DIY Pink Shibori Cloth Napkins

Well, our love for shibori continues! We thought it would be interesting to try our favorite shibori technique with something other than indigo, something bright for spring and summer.

My friend Heather and I tried our hand at using a raspberry color procaine MX dye. The process is a bit different than using the natural indigo dye. We set up the pink dye and could not resist setting up a bucket of indigo as well! I will be sharing the indigo fabrics with you soon!

I used the pink fabrics we made to make this no-sew cloth napkin set! They are so fun to use on the table. They add that pop of color that I was looking for to usher in summer. And I was so pleased with the shibori techniques, but with pink this time!

Check out our indigo shibori techniques that we made pillows, dish towels and a scarf! The possibilities are endless!

Read more for the full tutorial…

DIY Pink Shibori Cloth Napkins Supplies:

Jacquard Procion Dye // soda ash dye fixer // 100% cotton fabric // 5 gallon bucket // clothes pins // binder clips // rubber bands // string // wood blocks // paint sticks // rubber gloves

DIY Pink Shibori Cloth Napkins Steps:

1. Mix dye in bucket per instructions on bottle.

2. Cut cotton fabric to 18.5 inches x 18.5 inches. Most shibori techniques require a basic accordion fold. All of the designs we made started with the accordion fold. See more folding techniques we used to make towels here.

3. Triangle fold – after folding the fabric in an accordion fold, fold accordion style again but in a triangle shape. See photo.

4. Secure the triangles with 2 small dowel rods. Tie off the rods with rubber bands.

5. Clothes pins – this makes a brighter pattern, more pink and less white. Fold fabric in accordion. Then fold in half. Using clothes pins, create a pattern on both sides of rectangle shape.

6. Binder clips – similar to using clothes pins but adds a bold pattern.

7. Wood pieces – fold fabric using accordion fold. Fold again accordion style and place wood piece (we used oval and square shapes) on front and back of fabric. Secure tightly with rubber bands or binder clips.

8. Follow directions on soda ash bag and add to bucket of water. Wearing rubber gloves, soak folded fabrics.

Dying fabrics:

9. Wearing gloves, add fabrics to dye bucket. We soaked our fabrics for 45 minutes.

10. Remove fabrics from dye.

11. Rinse fabrics in water repeatedly (per instructions).

12. Unwrap fabrics and be delighted in the designs you created! Wash in washing machine and dry in your dryer. This picture shows the triangle accordion method.

Now it is time to whip up some no-sew cloth napkins! I used Heat’n Bond Hem Iron-On Adhesive.

Steps:

1. Trim edges of fabric to 18 x 18 inches.

2. Fold over 1/4 inch and iron. You can also sew the edges with a sewing machine or serger. But I wanted to make these as easy as possible – so I used the adhesive hemming tape.

3. Fold over again 3/4 inch. Cut adhesive tape to fit under hem. Place on fabric and fold over fabric edge and press.

4.  On two sides you will want to create an angled edge. Fold down top right corner at an angle and fold edge over.

Assisted by Heather Rothert. Photos by Sara Albers. All rights reserved.