A Piece of Mid Century Camping History, Ready to Head Back Outside
This week's Make It Monday project started with an old JCPenney wool camp blanket believed to date from the 1950s to 1960s.
It wasn't in perfect condition.
There was damage at both ends of the blanket, which meant we couldn't use it as it was. But the middle still had these fantastic bold red, yellow and blue stripes.
Those were absolutely worth saving.
For Make It Monday, our community chose to turn a section of the blanket into one of our Jr. Groundcloths and pair it with tan waxed canvas.
We carefully worked around the damaged portions of the original blanket and positioned our cut to preserve those beautiful Mid Century stripes.
The result is a completely functional piece of outdoor gear that carries a little camping history along with it.
Waxed Canvas on the Ground. Wool on Top.
Our lined groundcloths start with one solid piece of waxed canvas that creates the entire back.
For this one, we used tan waxed canvas and layered the Mid Century wool camp blanket on top. The waxed canvas extends beyond the wool and is folded over its edges before being stitched down, creating the finished border and securely capturing the wool around the perimeter.
That construction gives each side a job.
Put the waxed canvas side toward the ground to create a durable, weather-resistant barrier between you and damp grass, dirt, a log or the forest floor.
Keep the wool side facing up for a warmer, softer place to sit or kneel.
We also added a grommet to each corner for even more versatility around camp.
The Perfect Personal-Sized Groundcloth
The finished groundcloth measures approximately 25" × 22".
It's large enough to give you a comfortable personal space but small enough to roll or fold up and bring along without taking up the room of a full-size groundcloth.
It's great for:
- Sitting on a damp log, stump or forest floor
- Kneeling while working around camp
- Creating a clean surface for organizing gear
- Lunch breaks on the trail
- An extra layer between you and a cold bench
- A small work surface for outdoor projects
- Giving your gear a clean place to land
- Simply claiming your own little dry spot in the woods
Saving the Good Parts
One of our favorite things about working with older materials is figuring out what they can become next.
This blanket had damage. We could have looked at that and decided its useful life was over.
Instead, we looked at those beautiful stripes.
By carefully cutting around the damaged areas, we were able to preserve one of the best sections of the blanket and turn it into something meant to be used for years to come.
That's our kind of recycling.
Details
Finished Size: Approximately 25" × 22"
Backing: Tan waxed canvas
Lining: Mid Century JCPenney wool camp blanket
Estimated Era: 1950s–1960s
Design: Original red, yellow and blue striped wool
Construction: Full waxed canvas backing folded over the wool to create the finished border
Hardware: Four corner grommets
Made: Handcrafted in our Washington State shop
Origin: Created as a PNWBUSHCRAFT Make It Monday project
Old Gear Deserves New Adventures
This blanket was originally made during an era when camping gear was expected to last.
Decades later, part of it was still good enough to save.
So we did.
Now it's ready to go camping again.