Monday, January 2, 2017

Fabric Decoupage Plates

By now, you know that I love to play with dishes; to mix and match dishes, napkins, and silverware to create fun table settings. I enjoy setting a pretty table for my guests and it's a nice creative outlet to put things together.

Sometimes I get an idea for a table setting but can't find all the pieces to make it work.  Such was the case for New Year's. I wanted to do a table setting using clock plates. A few years ago Pottery Barn had some clock plates.  I didn't buy them at the time, they are now discontinued, and I'm not paying E-Bay prices for them. I remembered that one of my local fabric stores had a display for plates that they made with fabric and Mod Podge, which is a decoupage medium. So I made a trip to the store, bought a few clear glass plates and some fabric. I grabbed their instruction sheet, as well as turned to the internet for guidance. They were very easy to make and I love how they turned out!


I always have Mod Podge on hand, the one I used was for a matte finish.  They make one for outdoor use, which probably holds up to water better, but my store didn't have any in stock. As the Mod Podge is on the back of the plates, you are able to eat off the plates.  To clean, hand wash them gently and avoid soaking them in water, then lay them upside down to dry.

Now that I've done my first few plates, I have many ideas for future plates and chargers.  It's a great way to have special occasion dishes at a very low cost.  Glass plates can be found quite inexpensively at most hobby and dollar stores.

Step 1:  Cut out a fabric circle large enough to cover the plate, about 1" wider than the plate all the way around.  You can lay the plate upside down on the fabric and draw a circle around it.  I stacked two plates together and cut.


Step 2:  Make sure the back of the plate is very clean. Lay it upside down on an old towel or waxed paper.  Using a sponge brush, paint a good even coat of Mod Podge all over the back of the plate.


Step 3: Place a fabric circle, right side down, on top of the plate and gently smooth it out to cover the plate and remove any creases.  You can use a credit card like a squeegee to remove any air bubbles and to make sure everything is stuck tight to the glass.

Step 4:  Paint a light, even coat of Mod Podge over the entire back surface of the plate and allow to dry.  I set them on top of a bowl so they wouldn't stick to my work towel. 


Step 5:  Using very sharp scissors, cut away the excess fabric around the edge of the plates as close to the edge as possible (you could probably trim it with an Exacto knife, too).  Paint another coat of Mod Podge onto the back of the plate. Wait at least 48 hours before using the plates to allow the Mod Podge to set up completely.

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