...last minute 4th of July project...{parade & picnic kits}...

Yay! I made it through to Round 2 at the One Month To Win It blog! Make sure to stop by starting next Monday to vote for the Round 2 projects!

This was my week 1 project...easy-peasy picnic & parade kits!

This is what I started with...

Yep...that's it...some Wal-Mart tablecloths & painters tape...

...plus some twine & a sewing machine...

And this is what I made...with just a few snips of the scissors and a run through the sewing machine, now we have darling little 4th of July picnic & parade kits that double as placemats!

These took literally minutes to make...and they will be perfect for all of our summer outdoor activities...

Just cut your tablecloths into placemat size...2 pieces per mat (for front and back)...then cut 1 piece slightly shorter that your other two pieces...this will act as the pocket for your mat. Cover the top of your pocket piece with a strip of painter's tape...then run this edge through the sewing machine.

Place your two larger pieces back to back & place your smaller piece right-side-up on top of the other two...making sure that your bottom and side edges are all lined up.

Take strips of painters tape and wrap them around all 4 edges of your mat. The run the edges through the sewing machine to give the edges extra durability.

Stitch straight lines down the pocket piece from the bottom of the mat to the top of the pocket piece in widths of your liking...this will form the little pockets on your mats.

Grab a length of twine (I think mine were about 2' long), fold in half & sew the fold to the side of your mat...

Done! Super-fast, super-easy...

Fill the pockets with your sparklers and your flags for wavin' and some bug spray and you're set for a parade...or stuff them with forks, knives, napkins & your marshmallow roastin' stick and you've got all you need for an impromptu picnic! The best part is they roll up and tie for easy travel and storage...AND, because they are made from plastic tablecloths, clean-up is a breeze...