75. Easy Batik Runner

What a fun summertime project. Create your own batiked design on store-bought or handmade table runners and napkins. All it takes is a gel bleach pen and a solid-colored table runner...

MATERIALS

Gel Bleach Pen—1/2-millimeter, stainless steel tip
Table Runner: 12" x 42" hemmed cotton canvas; or store bought
Napkins: 16" x 16" hemmed cotton canvas
dressmaker's pencil
template (PDF)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fit a gel bleach pen (available at grocery stores) with a 1/2-millimeter, stainless steel tip.
2. hem cotton canvas—natural fibers work best—into 16-inch square napkins and a 12-inch-wide runner; store-bought linens will do.
3. Test a discreet area to make sure the fabric reacts well to the bleach. Use a water-soluble dressmaker's pencil to mark a grid on the fabric; where the lines intersect, create a 2-inch square. 
4. With the bleach pen, draw a freehand flower within each square and add dotted lines between flowers. (Or download the template here.)
5. Let the bleach set until the pattern has faded to the desired shade, about 20 minutes.
6. To rinse, lay the fabric flat in a shallow pan of cold water; let stand for a few minutes (work in sections for the runner).

Resource: Martha Stewart