Christmas Picnic Blanket

crayola supplies

household supplies

Why

Take your Merry Christmas dinner outside! Enjoy a warm-weather holiday picnic on a blanket decorated in style with Crayola® Fabric Crayons.

Steps

  1. 1. Where do you enjoy your Christmas meals? For people who live in the Southern Hemisphere or near the equator, holiday meals are often eaten al fresco (that means outside). Families celebrate with a picnic at the beach or under a tree at a park.
  2. 2. How will you design your holiday picnic blanket or tablecloth? In Australia, there are few evergreen trees, so decorate your picnic blanket with plants that grow there, palm trees perhaps. Garlands are made from a plant that is found in abundance, and is a favorite of the koala: eucalyptus.
  3. 3. Choose 100% polyester fabric (the higher the polyester content, the better the color transfer).
  4. 4. Sketch your warm-weather holiday design ideas with Crayola Erasable Colored Pencils first. Then draw your design on white paper with Crayola Fabric Crayons. Your design will be transferred to the fabric in reverse. Brush away crayon specks.
  5. 5. To make an ironing pad, place white paper over an iron-safe surface. Place fabric on ironing pad. Lay your design face down on fabric. Top design with white paper.
  6. 6. Ironing should be done by an adult in a well-ventilated area. Set iron on synthetic. Press design with slow steady pressure for 1 to 2 minutes. Lift iron to move it. Hold papers in place to prevent blurring. Remove paper carefully. Cool.
  7. 7. For more intense colors, draw directly on the fabric. Cover your design with white paper before ironing as described in step 6.
  8. 8. For added merriment, apply Crayola Glitter Glue so lights or tinsel sparkle. To give the fabric a overall glittering quality, spread glitter glue with a craft stick between designs.
  9. 9. As an optional final touch, you could attach bells or other holiday crafts to the corners of the fabric with chenille stems. They will help hold down the edges of the blanket, too.
  10. 10. Fabrics decorated with fabric crayon only can be machine washed, using warm or cold water and a gentle cycle. Do not place in dryer.

When & Where

"This family activity was an ideal gift for friends who just moved to New Zealand. We hope they enjoy their first warm-weather Christmas."
- Maura L., mom of ages 5, 8, & 9.

"Our students were so proud of their work that we used the tablecloth as a tree skirt after our picnic."
- Maria Theresa, school volunteer.

Interesting Info

Fairy Bread is a festive treat eaten in Australia on many occasions. Butter a piece of bread and cover it with candy sprinkles. It's a party on a piece of bread!

Safety Guidelines

Glitter Glue— WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD—Small parts. Not for children under 3 years. Not for use on skin.

Adult Assistance is required for this arts & crafts project.

Fabric Crayons or Melting Crayons—Melt crayons in a well-ventilated area. Overheating wax crayons during melting or ironing may release irritating fumes. Ironing should be done by an adult.

Wood—By its nature, wood is rough and may contain splinters or sharp points

© 2000 - 2006 Binney & Smith, Inc.