4 easy diy patterned napkins!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CompleteWithGlade #CollectiveBias

Two things you can be certain of when it comes to DIY posts around here:

1. I rarely do them.

2. If I do, you know they are going to be SUPER easy.

Allow me to present my latest (and SUPER easy) DIY!

diy-painted-napkins

When asked to draw inspiration for a summer project inspired by Glade®, I was immediately drawn to two scents – Clean Linen® and Cashmere Woods®. I’m not one for fruity or floral fragrances and just loved the classic line-dried laundry scent of Clean Linen® and the unfussy oaky scent of Cashmere Woods®.

I took a cue from both of these and immediately thought: Linens! Specifically, some fun (SUPER easy) ways to take plain, inexpensive cloth napkins and dress them up for summer entertaining.

And I came up with four (!!!) adorable and totally do-able projects that can all be executed in an afternoon.

I stopped at The Home Depot to pick up some supplies, along with my Glade®  products.

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diy-painted-napkins #shop

Glade® Wax Melts Cashmere Woods®

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Glade® PlugIns® Scented Oil Clean Linen®

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Glade® Room Spray Clean Linen®

I started with a dozen each of colored and white 100% cotton napkins. Linen and cotton are recommended for these projects as they take to dyeing and painting with the richest results.

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Let’s take a look!

Bleach-Stamped Napkins

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You’ll need:

colored napkins (laundered and ironed)
bleach (liquid or gel)
a container to hold the bleach
plastic to protect your work surface
various household items

Pour the bleach into your container and lay the napkin out on a protected work surface.  Working with one napkin at a time, use various household items to “stamp” your design. I practiced on an old tee shirt first to see what I liked best. And don’t be too fussy! It’s hard to predict how much the bleach will spread, and you’ll get some drips and dribbles. It’s all good!

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Let the napkins dry, then launder with a bit of detergent. Dry on low heat and iron.

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Painted Striped Napkins

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You’ll need:

white napkins (laundered and ironed)
painter’s tape
fabric paint
sponge brushes
plastic or cardboard to protect your work surface

Tape the napkins to create stripes of varying widths. Paint as desired and let dry completely. Wash and dry according to bottle directions.

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diy-painted-napkins #shop

 

Bleach “Painted” Napkins

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You’ll need:

colored napkins (laundered and ironed)
bleach (squeeze bottle of gel bleach, or liquid bleach transferred to a small squeeze bottle – the kind you find at the craft store)
plastic to protect your work surface

Working with one napkin at a time, lay it flat on your protected work surface. Create abstract designs – squiggles, lines, zig zags, etc. Let dry for about 5 minutes and then rinse thoroughly with cold water (I did this outside).

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Line dry and then launder/dry/iron. As with the bleach “stamping”, the bleach will drip and splotch – it all lends to the end result so have fun!

 

Ombre Dyed Napkins

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You’ll need:

white napkins (laundered and ironed)
1 box dye
large bowl or bucket
rubber gloves to protect your hands

Dissolve the dye in 2 cups of very hot water. Pour this mixture into your bowl and add 4 more cups of hot water – stir. Working with one napkin at a time, dip just the edge into the dye – you’ll see it creep up quickly. Drape the napkin over the bowl and let it sit till the desired look is achieved – the ombre effect happens on its own. Rinse the napkin under cool water, holding it upright so that the water flows from the undyed portion downward. Keep rinsing and squeezing till the water runs clear; let hang to dry and launder according to the package directions on the dye.

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diy-painted-napkins #shop

Aren’t these great? And SUPER easy too, as promised. These would make unique hostess gifts to bring to a summer house, barbecue or picnic. And since they’re custom-made by you, they can match whatever décor or theme you desire!

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For more inspiration check out the Home Depot and Glade® – and follow Glade® on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

How do you switch up your décor come summertime?

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diy-painted-napkins #shop
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6 Comments

  1. Susan H on June 24, 2016 at 10:07 am

    I am in love with these! I can never find linen napkins that are exactly what I am looking for, or they cost so much because we have such a large family. But we have been using them instead of paper napkins for almost a year now. Thanks for all these great ideas!

    • sherisilver on June 24, 2016 at 11:22 am

      Oh yay! I know – cloth napkins are SO expensive – especially nice ones! Let me know what you make! 🙂

  2. Nancy Thomas on June 25, 2016 at 4:17 am

    I love linen napkins. For the white napkins, I get mine at Sam’s Club. They are of very good quality and are very durable, commercial quality.

    • sherisilver on June 25, 2016 at 8:10 am

      Good to know; thank you for the tip! 🙂

  3. Gwen Murphy on July 11, 2016 at 4:36 pm

    I always seem to come up with the “dumbest sounding” questions but…Were the Glade scents just for inspiration or did you use them in an other way? Can’t wait to do some painting on some napkins & if I can locate table cloths or fabric to make a set . Thanks for the idea.

    • sherisilver on July 11, 2016 at 8:54 pm

      Not dumb at all! 🙂 I had to draw inspiration from the products, which how I came up with the napkins – but that was the extent of it. Let me know if you make them!

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!