If you don’t have a suitable tablecloth, make one to fit the measurements of your table. Use a thickly woven fabric and wash it before you start printing.

Before You Start
Use a ruler or paintbrush to apply a layer of Table-Tac or stencil glue to a smooth work surface, such as wood or melamine. As soon as the glue becomes tacky (it should no longer adhere to your fingers), place a section of the tablecloth that you will be printing on the tacky surface and smooth it out. Move the fabric along as you go.

You Will Need

• floral template
• white tablecloth
• blue fabric paint
• rubber linoleum (available from art and craft shops)
• set of lino cutters
• 2 rubber rollers
• sheet of glass or Priplak
• carbon paper
• ballpoint pen

To Make
1 Copy the template to the desired size – ours is about the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Place it on the linoleum with a sheet of carbon paper in between. Transfer the design onto the lino using a ballpoint pen. If the transfer is not clear, go over the lines on the lino with your pen before you start cutting out.

2 Use the smallest V-shaped lino cutter to cut away the lino all along the outlines of the design, always working away from your body. REMEMBER that the only raised lines should be the ones you would like to print.

3 When you’ve finished cutting out, use a larger lino cutter to cut out the rest of the background. Make sure the background is cut out completely, otherwise it will spoil your print. Cut away any excess lino with scissors to ensure it isn’t transferred onto the fabric.

4 Scoop a bit of fabric paint onto a sheet of glass or Priplak and use a rubber roller to spread it out. Keep rolling until the paint becomes slightly tacky and it has been spread out to a thin, even layer.

5 Apply a thin coat of fabric paint to the lino stamp using the rubber roller. Ensure that the paint is applied to the entire design and that there is no paint on the background of the design.

6 Turn over the lino stamp and press it firmly onto the tablecloth. Use a clean rubber roller to go over the back of the lino stamp a few times to transfer the fabric paint onto the tablecloth. Carefully lift up one corner of the lino cut, then lift up the whole stamp.

7 Repeat to transfer the design all along the edge of the tablecloth. Once you’re done, leave to dry before ironing the back of the tablecloth to heat-set the paint.

Text and image: Ideas magazine