Watercolor Napkin Tutorial

When I think of summer the remarkable hues of sparkling turquoise water always come to mind. We live on beautiful Georgian Bay, and on those perfect summer days when you can feel the warmth of the sun on your shoulders, the balmy breeze through your hair and the heat of the ground underfoot, you could easily mistake the gorgeous blue of our bay for the crystal clear waters of the tropics.

So it’s no surprise that one of my favorite colors to incorporate into our home during the warmer months is blue. I love layering in varying shades of this hue through simple details, like pieces of art, vintage glass bottles and linens. It is also an easy way evoke a serene and coastal feeling.

I was inspired to create these simple watercolor napkins after seeing these. I think they are the perfect way to add just a hint of color and a little bit of fun into our neutral dining room.

Watercolor Napkin Tutorial

Supplies:

• Cotton napkins/dish towels
• Multi-surface paint
• Fabric medium
• Paint brush
• Wax paper

Instructions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the craft paint and fabric medium according to the package instructions. I like to use Martha Stewart multi-surface craft paint (I used Mermaid Teal) and tintable fabric medium. Once you have combined the mixture add 1/3 cup of water.
2. Lay a large piece of wax paper on your work surface to act as a barrier, and unfold the cotton napkin on top of it.
3. Starting at the base of the napkin, apply the paint mixture with a paintbrush, moving from the bottom edge upwards. I painted about two inches of fabric.
4. Fill a separate bowl with water and wet your paintbrush. Using short brush strokes, spread the paint upwards to create the watercolor effect.
5. Hang to dry overnight. Make sure you hang the napkins over a piece of plastic to dry as they will drip.

I love this project because it is simple and inexpensive, and there are so many variations you can make to adapt it to your style. You could use more subdued colors during the colder months, for example, navy or hunter green would look stunning on a Thanksgiving or Christmas table.

You can also apply this method to pillows, table runners and even ribbon like I did here.

I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did, if you give it a try I would love to hear your thoughts.

Have a wonderful day!

Alicia xo

The post Watercolor Napkin Tutorial first appeared on Craftberry Bush on February 16, 2016.