DIY Dyeing Linen Napkins

… because why not?

If you get my weekend newsletter (shameless plug, you totally need to sign up if you haven’t already!) then you know last week’s craft idea was Dyeing Linen Napkins. Well, needless to say I could NOT get this idea out of my head. So this week I swung by Micheal’s and picked up a few supplies.

Truthfully, it couldn’t have been easier or more fun. I really enjoy trying a low-stakes craft and honestly this one was under $20 all together!

If you are looking for something fun to do over the weekend to zhuzh up your Thanksgiving table, this is the craft for you. Also, we don’t have little ones yet, but think it would be so much fun to do with kids! I kept thinking my nieces and nephews would LOVE this. Such a great way to get them excited about learning how to properly set a table and… a little science lesson too!

How to Dye Linen Fabric

What you need:

• Drop Cloth
• Bucket
• Gloves
• Linen Napkins
• Rit Dye (I also used this. left over from my tie-dye experience.)
• Rit Color Stay
• Salt
• Large Spoon
• Hot/Cold Water

So here’s the deal, when it comes to crafting I rarely follow directions. This KILLS Ryan. I’m more a feel-it-out-as-I-go type of gal, which means I make a plethora of mistakes along the way. But whatever, it’s my process. But this also means that I find some fun loop-holes as well… like mixing dyes! 😉

I ended up buying the Rit powder dye so I did watch the how-to video on their site. Which, by the way, was super well done and helpful. I sort-of followed the directions…. because I didn’t have the color stay product that they recommended, which in hindsight I probably needed.

How They Turned Out

Let me just say I love the way mine turned out, BUT, I should have let the dye set longer. I was so worried about the dye coming out too dark that I maybe pulled them out of the dye bath too soon and put them in the wash too soon. So I ended up having to re-dye them! Regardless, they make me very very happy.

My Biggest Take Away – It’s okay if the napkins are a little darker than you want when you pull them out of the dye bath, when you wash them they WILL lighten up a bit. Especially if you don’t have the color stay product (which, again, is something I would use if doing over again)!

Also, have extra napkins to play around with/practice on… trust me.

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Happy crafting, friends!