miycreations-miy-kids-summer-craft-easy

Miycreations Project article and photographs
by Madeleine M Langlois MaddyLane Designs

This Fun Summer Eco Craft “Let the kids make a Color splash”
“Instead of throwing out an older or stained tablecloth or to spruce up a plain one....
let the kids make a splash and add more color to it.” Not only will they have a blast
doing it, but then you get a new colorful and unique picnic tablecloth! How fun is that!

Moms and Day camps, looking for a fun activity to keep the kids busy for at least half an hour
or so and paint an original tablecloth at the same time? While preparing items for a garage
sale, I came across an old tablecloth that had a few stains. Instead of tossing it out I thought
why not add more color to the table cloth to hide the stains. So, we loaded up small water guns
with diluted fabric paints and let the kids make a huge color splash onto the tablecloth. The
results were not only fun for the kids, but we now have a super picnic tablecloth as well.

Materials & tools:
• An old tablecloth and napkins with a few stains or that you are no longer using, in a light
• A dozen or so toy water guns (dollar store)
• Damp cloth and mild detergent
• Water
• Diluted Fabric paints (I used Setacolor by Pébéo)
• Eyedropper or small funnel (to fill the water gun with diluted fabric paints)
• Paper towels and a hose
• Goggles for the kids, light t-shirts and shorts (optional, only if you want then to color splash
their cloths)

(Materials for this project are available at arts, crafts and above mentioned stores.)

A light colored tablecloth and napkins will work best for this project. Natural fiber fabrics create
much nicer results. Pre-wash the tablecloth, napkins or fabric without using bleach or
softeners, dry and iron.

This is an outdoor activity. Hang the tablecloth on a clothes-line or lay it on the ground, placing
small rocks at the corners to keep the tablecloth in place or fasten it to trees using push pins. If
needed, protect your work area with a large plastic sheet.

Prepare the fabric paint colors by diluting them half and half with water. Load the paint colors
into the water guns using an eyedropper or funnel. Prepare the same number of water guns
per color per child. Meaning each child should have water guns with the same colors, one
green, one red, yellow, blue etc…

Have the kids wear goggles and their bathing suits and then it’s a go, let them shoot water
colors at the tablecloth. Once the kids are finished with their spectacular displayed colors,
hang up the tablecloth to let it dry. We then did the napkins in the same manner. The next time
we do this with the kids, we will have them dress in light colored T-shirts and shorts, that way
they can paint their clothes at the same time.

When the tablecloth and napkins are dry, wait 24 hours for the paints to fully air cure prior to
heat-setting the fabric with an iron. To heat-set the fabric paint colors, iron the tablecloth and
napkins on the reverse side for 3 to 5 minutes on the cotton setting. Once heat-set, the fabrics
resist machine washing and dry cleaning.

We inadvertently left the napkins out in a rain shower and what a spectacular surprise! The
gently washed colors became softer with a marbled effect. Try a light spraying of water on your
finished piece or leave them out in a light rain shower to achieve similar results.

After the kids have completed their masterpieces, hose them down to clean them up. The
paints will not harm the skin as these paints are non-toxic and will wash off easily using a mild
soap.

Variations: Other fun items to decorate with a color splash in the same manner are bed
sheets and pillow cases, table runners, beach bags, cottage curtains and even large floor
throw pillow covers to enjoy by a camp fire.
No water guns, no a problem, load up plastic turkey basters with the diluted fabric colored
solution and squirt onto the item to be colored splashed.
The fabric paints are non-toxic and the colors dry soft and permanent.

Miy Kids Eco Craft Project
Splash-Art Tablecloth
"f o r t h e p u r e j o y o f m a k i n g t h i n g s"