Hand Stenciled Napkins

 

I spent part of the day today working on these Christmas Napkins.  I am so tickled with the way they turned out!!  I made them out of a piece Painter’s Canvas Drop Cloth that I found at Lowe’s for a mere $5.00.  The price is hard to beat but I actually do love the way this cloth looks a lot like a rustic linen.  I was able to make 4 napkins and two tea towels out of one 4ft. x 5ft. piece.  Are you looking for an easy and inexpensive handmade Christmas gift idea?

Here is how I made them.  I took a cloth napkin that I already had and used it as a pattern for the size I wanted.  My napkins measure approximately 19 inches x 19 inches.  I cut out 4 pieces of the Painter’s Cloth.  I turned in the raw edges approximately 1/4 inch on all four sides and ironed it down with a hot iron.  I then turned each side in again 1/4 inch and ironed in place.  I sewed all four edges down so that all my edges were finished with a double folded edge.  This gives you a neat edge. Ironing down all the edges really helped make the sewing part much easier and the edges neater.  Don’t skip this step!

 

I then stenciled the word “Noel” on each of my napkins using black craft paint.  To do this I carefully folded the napkins how I wanted to see them in the napkin rings and that is how I knew where I wanted to place my stencil.  I used a stencil that I purchased at Maison de Stencil but you could also use any alphabet stencil and then you could dip the eraser at the top of a pencil in some paint and touch it down to get the two dots over the letter “E” in “Noel”.   I also used some blue painter’s tape to help keep my stencil in place while I worked. 

And don’t they look great with the number napkin rings I found at Pottery Barn last year?! :)

I think I am going to get myself another piece of the Painter’s Cloth and make some more so that I have a set of at least 6 or 8 napkins.  I also made two tea towels that I can’t wait to show you.   I will be posting them soon!!  So stay tuned!

I am linking this post up to Make It 4 Monday Over at Cottage Instincts.  Stop by to see some more great ideas.

And I am linking up to Just Something I Whipped Up Holiday Style over at The Girl Creative.  More fun projects over there too!

And I am linking up to Thrifty Thursday over at Tales From Bloggeritaville.  Stop by for a visit there too!