How to Monogram Cloth Dinner Napkins

DIY Monogrammed Napkins: Decorating on a Budget

After adding a monogram to my coffee mugs, I wanted to continue my quest of updating my home décor in the kitchen, all while keeping my very limited budget in mind. I remembered my mother giving me two hand-painted monogrammed kitchen towels as a gift one year and thought this would be a great idea to recreate on cloth dinner napkins. With the same style of stencil I used in my last project, I managed to make an elegant-looking napkin to compliment my new table décor.

This DIY craft idea was super easy to make and added a much-needed personal touch to my dinner table. Having picked up these particular cloth napkins on clearance and already having the fabric paint on hand, this whole project cost me around $3.00 to make. Below you will find a list of supplies you will need, step-by-step directions to follow, and other helpful tips for your monogrammed dinner napkins.

My finished hand-painted monogrammed dinner napkins!

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How to Monogram the Napkins

Adding a monogrammed initial to your cloth dinner napkins is a very easy way to personalize your table décor. With a simple fold and solid color napkin ring, you can create an elegant presentation for your future dinner guests. Below is a list of supplies you will need and directions to complete this budget-friendly DIY craft:

Supplies

• Cloth dinner napkins
• Stencils
• Fabric paint
• Paintbrush
• Tape

Directions

1. Spread out cloth dinner napkins on a hard, flat surface.
2. Place stencil on desired area of napkin. Use several pieces of tape to secure the stencil to the napkin. Most monogrammed initials are placed on the bottom center of the napkin but feel free to add it anywhere as long as the letter will be seen once the napkin is folded up on the table.
3. Use a paintbrush and your choice of color in fabric paint to carefully apply the monogrammed initial to the napkin.
4. Once the paint is completely dry, carefully lift the stencil off the napkin to reveal the monogram.
5. Use a smaller tip paintbrush to fix any mistakes or to straighten up the lines of the monogrammed letter.
6. When the design is finished, fold or roll up cloth napkin and attach the napkin ring. Your project is now ready to display on your kitchen or dining room table.

How to Wash the Napkins

To clean the hand-painted dinner napkins, I suggest hand-washing them in the sink or using the delicate cycle in the washing machine. When I first washed my monogrammed kitchen towels with a large load of towels on the regular cycle, it made the color of the paint fade a bit. If this happens, you can always repaint to brighten up the color of the monogram.

How to Fold Napkins

Folding these hand-painted cloth napkins is quite easy. The most important thing to remember is you want to paint the stencil in an area where you will be able to see the monogram once you fold or roll the napkin.

A good idea is to practice the fold before you paint the napkin and mark the area where you want your monogram to display. To recreate the simple fold shown in the pictures above, follow the directions below and secure with a napkin ring.

5 Easy Steps to Folding Cloth Napkins

1. Spread out the cloth napkin on the table.
2. Fold in half to where the stenciled monogram is at the bottom center of the napkin.
3. Turn the folded napkin around and roll up the left side halfway to the center of the napkin.
4. Roll up the right side to meet in the center of the napkin.
5. Attach the napkin ring and adjust the front to make the monogrammed stencil the focal point of the napkin.

Easy DIY Craft Project for the Dinner Table

Monogramming cloth dinner napkins is a great way to dress up your dinner table when you are on a budget. You don't have to spend a fortune to get elegant-looking napkins if you make this easy do-it-yourself craft!

These napkins also make a sweet and unique gift for any wedding, birthday, or holiday. I can honestly say that my most treasured gifts over the years are the homemade ones. You can still see all these gifts proudly displayed throughout my house.

I hope you have found an easy DIY craft project to update your home décor. If you have any questions or comments about this project, feel free to leave these in the comment section provided below. Best of luck with your project!

Comments

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on May 03, 2012:

Thanks ThomasLloyd! Appreciate you stopping by!

ThomasLloyd on May 03, 2012:

Nice reading, thanks for sharing!

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 22, 2012:

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Thanks so much prasetio30! I appreciate your sweet comments and for the votes!

prasetio30 from malang-indonesia on April 22, 2012:

Beautiful and you are very creative. I love the way you taught us about how to fold napkins. Voted up and useful. Take care!

Blessing,

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 17, 2012:

Thanks Mel! I am the same way. I had to do a little touch up once I lifted the stencil but it wasn't that bad. Hope your napkins turn out well! Appreciate you stopping by!

Melanie Palen from Midwest, USA on April 16, 2012:

Oh wow! This is so cool! I think I might have to pick up some nice, cream-colored dinner napkins and give this a shot myself. It looks so pretty and so fun! I'll have to be extra careful with the stencil, I have the tendency to color outside the lines. Fab hub!

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 16, 2012:

Thanks theclevercat! Yes it is such an easy way to create a different look for the table. My mom just finished her napkins and added cute designs around her monogram. Her table looked so beautiful with them on the chargers. Appreciate you stopping by and for the vote up!

Rachel Vega from Massachusetts on April 15, 2012:

This is great! I bought ten dozen restaurant napkins from eBay years ago and they are still going strong. This is a great idea to switch up the look. Thanks for the idea. Voted up!

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 12, 2012:

Thanks Cara! Happy to hear you are going to try it out! Appreciate you stopping by!

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 12, 2012:

Thanks randomcreative! Appreciate you stopping by and commenting!

cardelean from Michigan on April 12, 2012:

Loved it! Can't wait to give it a try!

Rose Clearfield from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on April 12, 2012:

Another great tutorial, Alissa! Thanks!

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 12, 2012:

How funny Rebecca! There will definitely be no sewing hubs from me - but I can paint! Truth is I can barely sew a button on a pair of pants lol :) Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!

Rebecca Mealey from Northeastern Georgia, USA on April 11, 2012:

OK. Glad I read further. I hate anything to do with sewing and sewing machines and almost ran away. Your pic grabbed me. Painted monograms! How cool is that!

Alissa Roberts (author) from Normandy, TN on April 11, 2012:

Thanks so much teaches12345! Oh yes that voting choice came from my boys always wanting to wipe their mouth with their shirt. No matter how much I say use a napkin, they still usually go for the shirt :) Appreciate your visit and for the very sweet comment!

Dianna Mendez on April 11, 2012:

Again, a lovely hub and great topic. We use cloth knapkins most of the time because they add a touch of formality and are washable. I love your voting choice of "use my sleeve", good chuckle on that one! You are quite talented!