How to Make Napkins

Color creativity!

One of the easiest ways to make an impression when you entertain is to make your own unique table settings. It's expensive to change your dishes, but your guests might not even notice them if you create cloth napkins that are colorful and unusual. Making cloth napkins is quite easy with basic sewing machine skills; it takes only about an hour to make four to six eye-catching napkins.

Things You'll Need

• Sewing machine & thread
• Fabric (each napkin takes a 16" x 16" piece of fabric)
• Cutting mat with measurement markings
• Rotary cutter (available at craft stores or craft area of department stores)
• Ruler or straight cutting edge

Instructions

1. Wash the fabric, using a small amount of detergent, and iron on high before you begin or the napkins may not be square after the first laundering.

2. Lay the fabric on the cutting mat and use the ruler and lines on the mat to make sure the it is square before cutting. Use the ruler and a cutting edge to make sure you get a clean cut with the rotary cutter. Cut as many squares as napkins you want to make.

3. 

   Lay the square down with the back of the fabric facing up. Using your fingers and a hot iron, fold and press a 1/3-inch seam on all four corners of the napkin.

   Place the square on the sewing machine and stitch the hem that you just made. You could use matching or contrasting thread, depending on which look you prefer.

4. Fold the napkin in half, in half again and in half a third time and your napkin is done.

Tips & Warnings

• Many fabrics sold for quilting work extremely well for fabric napkins. They often have coordinating patterns that you could use to contrast your napkins, or make an extra as a centerpiece cloth for your table.

• Rotary cutters are very sharp; if you have never used one before, practice and be careful.