DIY: Neon Polka Dot Tea Towels

I have a weakness for tea towels – I want to buy them, make them, display them, love them. So, needless to say, I was pretty excited to discover Noble Walters – supplier of high quality cotton tea towels – and Canadian, to boot!

Based in Vancouver, Noble Walters began as an idea for creative school fundraising, before expanding to a retail business in tea towels featuring local artists and sales of blank tea towels to businesses and individuals. Whether you’re looking to add a line of professionally screenprinted tea towels to your product selection, searching for a source for blank towels for your business or just want to paint a few for yourself , I think you’ll find Noble Walters is a great place to start! (And if you’re nervous, their team can even help with the design process.)

Designed to be virtually lint-free, the 100% cotton tea towels are really lovely quality and generously sized at 18.5″ x 30″. Suzy at Noble Walters advised that pre-washing was not required – so I jumped right into creating…

The thing about a tea towel is that it really is a blank canvas. But I wanted to create something that was not only simple but also would bring a splash of summer colour to my kitchen. So, polka dots in neon shades seemed perfect.

Materials:

tea towels c/0 Noble Walters
stencil plastic
craft punch
fabric paint
sponge / brush / paint tray
tape

1. Using your craft punch, punch the desired pattern in the stencil plastic. (I used a 1″ circle, but you could really use any size / shape you desired. Triangles, stars, bows…). Depending on the sharpness of your punch, the cut edges may be a little rough – if you’d prefer clean edges, use a craft knife to smooth the rough bits.

2. My pattern was designed to create a patterned border at the bottom of the towel. If you would prefer a random pattern all over the towel, try punching a singular shape in a small piece of stencil plastic.

3. Lay your tea towel on a piece of cardboard or other flat surface you don’t mind getting paint on. Align the stencil in the desired position and use a few pieces of tape to secure it in place.

4. Use your sponge or stencil brush to dab paint onto the stencil. It’s better to build up paint than to add too much at once.

5. Once pattern is complete, remove the tape and carefully lift the stencil off of the tea towel. Repeat if desired.

6. Carefully move tea towel to drying rack. Allow to dry thoroughly. Once dry, follow paint instructions for heat setting.

7. If desired, use a fabric marker to add an appetizing message!

Fun & easy, right? I think these would make a great housewarming or shower gift, or even treat yourself to something fresh for your kitchen this summer.