Stenciled Felt Coasters

My new home is running out of disposable paper coasters, so I made some quick washable and reusable coasters with 2mm thick synthetic felt. Simply zest up the plain synthetic felt by a touch of stenciled prints on them to make these stenciled felt coasters. I chose an elegant French Victorian design to stencil on, you can have other design to suit your own theme.

These stenciled felt coasters as super absorbent, it will slurp up any condensing water that drips from the glass. Due to it thickness and the properties of the material, it is able to insulate heat up to certain degree from hot drinks to your table. It is tough and it holds its shape in the laundry, but no brushing, please.

I cut them into a 4″ circles for a classic shape of coasters. If you have heavy-duty die-cutting machines like a Sizzix, you may cut the coasters in various shape as long as it is big enough to hold your glass or cup. Be caution, a normal die cut meant for paper won’t be able to cut this felt.

If you don’t have this type of felt, you may use a normal craft felt as an alternative. Layer a few pieces of them and stitch them up to form a thick and stable coaster, then follow this tutorial to stencil.

This is a quick and easy DIY coaster with stencil method you can make for your home. Bring the prints on to zest up your drinking pleasure while protecting your table from water or heat damage!

Stenciled Felt Coasters

Make: 9 with 4″ diameter each

Materials & Tools:
1. Synthetic Felt, 2mm thickness, Grey, 12″ x 12″
2. Pre-cut plastic stencils (I used Martha Stewart 32258 Medium Stencil, Eyelet Lace and Martha Stewart 32268 Adhesive Stencil, Scrolls)
3. Foam brush (I used Martha Stewart 32243 Foam Pouncers, Set of 6) or stencil brush
4. Acrylic paints (I used Jet Stream 32121 and Purple Martin 32119)
5. Fabric Medium (optional, I didn’t use)
6. Scissors
7. Pen
8. 4″ round card (you can draw it with compass)
9. Adhesive tape
10. Kitchen Towel or Paper to cover your working table and for cleaning up

Gather materials and tools as listed above.

If you are using other stencils, make sure the diameter of your felt coasters is slightly bigger than the stencil pattern, unless you want to have partial stencil design.

Trace 4″ diameter circles onto the 2mm thick synthetic felt.

Cut out the circle felt and place it at the back of the stencil.
Holding them to the light to check if the alignment is correct.

Tape them down to secure the position.

If you can’t make up your mind which color to use, sample the colors on the felt and pick the most appealing to you.
I chose to use Martha Stewart’s Acrylic Pearl paint in Jet Stream 32121 and Purple Martin 32119. I like the pearl paint that gives the sheen look that shimmering with a little blink.

Dab the paint with the foam pouncer, don’t over saturate the foam but just wet enough to do the stenciling.
If you would like to add fabric medium, add it to the paint and stir well before dabbing the paint on the foam pouncer.

Pounce it vertically on the stencil repeated and move-on slowly. Replenish the paint if necessary.

Try to cover all the cavities but don’t over paint. Overpaint will cause smearing and it looks messy.

Flip to the back, carefully take out the adhesive tape and remove the felt from the stencil.

Border completed. Set aside and do the other pieces.
Wash stencil if needed especially when the accumulated paint on the stencil is too thick.
It is safe to touch the stenciled acrylic paint after about 10 minutes, though not thoroughly dry it is safe to work on the surface.

Place the centerpiece stencil on the center of the felt coasters. This stencil has an adhesive backing, so it will stick on nicely, otherwise, use adhesive tape to secure it in place.

Repeat the stenciling process on the centerpiece.

Let the stenciled felt coasters dry overnight before using it.

You can also stencil the felt before cutting it out. This will give you asymmetrical and random print, just to make things more fun and interesting.

Align the stencil carefully in a correct spacing to get a symmetrical print pattern, otherwise, just stencil randomly.

The look of my whole piece of felt after stenciling with a symmetrical pattern.

I did another centerpiece stenciling after cut out the stenciled printed felt.