Inexpensive Cloth Napkins
By Marilee McCormack
Cloth napkins are the finest way to put a little elegance into your life, whether it is for the finest family dinners, or just your everyday meals. Paper just doesn't hold up and it usually takes more than one to get through the meal. The constant waste of paper products, is going to deplete our world of so many fine resources, that it is time we all stepped up to the plate and do our fair share. What better time than right now with the holidays upon us to get started. This doesn't have to be costly because it is so easy to create inexpensive cloth napkins.
Christmas is just four weeks away and I am busy getting out my good table linens and checking for stains and choosing the best. The napkins used to take me forever to look through and pick out those that looked the freshest, as they are the most easily stained. Not any longer! I always have fresh ones to choose from since I started to make my own. Making my own napkins has been one of the most fun projects I have ever encountered. I have loved to sew since my first sewing class in seventh grade. I started making my own clothes when I was in high school and then my mother taught me to knit my own sweaters, and I was off and running. I started making my own cloth napkins just a short while ago, and have found so many ways to make them. For the napkins we are going to make, you do not have to have any knowledge of sewing, just a little patience.
With little time left till the holidays, we will explore the easiest way to make inexpensive cloth napkins. If you don't have a any fabrics suitable to use you will have to make a trip to your local fabric store. Joanne Fabrics or Walmart are a frequent of mine as it is possible to find just what you want on sale at one of these stores. You will need to look for a fabric that will compliment your tablecloth , placemats or dishes. Often times a piece of fabric can be found for as little as a dollar or two a yard and that is perfect. It needs to be cotton as this is what is going to work the best. You will need approximately one yard for each four napkins you are going to make. If the piece of fabric measures 36" X 36" you will be able to cut four 18" squares. Before you begin to cut, wash and dry your fabric and then proceed as follows:
1. If your fabric needs to be ironed, do so, as it will be easier to see what you are doing.
2. At the top edge of your fabric, you will need to go down the selvedge approximately ½" and cut a small snip into the fabric.
3. Now you will rip the fabric from the one edge to the other. This puts the fabric on the straight of grain.
4. Cut a template out of cardboard or poster board to the size you need.
5. Cut out your squares. A rotary cutter works very well.
6. If you have a sewing machine, then stitch a line of zig-zag around the edge of your squares approximately ½" in from the edge. If you do not have use of a sewing machine, then this step can be omitted.
7. Now you are ready to fringe your edges. Since your fabric is on the straight of grain, it should be very easy to start your fringing. Just pull a thread from one side of the square to the other and continue doing this until a thread pull all the way across. Then just pull four or five more threads, or until you think it looks good, do the same on each edge, and you are done. They will possibly fringe a little more as they are washed but not to worry.
You now have your own handmade cloth napkins. You might also consider buying white cloth or a natural color and then experiment with the idea of how you could decorate them. Decorating can be fun! You could experiment with painting designs if you are artistic, or embroidering is another fun idea. Try monogramming your initials in a corner for a truly elegant touch. Another quick idea is to make cocktail napkins the same way . I made some out of a Christmas pattern in a flannel fabric. They turned out well and were very absorbent . I am currently trying some other ways that might be of interest. Check back again sometime soon.
About the Author:
Marilee McCormack. For more information and additional instructions for making Inexpensive Cloth Napkins
, visit
Cloth-Napkins.com
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