Indigo-Dyed Tablecloth with Japanese Kanji Saying 'Nourish Body & Soul'

Having a meal with good friends and family, we do nourish both body and soul. That's the message on this indigo-dyed cotton tablecloth, using Japanese kanji -- symbols -- for the words "nourish," "body," and "soul." I created stencils with images from the internet, cutting them out of freezer paper and ironing them in the center (well, off-center) of this cotton twill tablecloth. Using three colors of Shiva oil-based paint sticks -- iridescent blue, copper, and gold -- I dusted the stencils with color and left them to dry.

The fabric was dipped three times in an indigo vat to achieve a true sky blue, as only indigo can do. I'm hoping to sell this on Etsy but, if not, it will definitely work on my patio table. Sitting outside and enjoying dinner on a summer's evening is one of my husband's favorite things to do. We have a garden with lots of Japanese plants and accents. So many of us admire the Japanese way of doing things, myself included. This tablecloth is my "homage"!