TALES OF THE RIVERBANK
High summer brings heady heat and hazy days, the air filled with dandelion seeds and dragonflies. Spend an afternoon under the leafy canopy of a tree for a picnic and a paddle in the shallows
Spend an afternoon under the canopy of a tree with a picnic and a paddle in the shallows
FIND THE PERFECT SPOT Set a picnic blanket next to the river, with retro-style sun chairs and a parasol spiked into the ground
Folding wooden table, £6; vintage cushions, from £6 each: all Morgans Vintage On table: jug, £19.50; teapot, £22; tumblers, £5 each; plates, £26 (set of four); bowls (on stool), £39 (set of four): all Falcon Enamelware. Retro radio, £69.99, VQ. Similar umbrella, £18, Dunelm. Hamo beach chairs, £10 each, Ikea; covered in Old Town’s Native Heath, £48/m, St Jude’s. Cushions on chairs in Tickety Boo tangerine, £22.95, Harlequin at House Decor. Chari blue basket, £35; Storie yellow stool, £45: both Olli Ella. Hamper (in front), £31.99, Wayfair. Similar napkins, £9 each, Woods Fine Linens. Similar picnic blanket fabric, Sissinghurst, Indigo/ Ruby, £63/m, Sanderson at Jane Clayton On blanket: retro spot cups, £1.95 each; bowls, £2.95 each; Blue Tit lunchbox, £4.95; mini snack pot, £2.95: all Rex London. All other items, see overleaf
DECORATE OLD JAM JARS Use old pickle jars to collect pebbles or flowers. Hem strips of cheery fabric, then tie and fashion into handles
Glass jam jars (sold with lids), £6.99 (set of four), Lakeland. Carrying handles in Dashwood Studio, Distant Dreams Ditsy Flowers in cream, and Dashwood Studio, Paper Meadow Flower Head in pink, both £11.99/m, John Lewis
LAZY DAYS Search for the ideal place on a grassy riverbank where you can while away the hours
Fruit of the Loom T-shirt, £2.29, Plain-t-shirts. Similar skirt, £19.99, H&M. Yellow Storie stool, £45, Olli Ella. Vintage cushion, £6, Morgans Vintage
IN THE OPEN AIR As well as carrying cushions, blankets and a homemade lunch, an old wooden crate makes a practical picnic table. A tea towel can be a handy bottle carrier
Picnic blanket made from similar, Sissinghurst, Indigo/ Ruby, £63/m, Sanderson at Jane Clayton. Vintage apple crate, £10, Morgans Vintage On crate, from left: 24cm
plates, £26 (set of four), Falcon Enamelware. Opinel No 8 Origins Adventure knife (on chopping board), £12.50; Bernard chopping board in olive wood with handle, £12: both Isabel Haines. Red tea towel, £12.99 (set of three); Weck jar, £2.29; glass jam jars (sold with lids), £6.99 (set of four): all Lakeland. Similar glass carafe, £5.50, Dunelm. Bamboo cutlery, £2.95 (for three pieces), Pipii. Wicker tray
basket, £4.50, Hobbycraft. Glass polishing cloth, £7.99 (set of two), Lakeland. World of Work bento box (on blanket), £5.95, Rex London. Vintage My Drape napkins, £9.95 (roll of 12), Pipii
MAKE YOUR OWN PICNIC BLANKET
Use a cheery floral design, sewing waterproof fabric on the underside to prevent it getting damp. Add a handy strap to carry PICNIC BLANKET made from similar, Sissinghurst, Indigo/ Ruby, £63/m, Sanderson at Jane Clayton. BLANKET HOLDER made from Angie Lewin Dandelion Two, Sea Mist, £66/m, St Jude’s. Similar Kickball Light Blue canvas folding STOOL, £45, The Stripes Company. Vintage CUSHIONS, £6 each, Morgans Vintage. Piki basket (on top of cushions), £25, Olli Ella. Round hamper, £31.99, Wayfair
CHAIR COVER AND CUSHIONS Using the original covers, make a pattern of the chair shape from tracing paper and cut your chosen fabric, allowing 1.5cm seam allowance. Sew the back together, double stitching for extra strength, and bind the edges with bold fabric. For extra comfort, make cushions and attach them with contrasting Velcro strips
Retro mini radio, £69.99, VQ. Beach chair covered in Old Town’s Native Heath, £48/m, St Jude’s; edged in Dashwood Studio, Paper Meadow Flower Head, Pink, £11.99/m, John Lewis. Cushions in Tickety Boo tangerine, £22.95, Harlequin at House Decor; straps in Dashwood Studio, Paper Meadow Flower Head, Pink, £11.99/m, John Lewis. Jam jar (sold with lids), £6.99 (set of four), Lakeland. Blue Tit notebook, £2.95, Rex London
A RELAXED LUNCH A straw basket lined with a cotton tea towel serves well as a picnic basket for the day. Add colourful melamine beakers, bowls and plates, and a small chopping board for cutting fruit and salad.
Similar basket, from £5, Morgan’s Vintage. Retro spot cups, £1.95 each; bowls, £2.95 each: all Rex London. Jars, £9.99 (set of six); sweet bags, £3.99 (for 48), Lakeland
PRACTICAL MATCH HOLDERS
Instead of taking a standard box of matches on your expedition, re-use small preserve jars to store matches and prevent them from getting damp. Just shape the striking side of the matchbox to fit the jar lid, so you can easily light barbecues and candles. Similar picnic blanket fabric, Sissinghurst, Indigo/ruby, £63/m, Sanderson at Jane Clayton. Preserving jars, £9.99 (set of six), Lakeland
NOUGHTS AND CROSSES
This fun game can be made by sewing fabric strips on the front of a calico bag to form a grid of nine squares. Collect pebbles from the shallows and chalk noughts and crosses on each one. BAG made from Rustic Linen, £42.50/m, Ian Mankin. Drawstring and grid pattern made from Dashwood Studio, Distant Dreams Ditsy Flowers, Cream, £11.99/m, John Lewis. Chalk, £1.60 (pack of 12), Pipii
PAPER SAILING BOATS
Fold a piece of A4 paper in half. Using the folded side, bring each edge into the centre and turn the bottom flaps up on each side, which has now formed a triangle. Open up the inner part and flatten to make a diamond. Fold the bottom corners on each side up to the top corner and split the triangle in half again by pulling the bottom corners down to form a diamond. Pinch the top sides, pulling down to form the boat and sail shape. Apple BASKET, £20, Olli Ella. Giftwrapping PAPER PAD, £9.50, Pipii
PATTERNED TOWELS
Give white waffle towels a new lease of life by sewing bold, ditsy printed fabrics to the reverse of each one. White polyester-mix waffle towels, £8.99 (set of two), Lakeland; backed in Dashwood Studio, Flurry in Jade, £7.69/m, and Dashwood Studio, Distant Dreams Ditsy Flowers in Cream, £11.99/m: both John Lewis