Never Have To Buy Paper Napkins/Towles Again: How To Make Your Own Clothe Napkins

 

NOTE: This is my project for this coming week-end.   I loathe paper napkins, the price, the waste and most of the the negative effect on the environment. Yeah, I'm one of 'Those'... I  never met a tree that I didn't wanna hug, anyways, 'nuff  about my eccentricities.  I think I can pull this off without spending a penny which is good news for me since I don't very many pennies but what I do have is lots of old sheets and three sisters who who surely have have an old sheet or two stuffed in a closet, drawer or in my one sister's case under one of her kid's bed evolving into a 'brand new species' (I hope she never runs into this blog to read this). Or Second Hand Thrift Shops (I love S.H.T.S.) My next thought is this:  These would make wonderful Holiday gifts just iron, starch and set into a basket bought from The Dollar Store for $1 (or 100 pennies) or a decoupage decorated old shoe box (more on that in an upcoming post). If you're looking to earn a few $$ you could try selling them on ebay, craft shows, to neighbors....well you get the idea. Most of all enjoy, bathe in the warm glow of self satisfaction that you made something useful with your own hands, that will to save you money and provide you with a creative outlet. Creativity is good for the soul.

Reposted with thanks to:
Make your own cloth napkins « Skip To My Lou

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Here are two versions, one with  mitered corners and the other with square corners. First pre-wash the fabric. Cut fabric into a square 1" larger than the desired finished size. I cut 17 inch squares so that I would have 16 inch napkins.

Mitered Corner Napkin Instructions

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Iron edge over 1/4 inch.

Moving clockwise, iron next edge 1/4 inch over. Iron all four sides then fold first side over again another 1/4 inch. Do all four sides moving clockwise.

Open up corner.

Cut off top of corner.

Fold top edge down (to corner of second fold line) and iron.

Fold the side edge  to the middle on each side (folding on press lines - fold side down then fold again to make corner). Repeat until all four sides have mitered corners.

Sew all the way around the edge of napkin.

Finished with a mitered corner napkin!

Square Corner Napkin Instructions

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To make a napkin with square corners, iron edge over 1/4 inch. Moving in clockwise direction iron next side 1/4 inch until all four sides have been pressed 1/4 inch.

Now fold over edges another 1/4 inch (moving in a clockwise direction).

When all four sides have been folded over twice, sew all the way around the edge of the napkin. I think most people sew straight off the edge on each side, but my sewing machine doesn't like sewing through those layers.

I also like the way it looks from the front.

Finished!