Cloth Napkins

Want to be uber cool?  Want to save some money?  Do you have a flag?  Want to save the trees (and thereby continue your supply of oxygen)?  Want to call yourself crafty?  Is, 'le sange sur la branche?'  Want to be fancy when you host dinner parties?  Want to use some of those fabric scraps?  Want to travel to the moon with Steve?

Well...if you answered yes to even one of the above questions, then this project is for you!  (And if you caught my not so subtle Eddie Izzard reference, then all the better...and no, although he is an executive transvestite, he really has nothing to do with cloth napkins.)

I made about 100 of these back in November and I will say that making that much will take a considerable amount of time.  However, if you stick to the recipe below, you could have yourself a set of 16 napkins in an afternoon.

Project: Cloth Napkins with Mitered Corners
Time: 6 hours (this is going at a leisurely pace)
Makes: about 16 napkins

Materials Needed:
Cloth (see below)
Coordinating or Contrasting Thread
Sewing Machine
Box of Straight Pins
Rotary Board/Cutting Mat
Rotary Cutter (If you don't have one, just go get one...they are so much better than scissors)
Ruler
Iron
Ironing Board

Cloth:

You can really use scraps you find around the house if that's your fancy.  You want a cloth that is soft, absorbent and washes easily - the most popular choices are cotton and linen.  Do not get some cheap poly blend - you won't be happy with the results (and your grandmother would roll over in her grave!).  My best recommendation is to just go to the fabric store and feel your way towards your napkins to be.  Don't hesitate to buy multiple colors and patterns - this makes everything in your kitchen so much more fun!  There are often great patterns to be found in the quilting fabric section!  Or check out the fabrics on clearance.

Depending on the size of napkin you are making, you will need to get a different amount of cloth.  I have given a breakdown below:

Final Napkin Size          Amount of Fabric Recommended
            17"                              4 yrds (at least 45" width)
            16"                           3 3/4 yrds (at least 36" width)
            15"                           3 1/3 yrds (at least 36" width)

Once you have amassed all of your supplies, you are ready to go...

Step 1: Pre-Wash & Press your Fabric
This will help reduce bleeding later on.  Please be sure that you have pressed all of this newly washed fabric...otherwise, it will be quite a devil to work with!

Step 2: Cutting your Fabric

As you have probably now decided what size napkins you are making, please add 1" to your desired end napkin size for the cutting measurements.  For example, if you want 16" napkins, you will need to cut 17"x17" squares (I have worked this into your yardage requirements).  For the ease of not having to repeat myself a gazillion times, I will be using 16" napkins as my sample size.

If you are familiar with rotary blades and mats, then please make the appropriate measurements to cut all of your fabric to 17"x17" squares.

If you are unfamiliar, you will want to smooth your fabric flat so you can see the measurement lines...I find it best to use a lipped ruler to help secure a straight edge.  When you have made a straight line at the 17" mark, press down firmly on the ruler and run your rotary cutter along its edge to make a complete cut of the fabric. 

Continue doing this until all of your fabric is cut.  See below:

**Hint** A clothing drying rack can be a fantastic place to lay the cut squares if you lack room such as we city dwellers often do.

Step 3: Creating your Seams

This is the major step in the whole project, ironing every edge of your fabric pieces...twice.  Fret not my friend, the end result is well worth it...remember, you are being crafty!  Check out the pictures below for a visual depiction of the process...

With a pre-heated iron (I find that steam works well if you have that function), lay your fabric front/top side facing down.  Using only your fingers, fold and press a seam on one side of the napkin about a 1/4"-1/2".  This step makes it much easier to press with the iron and get a straight seam!  Once you have pressed this side with your fingers, go back over it with the iron.  You have just created your first fold.

Turn the fabric clockwise and perform the same operation on the next side until you have completed all four sides once.

On the same piece of fabric, make a fold that is just slightly wider than the first and press with your fingers.

Go back over the iron and repeat on all four sides.  Make sure to iron the corners well.

Repeat 15 more times!  Make your momma proud and place these into a gentle pile!

Once you have completed the above step, you have a choice to make.  Do you want square corners or mitered corners?  If you want square corners (as seen in the above left-hand picture), then you can continue to Step 5.  Mitered corners, in my opinion, are more fun and fancy...but, do require more work.If you are up for them, then continue to Step 4.

Step 4: Making your Mitered Corners
Making mitered corners is a bit like origami and the picture below will really help you out!  You will need your rotary cutting mat and cutter.
NOTE: an evil pack of gnomes broke into my computer and stole the actual pictures for this section...aack!  So, a poor replacement, made with paper is given below...you can blame them!

Laying the napkin flat, top/pattern side down and starting with the first corner of your first napkin, unfold the corner.  You will notice a set of crisscrossing lines - it might even be easiest for you to to get a chalk pencil out and trace over them for the first few corners. (Pictures 1 & 2, starting from top left corner and moving right)

Using your rotary cutter, cut off the triangle of the corner (please note in picture 2 and 3 where that marking is).  You will then use the creased folds, to fold the corner (now a flat edge) of the napkin in about a 1/4" of an inch...work with the fabric here, folks.(Picture 5)

Now, while holding that folded edge in, you also want to fold both layers of sides of your napkin back in, this will create a small fold directly in the corner of the napkin - the mitered edge (Pictures 6 & 7).  The edges of the folds should touch as in the picture below...but, if they do not - no worries...just get them close enough. (Picture 8)

Stick a straight pin through the folds to hold the corner together.

Repeat this on all corners of all of the napkins. (See what I mean by more labor intensive?)

Step 5: Sewing
This step is always the most pleasant for me!

Make sure to get the correct thread on both the main spool and the bobbin.  If you are using several different fabrics/threads, this could mean a few 'costume changes' for the bobbin.

Starting midway down one of the napkin's sides, work your way toward the corner (pulling the pin for mitered corners).  I like to give my corners a little extra support, so I use the 'back' function before turning corners.  To turn the corner, lift you Presser Foot and gently turn the fabric 90 degrees before pushing the presser foot back down again.
Repeat this for each napkin, making sure to reinforce your sewing starting point.

After you have finished each napkin, go back through and snip the loose thread ends.
 

   
Voila - you now have a set of perfectly fantastic and wonderful cloth napkins.  The coolest kid on the block!

 Now...as a note, we use the same napkin for several days.  We find we are not particularly messy eaters.  If you are...you may want to make more napkins. :)