How to Make Napkins & Placemats

Country placemats with contrasting napkins.

In one afternoon and with little expense, you can make new napkins and placemats to make your table colorful and give your dishes and glassware a pretty background. Cloth napkins help the environment also by keeping paper out of the landfills.

Things You'll Need

• 2 1/2 yards, 36 inches wide, fabric
• 2 1/2 yards, 36 inches wide, contrasting-color fabric
• Thread
• Sewing Machine
• Bias tape (double fold) four packages
• Straight pins
• Iron
• Tape measure
• Straight edge or yardstick

Instructions

1. Wash the fabrics using normal laundry procedures and press it. Fold right sides together.

2. 

   Using a tape measure and the straight edge, cut 4 pieces of fabric that are 18 inches square for napkins. Cut 4 pieces of the same fabric 14-by-20 inches. Repeat for the contrasting fabric. To sew the napkins, turn under a 1/4-inch hem and press. Fold again. Sew around all 4 sides of the napkin. Repeat until all napkins are hemmed.

3. 

   Using the double-fold bias tape, sew around all 4 sides of the placemats, mitering the corners. When sewing with bias tape, keep the narrow side up. At the corners, leave the sewing machine needle in the fabric and pull the fabric around to make square corners on the bias tape. Back tack at the corners through all the folds to secure the miter. Press the placemats.

Tips & Warnings

• For an easy way to display your napkins, use napkin rings or place the folded napkin in water or wine glasses.

References

• Source for Bias Tape
• Sewing Instructions for Bias Tape

Resources

• Sewing Instructions for Napkins and Place Mats