Tips for Decorating Plain White Linens

White linens, towels, tablecloths and cloth napkins are okay but there’s a lot of different techniques you can use to jazz them up some. One thing you can use is a rubber stamp set. Normally found in the scrapbook section of a craft store the rubber stamps are very easy to use. Simply dip them into fabric paint and press the image onto the material. Use a hard, flat surface when applying the paints. Do several images then allow them to dry before moving on to the next set. Use the rubber stamps for bed sheets, tablecloths or cloth napkins.

Although it’s time consuming it’s very easy to make a dotted design on sheets. Dip a pencil eraser, or something larger, in fabric paint and press onto the sheets. Make sure you don’t use an excess of the paint or it will feel bumpy and scratchy. Leave sheets white and make dots on the shams and quilt. Or, use narrow colored rope to add beauty to the pillowcases, shams and quilt but leave sheets plain.

Choose decorative rope from a notions department to add to white towels. They’re available in all sorts of colors including gold and silver. Sew the rope across the towel, a few inches down, on each end. You can eliminate the sewing if you use fabric glue that won’t wash away when laundered. The ropes can also be used as tie-backs for plain white curtains. Be imaginative with the rope. Hang curtains then pin rope to the top. Allow the rope to hang down and swing back up. Do this over and over until you have a group of the loops, hanging downward. Remove the curtain and attach the ropes.

Towels are easily decorated using thin fabrics. For Christmas towels cut a snowman from cloth and sew or glue it to the towels. Use a smaller version to put on wash cloths. It’s easy to find fabrics that have imprints of reindeer, Santa, gingerbread men and other Christmas images. Do the same for other holidays by cutting and gluing on hearts for Valentine’s day, bunnies for Easter and even red and blue strips for Independence Day.

Appliques are perfect for tablecloths and cloth napkins. Appliques can be sewn or glued into place. Choose a unique design for the napkins then a larger, similar design for the tablecloth. Add decorative rope around the perimeter of the tablecloth for even more flair.

Ribbon gives many white items an elegant look. Sew or glue it to the edge of towels and wash cloths. Attach it to pillowcases, directly over the top of the hem stitching. Arrange it as a monogram on your pillow shams. If a set of towels will be used strictly for decorating attach tassels to the corners.

Tie-dye is a very easy way to change the look of towels, sheets, tablecloths and other household items. Make up a batch of dye, following the instructions on the package. Or, purchase the dye that needs no mixing. One way to tie-dye is to twist the fabric in various places and dip into the dye bath. Another way is to use rubber bands to gather up wads of fabric before dipping. Still another way is to fill a cheap squirt gun with the dye and squirt the fabric while it hangs on a clothes line.