I finally got a dining table!
Now I need to have a tablecloth that fits it. I really like the simple farmhouse style design of a plain linen tablecloth with a few words stenciled on the side. If I change up the color scheme or go from casual to formal, this stenciled Thanksgiving tablecloth will work in either scenario. Loving that versatility…and the drawer space it clears up! If you have ever done stenciling before, you will have no problem with this tutorial. If this is your first time, have no fear, you’ve got this! You could also practice stenciling on paper before painting on the real deal.
Where do I get the supplies?
After looking around for the right sized stencils in the craft stores but not finding what I wanted, I checked online. Of course, Amazon had what I needed. I also shopped around for a good tablecloth that wasn’t synthetic, yet affordable. I found just the one at Target.
What is the total investment of time and money?
The cost of the stencil and tablecloth may vary, but this is an overall inexpensive and easy project. Especially if you reuse the stencils for other projects. Start to finish, it only took me a couple of hours.
I don’t have a dinner recipe for when you are making this tablecloth because it is just so quick and easy, leaving plenty of time for dinner prep. Drat. No excuses to get out of dinner, so sorry. However, for Thanksgiving dinner, you have got to try this easy way to do mashed potatoes. Bonus, it also helps to keep them warm while the other dishes are finishing up on the stove top. Mashed potatoes in a crockpot
Supply List:
- Tablecloth, I chose a cream colored linen from Target
- Stencil(s)- I bought a three pack of “blessed, grateful, thankful”
- Painter’s tape
- Red/contrasting thread and a needle
- Stencil paint or craft paint- I used 2 oz. bottle DecoArt Americana acrylic paint in Neutral Gray
- Stencil brush
- Disposable plate
- Paper towel
- Large piece of aluminum foil
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Instructions:
Step 1:
Choose the tablecloth that best suits your table.
Step 2:
Wash, dry, and press the tablecloth. This gets rid of any manufacturing residue (usually a flame retardant) that could interfere with the adhesion of the paint to the fabric.
Step 3:
Mark the center (near the edge seams) of your tablecloth on both of the long sides with your contrasting thread by doing a basting type stitch. The easiest way to do this is to place the short sides of the tablecloth together, so it is folded in half, and then crease it with your hand on a hard surface. I used my work table. Stitch along the crease for about 3 inches. The importance of this stitch is merely to mark the center of the tablecloth so you have a quick reference point; the stitches will be removed once the stenciling is done. Repeat the basting stitch on the opposite long side of the tablecloth.
Step 4:
Drape tablecloth over the table it will be on to find the length of the drape, or hanging edge; mine was about 10 inches on each side. Take it back to your work table.
Step 5:
Center the middle stencil (“thankful” for my tablecloth) over the red thread line and center it in the drape measurement also. Be sure to keep the word parallel with the edge of the tablecloth.
Step 6:
Tape the four edges of the stencil down to the tablecloth with painter’s tape. Place sheet of aluminum foil between the tablecloth and work surface to prevent paint from transferring through onto the table below and therefore messing up the unpainted portion of your tablecloth.
Step 7:
Use a small stencil brush, blunt ended brush, and load it with your desired color of paint. Be sure to use a small amount of paint and to pounce the loaded brush on a paper towel to remove any excess paint. It’s better to add to the painted surface than to apply too much and have it seep under your stencil. Less is more. We want clean, even edges!
Step 8:
Pounce the loaded brush on to the stencil and fabric until the desired coverage is achieved. I used the DecoArt Americana acrylic craft paint in Neutral Gray and I made sure to layer the paint so that there was complete and solid coverage.
Step 9:
Remove the stencil once you have painted in all of the letters of your word.
Use a small detail brush to paint in the breaks in the letters left by the stencil.
Step 10:
To find the center (the quarter way mark) of the tablecloth drape for the other words, start by measuring the drape length of the short side of the tablecloth and then taking that new edge up to the red thread center and creasing at the fold. Wow, that could be confusing. Ok, the red thread marks the halfway point of your table cloth. You are now finding the center of one half of the tablecloth, minus the drape for the side. Basically, you don’t want your first or last word to hang weird because it’s on the corner of the tablecloth.
Step 11:
Repeat steps 5-10 to stencil all of your words. I washed out my brushes in between words because I didn’t want any paint build up to mess up the letters.
Step 12:
When you are completely done, soak your stencils in a warm soapy solution for about 10-15 minutes and then gently scrub off the paint residue. Now the stencils are ready for another project.
TIP: Save the stencil packaging for stencil storage with less chance of the stencil getting bent or damaged.
Once you have stenciled both sides of your Thanksgiving tablecloth, you can remove the red or contrasting thread, give it a good pressing and then set that table! I was so tempted to do navy paint for my stenciled tablecloth because I just love blue, but I am glad that I went more neutral just in case I want to change up the color scheme in the future. Plans to reuse these stencils for pillow covers on my front porch chairs are in the works. Check back in for the DIY post. In the meantime, enjoy making your house a home! 💙
I love the entire table decor.
Thank you! Today I was working on a Fall table top detail for next year that I am very excited about. It is inexpensive and easy to do but so elegant looking.