set the fabric dye by throwing your blanket in the dryer or with an iron. While you are waiting for your stripes to dry, make four (4) pom poms for the corners of your blanket. To make the poms, wrap the yarn around 3 fingers about 50 times.

Tie another piece of yarn around the center. Double knot this tightly and make sure you have plenty of extra length.

Cut the loops open and fluff.

Once your blanket is dry, cut a small hole at each corner about 1/4″ in from the sides. Using the long pieces on your pom poms, thread through the holes and tie each pom tightly to the corners. Trim.

Now pack your bag or toss in the yard for guests!

Photo Credits: Lauren Saylor for Oh So Beautiful Paper