Tired of spending a lot of money on charger plates? Here is an inexpensive & amazing way to create custom holiday charger plates from fabric!
It really isn’t a secret around here that I love to set a table. I got this from my sweet Mama. She has such love and pride into a pretty table setting and all that rubbed off on me. It’s because of her too, that I love to collect dishes.
Although we eat most of our meals at the kitchen table, it’s the dining room table that I always have set and carefully curated. It’s one of my favorite pass times, and I so appreciate a pretty table, just like Mama. Being real about this table talk, sometimes a pile of mail does get dropped and left on the table, blemishing the whole thing, and I did walk into the dining room the other morning and found an old pair of shoe laces next to a salad fork. Not sure what that was all about, but it did gross me out.
I threw them away.
As you know, I love pattern on pattern. It seems sometimes I even preach it, but it works. And I love layers. Stack the patterned plates, yet keep it easy on the eyes. My rule of thumb is if your eyes can’t rest, then it’s no good. Keep looking. Loud with quiet. Small plaid with bold pattern, keeping in mind that sometimes the unexpected is, like, heck yeah!
You know what I mean?
Sometimes, when I start thinking about a table setting, I pick out a set of plates that I haven’t used in a while, (these are similar to what I have, and they’re on sale) and see if they’ll pair with a seasonal print. And if I don’t have a seasonal printed plate? Well, I’ll make one.
It’s an easy craft with big impact. My very favorite kind of craft.
Of course, said craft is not food safe, but we’re talkin’ layers here and all that stuff I mentioned above.
You’ll find the source for the dinner plate here.
Table of Contents
Let’s Make A Custom Charger Plate
You know those plastic charger plates that you can get for a couple dollars a piece?
Who cares what the original color is because we’re covering it up. These chargers are perfect for a holiday, table setting craft. And the best part? This holiday craft takes about 10 minutes, max.
Here is how to create custom holiday charger plates from fabric:
Custom Fabric Charger Plates
Materials
- 4 plastic charger plates I used 1 yard of fabric for 4 charger plates
- 1-2 yards of holiday fabric depending on how many charger plates you would like to cover
- 1 can spray mount adhesive
- 1 white colored pencil
- 1 pair scissors
Instructions
- Clean plastic free of any lint that has accumulated.
- Place plate upside down on top of fabric.
- Using the white colored pencil, trace around the diameter of the plate, leaving a 1-inch allowance. With the scissors, cut along white line.
- Before spraying with the spray mount, make sure you are in a well-ventilated area. If you are spraying inside, I recommend using a larger sized box as a backdrop, and placing the plate(s) in the box to spray.
- Spray the front of the plate in even strokes, fully covering the plate with adhesive.
- Place the material, right side up, on the plate. Carefully rub the fabric, getting out all wrinkles and bubbles, if any, creating a smooth surface.
- Once the fabric is smoothed out, turn plate over. With the scissors, cut along the rim of the plate, to cut off the excess fabric
- Let dry in single layers before stacking.
Notes
I’ve made a few of these custom charger plates with fabric. Not into holiday plaid?
How about some leopard?!
Works for me.
Works for this Thanksgiving table setting, too.
Who said leopard and vintage transferware wouldn’t work? I’m proving them wrong, because look at how pretty this looks.
The leopard brings in all of colors of Thanksgiving, just with one custom plate, that took about 10 minutes and less than $2 each to create.
Like I said, small price, big impact. Makes for a gorgeous table, too.
Because really, any charger plate at a place setting is there for show, not eating from. Why spend all that time and money searching for perfect porcelain or ceramic plates when you can create custom charger plates for a fraction of all that.
Seems like a no-brainer to me. And, it’s a fun craft. Who doesn’t love that?!!
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Linda+Johnston says
Great way to up the ‘table game’!
Brooke Fedigan says
YES!!!!
Shirley says
Really loving this! I’ve done these before but never thought about a leopard print or something like that. This really makes for a wide array of fabrics to be used. Oh and I’ve never used spray adhesive for this type of project before. I will have to try that. I usually just use either mod piste or Elmers glue.
Brooke Fedigan says
I’m so glad you like this project!! The fabric possibilities are endless!