A simple cloth napkin tutorial, the perfect sewing project for beginners!
My grandma used cloth napkins for every meal and I always loved the extra touch it added to each gathering. She even had some cute brass napkin holders which made picking out your napkin fun.
I can’t believe how long it has taken me to get around to making my own cloth napkins. It couldn’t be an easier project. Basically, you are just cutting your fabric and hemming all the sides.
How easy is that?!
If you have been putting off making your own napkins for whatever reason, let me tell you. There is no easier way to add an elegant touch to your mealtimes.
It’s an easy sewing project perfect for beginners and they are very kid-friendly. Say good bye to torn napkins strewn all over the table while you are trying to eat. Not to mention that once you are done with the napkin, you can simply toss them in the wash and they will be ready to use again.
Making your own cloth napkins is a simple project, yet an elegant touch to a handmade home!
What is the best material for homemade napkins?
Natural fibers are a good choice because they are softer than other fabrics which makes them much more pleasant to use as napkins. Linen or 100% cotton are great options. I prefer 100% cotton and you can find at your local craft store.
Most stores like Hobby Lobby have a broad selection of cottons to choose from. Most of these however are quilting cottons and can be a little more stiff then what I want for a napkin. If you dig through the selection and feel for softer cottons, you will most likely come across what is called homespun cotton. This is my first choice of fabric for napkins because it is a softer cotton.
Is it cheaper to make your napkins?
If you use paper napkins a lot then sewing your own napkins will undoubtedly help you save some money eventually.
It can be cheaper but there are a lot of variables that come into play like what kind of fabric you use, how many napkins you are making, what size napkin you are wanting. The smaller the napkin the less fabric needed and the lower the cost.
The napkins I am making in this tutorial cost me $5. I got the fabric on Hobby Lobby’s once a month fabric sale for 40% off which came out to $5 a yard. With one yard, I can make 8 napkins that are 18”x11” for $5.
How much fabric do I need to make napkins?
This depends on the size of your napkins and how many you want to make. In this tutorial, I am using 1 yard to make 8 cloth napkins. I like larger napkins, but if you wanted to, you can definitely get more than 8 napkins out of 1 yard of fabric.
You could also buy squares of precut fabric if you don’t want to buy in bulk or by the yard . Stores usually sell 5 squares in a cute little bundle tied up with a ribbon for $4-5.
You will need…
- Sewing machine
- Coordinating Thread
- Extra Bobbin (if you don’t already have one in that color of thread)
- Scissors
- 1 Yard of Fabric
How to Sew Cloth Napkins
Cut your fabric.
I bought one yard of fabric then put the selvage edges together and cut it in half along the fold.
Then I cut each half in half. This should give you 4 pieces of fabric. Cut each of the 4 pieces in half to get 8 rectangles in total from the 1 Yard of fabric.
As you can see, I bought gingham fabric. I love working with gingham because I am an old fashioned homemaker, but also because the print has straight lines on it. This makes it very easy to cut.
Hem.
Hem all four sides of each of your napkins at about ¼”. Don’t forget to backstitch at the beginning and end to keep the thread from coming out.
Trim.
Cut any strings that are hanging down.
Enjoy!
It couldn’t get any easier than that!
I hope you enjoyed this simple and fun little sewing project! I love adding handmade touches to my home like these handmade napkins that are fairly easy and not time consuming.
Do you have any small handmade touches that you have really enjoyed adding to your home? If so, let me know in the comments below!
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