 |
Cotton flour sack tea towels are my absolute favorite in the kitchen but they need a bit of pizzazz too. With the help of some fabric paint and a lino block or stamp, this simple project adds some sunshine to kitchen chores. For this weekend’s project, grab some materials and make some of your own. WARNING: printing is addictive. Soon you will be doing napkins, placemats, table cloths, curtains, clothing….
Materials:
- Flour sack tea towels (ironed)
- Fabric Paint
- Paint roller / brushes
- Linoleum block or rubber stamp
- Old towel and large plastic bag (freezer bags are good, plastic shipping envelope used here)
- Paint tray (top of a salad box used here)
- Iron
Directions:
1. Mix up your paint colour using fabric paints which are intended to heat set to withstand washing and use. Roll jus
t a wee bit of paint onto your stamp or block. A little goes a long, long way but too much paint will make your print gloopy (i.e.: bleed outside of your intended design).
2. Set up your printing area by folding the old towel over a few times and covering it with the plastic bag. This is so there is a bit of give below the fabric you will be stamping, ensuring a nice even transfer.
3. On a piece of paper or some scrap fabric, do a test print on your bag/towel block to ensure you get the color and the amount of paint needed right. I didn’t like the double stem on my original design so I adjusted the top before printing the fabric. Like the results? Then on to the next step.
4. Time to print your fabric! Stamp it like you did the paper and set aside to dry.
5. The final step is to heat set your beautiful creations with a dry iron for about 5-10 minutes. Once that’s done, your tea towel can be used, washed, and dried.
Here is the final design from the linoleum block that I carved (which by the way is also addictive!):
And here is the result from a rubber stamp:
I love the yellow! Kathy
Your set up looks like my set up right… It is addictive! I am running a tutorial this afternoon on printing at a baby shower….
Beautiful yellows. Did you make the large stamp?
Cheers,
Megan
im loving that sunflower pillow. cute towels too!
~laura
This is such a great idea to bring in a dash of seasonal color! I love that you can totally customize the look to fit your style. You’re right, it looks like it would be totally addicting!
Thanks for sharing at Simply Klassic Home!
I love tea towels too, and have several, although I’ve never printed them on my own. Will have to try that for sure!!
It’s soooo perfect! The yellow is the perfect touch of happy.
WOW!!! I love your link up! Super cool! And creative!
The printed towels are gorgeous! So simple, and so lovely. Another great gift idea!
Hi Stevie
I stumbled across your blog today and boy, am I glad I did!! First off, I want to tell you how excited I am to go and make these dishcloths and also how cool it is that you write for Delish. I photograph for Delish !!!!! Very cool. Keep in touch!
Hi Tracy, so glad to ‘meet’ you! Your photos are stunning.
Thanks, Aimee. Let me know if you try them :)
Oh how cool! I want to try this! Thanks so much for sharing!
love those flour sack towells–thanks for sharing!
That IS a great way to add some sunshine indoors. I love shades of yellow in January, too. It helps to banish the cold-weather blues. ;)
Thanks for linking to Time Travel Thursday. Hope to see you again this week.
Blessings,
Liz @ The Brambleberry Cottage
Very pretty and something that I am suruptitiously going to send to my “Art student” daughter who is undertaking a unit in printing at the moment. I have been quaking in fear at the “interesting” print that is going to find it’s way into my home made mothers day present this year and you just made it so that I can be utterly genuine with my delight when I open the purple, orange and black paper to be greeted with one of these lovely prints. Far better these than the gothic steampunk dead frog that I would no doubt receive in its place should I not take matters into my own hands…sigh…the nefarious things we mothers have to do to get what we want eh? ;)