Make Cloth Napkins

I am going to share a way to make cloth napkins with simple folded corners. The chart below the instructions can help estimate how much fabric is needed for some standard napkin dimensions sizes. How many yards of fabric it takes to make cloth napkins with this style of hem is shown on the chart below. Whether you are repurposing a sheet or just found the perfect fabric to compliment your room, knowing how much fabric is needed will help.

Making Cloth Napkins

• Enviromently Friendly
• Budget Smart
• Reduce Trash
• Extra Special Occasions
• More Decorating Choices

Cloth napkins are one more alternative step a person can make to go green and live more eco-friendly by using cloth napkins everyday. By using cloth napkins every day, you will be using less paper which is better for the enviroment, reduces landfill trash and better on the budget.

Maybe you want to set a beautiful table with a tablecloth and cloth napkins to impress dinner guests for a special occasion. For cloth napkins to be nice full size dinner napkins the size will measure 18 x 18 inches or 20 x 20 inches, such as the 18 inch napkin pictured with the china.

Making cloth napkins will save you money over buying them and opens up all kinds of decorating possibilites that you will not find in ready made.

A Few Tips When Making Cloth Napkins

Tip#1 Make your cloth napkins easy to use everyday by keeping the rolled napkins at the table in short wide vase or a small bucket. The cloth napkins pictured in the bucket are 14 inches wide rather than the standard luncheon napkins of 12 x 12 inches only because I like everyday napkins a little bigger.

Tip#2 To avoid ironing, consider a cotton polyester blend fabric.

Tip#3 When choosing your fabric for napkins keep in mind what the reverse looks like as well as the feel.

Tip#4 You may have sheets you are no longer using in your linen closet that could be repurposed into a set cloth napkins and a tablecloth.

Tip#5 Always prewash new fabric to avoid shrinkage after sewing.

These yardage amounts are allowing hem as shown above with a 14 inch square giving a 12 inch finished napkin. Using a narrow hem may lower yardage needed.

Finished napkin size	12 x 12	14 x 14	18 x 18	20 x 20
Set 4 Napkins from 44" Wide Fabric	7/8 yd	1 yd	1 & 1/8 yd	1 & 1/4 yd
Set 4 Napkins from 54" Wide Fabric	7/8 yd	1 yd	1 & 1/8 yd	1 & 1/4 yd
Set 6 Napkins from 44" Wide Fabric	7/8 yd	1 & 1/3 yd	1 & 2/3 yd	1 & 7/8 yd
Set 6 Napkins from 54" Wide Fabric	7/8 yd	1 yd	1 & 2/3 yd	1 & 7/8 yd
Set 8 Napkins from 44" Wide Fabric	1 &1/4 yd	1 & 7/8 yd	2 & 1/4 yd	2 & 1/2 yd
Set 8 Napkins from 54" Wide Fabric	1 &1/4 yd	1 & 1/3 yd	2 & 1/4 yd	2 & 1/2 yd

Time to start cutting the cloth napkins.

I use a cutting mat, rotary cutter and clear ruler, which makes cutting easy to be precise on so many projects in addition to making cloth napkins.

For these napkins I used a periwinkle blue cotton blend that looks the same on back of the fabric.

I cut 10 cloth napkins in 20 x 20 inch squares from 3 yards of 44 inch wide fabric.

Step 1

I fold 1/2 inch over and iron the edge all the way round.

Step 2

Then I fold it again another 1/2 inch all the way around and press again.

This way the cut edges have been folded to the inside and will give a nice looking hem on cloth napkins.

The thicker hem area is why the 20 inch squares have a finished cloth napkin size of 18 x 18 inches.

Step 3

Now open the corner and cut out the 1/2 inch square to reduce the bulk of layers.

Step 4

Refold and pin in postion for sewing.

Step 5

Begin stitching the hem next to the edge of the fold all the way across.

Step 6

Leave the needle down in the last stitch and raise the presser foot.

Step 7

Turn fabric so the next 1/2 inch of stitches would be on top of what you just sewed. Lower presser foot and stitch to hem edge. (You could just backstitch but the stitches may go off track.)

Step 8

At edge of fold again raise the presser foot with needle still down in fabric.

Step 9

Turn the fabric, lower the presser foot and stitch the 1/2 inch to the edge of the corner.

Step 10

Raise the presser foot again and turn fabric, lower presser foot and begin stitching across to the next corner.

These kind of corners on the hem of the cloth napkins gives a nice effect.

This wider hem will work on the tablecloth as well.