Welcome to this month’s edition of Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd! It is the 32nd linky party where you can share new or favorite tips and tutorials related to sewing and quilting. I love the napkin tutorial I am sharing with you; it’s a great gift idea, a way to use seasonal or fun fabrics, or even can help you get out of a sewing funk!
Napkins, My Napkins
OK, that probably doesn’t work as a title but it was the first thing that came to mind. A few days ago, I blogged about the napkins and promised a tutorial today. I love my fabric napkins and am sad that the set above sold and I don’t have them. The fabric is still around (I think) so I may go in search of it so I can have my own set. I love how quickly they sew up and how well they wash. Below are instructions on how to make them, I hope you enjoy the process and share with me any sets you make.
Tutorial: Quick Napkin Tutorial
This will make 4 double-sided napkins, approximately 16 1/2″ square.
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS: 2 – 1 yard pieces of fabric
FABRIC PREPARATION:
- Wash your fabric.
- Straighten the fabric so the selvage edges align and press.
CUTTING:
- Place on the cutting mat, and trim off the selvages.
Trim about 1″ if you want to keep the selvage for another project.
- Trim the left side of the fabric.
- Trim the right side of the fabric
- Fold in half with trimmed left and rides side meeting.
This is where you decide what your cutting number will be.
17″ often works for a washed 1-yard piece of fabric, and crooked cuts.
This number (17 for me) becomes the line that I will use for the final cut.
- Repeat with second fabric.
MAKE THE NAPKINS
- Put cut napkins right sides together. You can make one at a time or do each step on all 4. Somedays one way feels better than the other.
- Sew 1/4″ around all the napkins, leaving a 3″ wide opening.
TIP: Sew from the outside edge to the 1/4″ line to start, turn fabric 90 degrees, sew all the way around, then when 3″ from start, turn 90 degrees and sew to the outside edge. This helps when finishing the napkin.
- Trim the corners. Turn inside out. Press the seams.
- Sew 1/8″ around the outside edge of the napkin.
TIP: Start at the opening to be sure that the edge is closed correctly.
- Fold and place on the table!
I thought I would share with you a number of the napkins I have made over the years. The top 3 are recent; the others have been used quite a bit. I believe the fruit and veggie napkins may have been around since 2007. You can see the bottom three have been used a lot! The teal/peach one has a double layer of stitching, but I don’t know that I love the way it looks as much as the ones that don’t. However, these are your napkins – have fun making some for yourself or your friends. They are great gifts and really do well with many washings. Sometimes I take them out of the dryer early, then I hand press and finish drying flat. Easy Peasy!
Join the Linky Party
Now it’s your turn to post, and the rules are simple – write up a tip or group of tips or a tutorial that is quilting or sewing-related and link that post below. The linky party is open from midnight on the 22nd, through midnight on July 31st. The post does not have to be new but should be one that hasn’t been linked to Tips and Tutorials in the past. If you don’t have a blog, please send it to me (kathleen@kathleenmcmusing.com) and I will post your tip or tutorial for you!
Past Tips and Tutorials
In case you didn’t know, if you have missed some past #TTot22, you can check them out in the tab at the top of my page or on my Pinterest board.
Coming Up on My Blog
Happy Birthday Quilt
PopStar QAL Finish
Challenge Quilt for Rising Star
FQ Support Group Stitch and Quilt Along
These look so simple, but what fun that they are reversible. Thanks for the tutorial!
Great gift idea! Thanks for sharing, Kathleen! 🙂
What a great tutorial. I know we could use a few napkins around here, and I love how some of your older napkins are double sided. I need to rummage in my stash to see what I can find to use!
Hi Kathleen! I have made napkins for my sister that coordinate with some placemats. She used to host bridge club every month, and saved them for those ‘special events.’ She has never worn them out even though I have told her I would happily make her additional sets whenever she wanted. Great tutorial! The possibilities of prints are endless and you can even make each side different as if for different seasons/holidays. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Thanks for a great tutorial! Cloth napkins would also make great basket liners for rolls, etc.
These are great, Kathleen! Thanks for the tutorial!
Love these. I just got some cool linen at a thrift shop and plan to make napkins with it – I think just one-sided tho since it is thicker than cotton. But I love these and as someone said above, great idea for gifts. 🙂
I’ve made a lot of napkins in the past few years, but I haven’t made them with two layers of fabric, just one. I will have to give this a try since I certainly have enough choices of fabric to do so!
Hi Kathleen, I like the idea of the two layers, especially for fabric that isn’t really reversible. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing your method, Kathleen! Your cloth napkins bring SEW much fun to the table!!