Homemade Christmas Crafts:Decorating Cloth Napkins with Stencils
Here at All About Stencils we offer many Homemade Christmas Crafts and ideas. Well, this one is a great way to dress up your holiday table or dress up a gift or accent a special decoration. I’m talking about painting an image on a plain cloth napkin like the ones in the picture here. Aren’t they cute? And it’s so easy. The technique for stenciling on fabric is much the same as on another surface. All of these (except one) are single layer stencils, so I just held the stencil down with one hand and dabbed my paint on with the other. Remember, dabbing, blotting, stippling the paint in an up and down motion over the edges of the stencil openings helps keep paint from seeping under and smudging. I recommend fabric paints for this project but sometimes I use acrylic craft paint and that works fine too. Just make sure you read all the directions on the paints you buy. You want to check the washability and durability of the paints. Also, make sure the paint is suitable for this project. And as I always say, when in doubt-test it out! It’s worth one napkin and some paint to see how it will all play out, right? So, just brush a few strokes of paint on a napkin and then throw it in the wash. If you like the results, move forward. If you want to know more about stenciling on fabrics just click over to our How To Garment Stenciling Page. You’ll find many tips and hints about how to make this venture most successful. By the way, the stencils we are using for this Homemade Christmas Crafts project come from our
Free Christmas Stencils
Page so after you finish here, head over there to get your free stencils. You’ll also find we have many holiday crafts and fun projects for you to try. The reindeer is available below.
How about the prancing reindeer? He is just a single layer stencil and easy to apply. But I thought he needed something more so I painted a quick ribbon across his neck and a few holly leaves. That’s the magic of stencils - they get you started and then you use your creativity to personalize the image. After all it is art! And you are the Artist.The reindeer is part of the Classic Christmas Card Stencils Book (see below). Creating Cards and Gift Tags is another great Homemade Christmas Crafts project that you might want to try and we offer some ideas for you here at All-About-Stencils.
The first color (purple) was painted on using the outline of the ornament and the second color (yellow) was painted on through the openings (islands) of the stencil. Look for this one in our Free Christmas Stencils.
This is the Retro Tree Design. Just a couple of notes here on ways to add personality to your Christmas Art Projects and Homemade Christmas Crafts. Notice on the red napkin there are some small white wisps of paint on each purple ornament to give them a shiny, glossy look. Once you get your image in place with the stencil, use lighter colors in small amounts to create highlights or a darker shade to create shadows. This will add life and depth to your painting and make it look more hand painted.The next tip is the ribbon used in place of a napkin ring. Like this one, ribbons add a nice splash of color. Plus they can make different colored napkins blend well together.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the stenciled napkins in your Homemade Christmas Crafts this year. Don’t forget that they aren’t just for your table. They can make a nice gift. You can make a beautiful set to give or line a basket using painted napkins and fill it with baked goodies. And hey! Don’t forget that I (and everyone else) want to see what you have done with your Homemade Christmas Crafts or Christmas Art Projects with free stencils (or any of your stenciling arts and crafts for that matter). Just click on Contact Me to get your masterpiece showcased here on this web site. Won’t that be exciting! Or if you have any questions or want to share information join in on the Stencil Blog Stencil Blog . Well, I hope to hear from you soon. Happy Stenciling,Penny
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The reindeer stencil used above is part of the Classic Christmas Card Stencils Collection which is available to you in this e-book. Stencils included are the Christmas tree and star, the reindeer, the ornament and bow and of course the carolers. Included is a pattern so that you can make matching envelopes. It has complete instructions and many ideas for creating a variety of cards. You will get your book right away because it's a pdf file. Look for an e-mail with the link to download the book right after purchase.And it's only $4.50.
Christmas: A Book of Stencils This collection includes 9 designs. They are Santa Claus, a Reindeer, a Christmas Tree (with options for decorations), a Candle with Holly Accents, Bells with a Bow, a Gingerbread Boy and Girl, and a String of Lights. This purchase is for a 42 Page PDF file that will be e-mailed to you directly. Price: $9.95
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This is the only two-layer (or two overlay) stencil that I used for this Homemade Christmas Crafts project. A two layer stencil is a great way to get two (or more) colors on an image (notice the purple and yellow). They are a bit more complicated and more work is involved but it’s well worth it!
Here is a simple Christmas Tree. Notice how the trees sport two slightly different colors. Once you have painted the trees on with the stencil, use a small paint brush to create branches with another green. Also, it’s a little hard to see, but I ran a darker yellow along the lowest parts of each arm on the star for a little shadow effect.
