How to Make a DIY Kwanzaa Table Runner

Last updated August 21, 2024

Riche Holmes Grant is designer, executive producer and host behind “The Riche Life” inspirational how-to web series and blog for women. Topics include home decor, cooking, entertaining, DIY, self-care, personal growth, and all of the other beautiful things in her life that make her rich (pun totally intended!). Riche lives between the Washington, DC area and Los Angeles, CA with her husband and daughter (#Miniboss).
A Note From The Home Depot
Follow along with Riche Holmes Grant of All Things Riche as she creates a stenciled table runner for Kwanza with tools and materials all from The Home Depot.
Table of Contents
How to Make a DIY Stenciled Table Runner for Kwanzaa
What is Kwanzaa?
The Kwanzaa Feast
Stenciled Table Runner Product & Tool List
Directions
The Kwanzaa Dining Table
How to Make a DIY Stenciled Table Runner for Kwanzaa

What is Kwanzaa?
My family and many other African Americans celebrate Kwanzaa from December 26 - January 1 to honor our history, culture, communities and families. The word “Kwanzaa” means “first fruits of the harvest” in Swahili and each day of Kwanzaa represents one of seven principles: “Umoja” (unity); “Kujichagulia” (self-determination); “Ujima” (collective work and responsibility); “Ujamaa” (collective economics); “Nia” (purpose); “Kuumba” (creativity); and “Imani” (faith).
The official red, black and green Kwanzaa colors represent the people of African descent, our blood, and our hope for the future, respectively.
The Kwanzaa Feast
Kwanzaa celebrations culminate with a big feast called the “karamu,” traditionally held on December 31st. This year, I updated my Kwanzaa tablescape using the vast selection of globally-inspired products in The Home Depot tableware collection, including hand-carved pieces by African artisans. All featured items are available at The Home Depot.
The focal point of my table is the DIY stenciled table runner. A table runner is a great way to add visual interest to a table without taking away from the other elements present. This one is designed to resemble the Kuba cloth that originated in the Kuba kingdom of central Africa, in what is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Stenciled Table Runner Product & Tool List
- Linen Tablecloth in Natural 52 x 70
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Shears
- Permanent Fabric Tape
- Iron
- Black Acrylic Craft Paint
- Foam Paint Brush
- Kuba Repeat Pattern Stencil
- Painter’s Tape

Directions
Determine the dimensions that you want for your table runner, depending on the size of your table and personal preference. I designed mine to be 12” wide and 45” long to allow room to display the runner without the place settings overlapping. You can design yours to be longer or shorter.
Lay out the tablecloth on a large, flat surface. Use the ruler and pencil to draw lines to mark your selected dimensions. Use painter’s tape to secure the fabric to your work surface while measuring and cutting.
Use shears to cut along the reference lines to create the shape of the runner.

- Turn the fabric over so that you can see the stitching. Fold the unfinished edges over to create a ¼” hem.
Place the fabric tape along the unfinished edges; it’s helpful to work in smaller, cut sections of tape (about 8-10 inches) at a time.
Peel back the white strip from the fabric tape. Fold the edge over following the indentations from Step 4. Press down to secure the tape.



Repeat Steps 4-6 until you have a hem around all of the unfinished edges.
Use an iron to smooth out all wrinkles, including the folded edges, if needed.

Place a drop cloth down or other covering to protect your work surface from the black paint.
Squeeze about a quarter of the paint bottle into a disposable bowl.
Secure the stencil to one end of the fabric using painter's tape. There’s a triangle in the bottom right corner of the stencil to use a guide when placing it on the fabric; make sure that the triangle is facing up each time that you place the stencil on the fabric to repeat the pattern.

Dip the foam brush into the paint; be careful not to oversaturate the brush to avoid the paint seeping underneath the stencil.
Paint the cut-out sections of the stencil.

Let dry for at least five minutes before slowly peeling off the stencil and moving to the next section of the fabric to repeat the pattern.
Repeat steps 11-14 with the stencil pattern until you reach the end of the runner.

- Let the runner dry completely before using (approximately one hour).
The Kwanzaa Dining Table
I placed the finished runner at the center of my table and added complementary African-inspired pieces from The Home Depot collection to complete my gorgeous new Kwanzaa tablescape. The only piece on the table that is not included in the list below is the Chiwara centerpiece sculpture, which was passed down to me from my mother.

Place Settings and Table Accessories:
- Gold and Black Porcelain Dish Set
- Fringed Napkins in Ecru
- African Carved Red Mahogany Giraffe Napkin Rings
- African Carved Brown Mahogany Zebra Napkin Rings
- Gold Stainless Steel Flatware Set Internet
- Gold Stemless Wine Glass Set
- Nested Oval Olive Wood Brown Serving Bowls with Bone Inlay Accent
- Olive Wood Appetizer Set of 3


Behind the table, I set up my Kwanzaa display with the seven symbols of Kwanzaa. The primary symbol of Kwanzaa is the “kinara” (candle holder), which holds the red, black, and green candles that each represent one of the seven Kwanzaa principles called the “Nguzo Saba.” I added a modern, chic touch to the traditional wooden kinara design using these hand-carved soapstone candle holders.

Modern Kinara Items:
- Soapstone Black Candle Holders
- Red Taper Candles
- Black Taper Candles
- Green Taper Candles
I hope that this easy DIY stenciled Kwanzaa table runner and tablescape design inspire you to get creative with your own karamu this year. Wishing you a very Happy Kwanzaa from my family to yours!
This post was created in partnership with The Home Depot. The author may have received compensation for this article and associated images or video, potentially in the form of products and/or services. All expressed opinions and experiences are the author’s own words.