DIY Stenciled Holiday Tea Towels

By Heather of Kitchen Concoctions: www.kitchen-concoctions.com

Printable Version

Simple hand painted tea towels using holiday stencils for the perfect hand crafted holiday gift. 

Supplies:

Cotton tea towels

Iron

Cardboard pieces

Plastic holiday stencils

Paint or masking tape (or spray adhesive)

Fabric or multi-purpose acrylic paint

Disposable plates

Foam pouncer

Small paint brush

Directions:

1. Pre-wash towels and iron out creases.

2. Place ironed towel on top of cardboard in a single layer. Using painters tape, secure stencil on towel in desired location.

3. Pour a small amount of paint onto a paper plate. Dab a stencil brush into paint, dabbing off excess paint (brush should have just a thin layer of paint). Dab paint onto towel over the stencil covered area, with firm stamping movements. Try not to smear the paint around, as it will bleed paint under stencil and create a messy design.

4. Using a small paint brush, go over any small areas that the foam brush didn't cover.

5. Allow paint to dry for about 15-20 minutes before peeling off tape and gently removing stencil.

6. Allow paint to fully dry (for at least 24 hours) then set paint by gently ironing over painted area with iron set to medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes (do not use steam!).

Tips: Spray adhesive works better than tape to firmly hold down stencil and prevent paint from getting to undesirable areas. If reusing paint brush or foam pouncer, wash and dry thoroughly before using with next colored paint to prevent bleeding.