Fall Fun: Traced Leaves- Tea Towel

Nan loves dish towels that match the season so we thought we would make her this. 

Materials

• Dish towel (tight weave, non textured, cotton–as seen in the photo)
• Fabric paint
• Paint brush
• Craft tray
• Leaves
• Rolling pin
• Iron (to be used by an adult)
• Embroidery thread or sewing machine/thread (optional)

Directions

• Have an adult iron your tea towel.

• Go out on a nature walk, collecting fall leaves (the “before the crunchy phase” kind!) or use craft leaves should you prefer.

• Paint the underside of your leaf (where the ribs/veining is more prominent) with a thin layer of fabric paint.  Do this in a craft tray or on a piece of paper to protect your work surface.

• Push your leaf carefully paint down onto your tea towel.  Roll over it with a rolling pin to assure contact in all spots.

• Carefully peel the leaf up by the stem.

• Repeat with various colours should you like. Depending on your child’s age and abilities, you may want to do one type of leaf or colour at a time.

• Allow to dry overnight. (Follow the product directions as to setting the paint.)

• Embellish with embroidery thread or a touch of sewing along the edges or along the ribs of the leaves.

Purpose

• Getting out into nature
• Using nature as an inspiration for creation.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to cover your clothes with a smock when using fabric paint.
• An iron should be used by an adult.