Hand Painted Linen Kitchen Towels & Napkins - Easy DIY Project

In my kitchen, each season I change out accents to make the otherwise neutral room feel more like that particular time of year.  Little touches like adding fresh colored kitchen towels and a stack of linen napkins can make a big difference in making the entire room feel like Spring, for example.  To be able to keep up with my seasonally evolving kitchen, I have made a variety of custom kitchen linens that boast my favorite color combinations and hand-stitched monograms.   Best of all, this project can be done by the most ungifted artist. 

hand painted
linen kitchen towels & napkins

    fabric paint
    brushes
    painter’s tape
    water
    drop cloth or craft paper
    linen fabric
    sewing machine
    thread
    pair of scissors   

Directions :

Begin by cutting the linen into the size of the item you’d like to make.  For a napkin, a 20-inch square is a standard size, and 24 by 30-inches works great for kitchen towels.  Allow 1-inch extra around the perimeter for the seam.  Place a piece of craft paper on your surface before beginning.  Place the linen down and use painter’s tape to create stripes.  For a ‘plaid’ effect you’ll need to do the perpendicular stripes in separate phases.

To make the paint, mix the color you’d like to use, then dilute it with 2 parts water.  Dip your paint brush in the paint, then dab off until almost all of the liquid is off of the brush, leaving only a small amount coating the bristles.  This is called a dry brush method.  Lightly begin to brush the liquid on with even strokes.  Continue until all of the stripes are a homogeneous color and intensity.



Remove the tape and repeat to complete your selected pattern. 

Let the paint dry for several hours. 

Hem the edges of the linens with a 1/2 seam.  Wash in cool water and press.

I put an "H" monogram on our napkins with embroidery floss using a simple running stitch.  

Here's the in-one-image snapshot for pinterest!