With the weather warming up and the Rule of 6 coming back in from Monday 29th March, what better way to celebrate being able to meet up again outside with friends and family than with a socially distanced cream tea. OK, so a better way would be with loads of friends and all your family, wherever you wanted to meet up and being able to hug and kiss each other, but let's be grateful for small mercies.
Anyway, dust of the posh china and get ready by hand printing a set of napkins to compliment your tableware.
TO MAKE THE NAPKINS (with mitred corners)
If you don't own a set of plain napkins to print onto then they are very easy to make, here's how:
A square of good quality cotton fabric 40cm x 40cm / 15 3/4" x 15 3/4"
A tape measure or ruler
Iron
Dress making scissors
Sewing machine and matching cotton thread
With the right side of the fabric facing down use the iron to press all of the edges over by1cm / 1/2"
With the new folded edge as your guide press all of the edges over again by 1cm / 1/2"
Unfold the corners and cut across the folds as show in the photo below.
Refold the corners back in place and re-press.
Using the sewing machine stich around all 4 sides at a distance of just under 1cm / 1/2"
TO PRINT THE NAPKINS
This is a very simple but effective printmaking technique that uses items you may already have at home.
You will need:
Cork from a wine bottle (plastic or cork)
Fabric paint in your choice of colours
Newspaper or scrap paper
For the ink pad (you’ll need one ink pad per colour that you intend to use)
Jam jar lid
Felt cut to fit inside the jam jar lid
How to:
First make up the ink pad(s)
Place the felt inside the jam jar lid and start by putting a tea spoon amount of fabric paint onto the felt. Work it in until it has been absorbed. Turn over the felt and add more fabric paint if needed.
Do a test print. Take the cork and dab one end into the ink pad. Using a scrap piece of fabric or paper make a test print and practice your design.
When you're ready to print make sure that the napkin is crease free and lay it on the sheet of newspaper or scrap paper, this will stop any ink getting onto the table.
Dab the cork end into the ink pad and make your first print on the napkin. Go back and dab the cork into the ink pad and continue printing your design.
When dry check the manufacturers instructions as to how to make the print colour fast.