Make easy painted monogrammed napkins

Monogrammed items make a nice personalized wedding or birthday gift, and using fabric paint to make easy painted monogrammed napkins is super easy.

Since I don’t know how to embroider (yet!) I like to use fabric paint to create designs and monograms on fabric, such as linen napkins. The paint stands up well to washing and looks crisp and neat. Whether you’d like to create a monogrammed napkin set for your family, for a wedding gift, or for a personal gift, these are sure to make you smile.

Table of Contents

• Materials for painted monogrammed napkins
• Step 1: Create your monogram design
• Step 2: Trace your monogram design on tracing paper
• Step 3: Make your final monogram design with fabric markers
• Step 4: Let your design rest, and then wash it
• Other projects with fabric markers

Materials for painted monogrammed napkins

Here’s what you’ll need for this simple project:

• Light colored linen napkins that you make yourself or purchase – Here’s a beautiful set from Etsy
• Tulip dual-tipped fabric markers
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Tracing paper
• Monogram design (I’ll walk you through this part)

Step 1: Create your monogram design

The first step in making your painted monogrammed napkins is to create your monogram design in the size that you’d like for your napkin. You may want to take your napking and block out the area for your monogram with washi tape or using a pencil. That will help you visualize what the right size is for your napkin. Generally, designs look best when you have a bit of a margin – so don’t make it too close to the edge. The bottom right is where I located my monogram.

You have several options for how to create your monogram.

1. You may want to draw it out on your own, if you’re good at drawing.
2. You can also create your monogram in Microsoft Word. For staggered letters, you’ll need to create text boxes and then move them around as needed.
3. You can use an online monogram creator like Makemonogram.com

If you’d like to see examples of traditional mongoram designs, just google “monogram styles” or go to a website like LL Bean or Ralph Lauren that offers monogramming, for examples.

Here’s a video tutorial.

Step 2: Trace your monogram design on tracing paper

The next step is to start the process of transferring your design from paper to your fabric. If your fabric is thin enough, you may be able to just trace the design directly onto your fabric by placing the paper with the design on it under the fabric and tracing the design onto the fabric with a pencil. You can also freehand a design onto your fabric with pencil.

My preferred method is this easy transfer technique that requires only a pencil and a sheet of tracing paper.

First, trace your design onto tracing paper. You can use a pencil, though you may want to use a thin tipped sharpie in a color that will stand out. You’ll see why in the next step.

Then, on the BACK of the tracing paper, scribble with pencil all over the area where the design is. It’s best to use a not-too-sharp pencil and use the side of the pencil, not the tip. You’re just laying down graphite from the pencil all over the design.

Trim the tracing paper if needed, and then tape it to your fabric (the pencil scribbles should be touching the fabric and the design should look exactly how you’d like it) in exactly the place you want your design.

Finally, trace over your design FIRMLY with a pencil, or pen, but being careful not to poke through the tracing paper. The pressure that you’ll make on the paper as you trace it will then transfer the graphite on the back of the tracing paper onto the fabric.

Lift the tracing paper up and see if the design is clear. If not, replace the tracing paper and continue to trace over the design until you get a clear transfer.

Step 3: Make your final monogram design with fabric markers

Your painted monongrammed napkins are almost done! Now that you have your design outlineld in pencil on your fabric, it’s time to make your final design with fabric markers. For thin lines and outlines, the fine tip side of the markers works best. For thicker lines or to color in between outlines, the thicker side works best.

All you need to do is just trace over your outline, using whatever colors you’d like. So easy, right!

Step 4: Let your design rest, and then wash it

Let your design rest for 24 hours. Then, you can wash it by hand or in the washing machine. I’ve made several things with these markers and they launder really well. The ink doesn’t fade it the design stays crisp. Then, just iron your napkins and enjoy!

Watch the full video tutorial on YouTube here.

Other projects with fabric markers

I hope you enjoyed this project for easy painted monogrammed napkins. If you’d like to see another project using fabric markers, last year I created faux embroidered flowers on linen napkins with these same markers. Check out the tutorial for those here.

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