Portable Picnic Table with Case

Christy Needlecrafts, Sewing 10 Comments

I know I still owe you guys a tutorial on the Nimble Chain Scarf from Anthropologie. I’m working on it now, and will post tomorrow–swearsies! Meanwhile, here is my Upcycle entry. Apparently something screwy happened with the voting last week and the actual standings are unknown, but the good news is there was no elimination. That means the bad news is that this week 2 people get eliminated, so be sure to go vote for your favorite metallic/glitter/shine project before midnight Thursday.

I had a rough time with this week’s theme. I spent weeks scouring thrift stores and racking my brain, and could not, for the life of me, figure out what to make. By last Monday morning I was panicked, and started mentally cataloging everything in my house for its craft potential. Finally I remembered the old, ugly wooden blinds that came with our house. Taking them down and shoving them into a back corner of the garage was one of the first things we did. I started thinking of all the ways I could use those wooden slats…doll bench, magazine rack, table…and then it came to me.

Years ago I fell in love with a roll-up picnic table from Crate and Barrel, but never could justify buying it. Now suddenly I had all the materials to make it right there in the back corner of my garage! I immediately tore the blinds apart and started constructing my table. With some twine, a dowel cut into 4 pieces, a drill and 4 screws, I had my little picnic table ready to go. It assembles in about 5 minutes, and rolls up smaller than a camping chair.

But wait, you can’t carry a rolled up table top and a bunch of loose dowels on a picnic. This table needed a handy dandy carrying case. Lucky for me, in another corner of the garage sat an old, beat up set of luggage that even the garbage man wouldn’t take. I cut the canvas off the backs of the two suitcases, and sewed a nice sturdy bag. I even made a strap for it out of some extra webbing from the luggage set.

Unfortunately for me, the weather decided to turn extra cold and wet the day I finished it and there are no signs of it letting up. Now I have even more reason to look forward to warmer weather.