Roll up picnic blanket or dog bed

Austin is a wonderful, pet friendly town and I love to take my dog out on pretty days, but I have to admit, he's a bit of a princess. He doesn't like to rest his pretty paws on gravel, or cement or really even grass so I set about making a soft, easily portable roll up blanket for him. This exact same project would make an amazing picnic blanket by just expanding the size!

Don't let the number of steps and pictures daunt you, the project only took me about an hour start to finish, but the way the fabric comes together is a little tricky so wanted to make sure there were plenty of photos!

Supplies

• 1 yard of pleather
  
• 1 yard of fleece
• 2 yards of quilt batting (to double up)

• Ribbon
  
• Sewing supplies (Sewing machine, scissors, thread, tape measure etc)
  

Directions

• I wanted the blanket to be 24" x 35" when it was completed so the pleather, fleece and batting to 25" x 36"
  
• Cut a strip of pleather to 3" x 36" (for the strap)
• Fold strip in three (As shown below)

• Carefully sew down the flap as shown 1/4" from the edge of the strap, then turn around and sew down the other side so it is symetrical
  

• Stack and pin the the batting, fabric, strap/ribbon and pleather with the strap and ribbon sandwiched between the pleather and fleece layer as shown in the diagram and photo below, making sure the "good" side of the pleather is facing the "good" side of the fleece

• Sew around the outside edge of the fabric using the half inch guide reinforcing the ribbon and strap hem leaving a minimum of 6" free on one side (you will flip it right side out using this hole)
  

• Using the hole you left, flip the fabric inside (photo shows after "The Flip")

• Fold in the fabric for the hole and face stich over that a quarter of an inch in and then run around the whole blanket - this will make the edges lay nice and flat

• I used the check pattern and stiched an X through all the layers as a final step- this will help keep the batting in place and make it lay better.

I fold the sides in and then roll up to the strap, then just use the ribbon to tie a pretty bow. from the front it looks like a pretty purse!