Creating Cloth Napkins For Your Wedding: A Step-By-Step Guide

Cloth napkins are an easy, cheap, and eco-friendly way to add a personal touch to your wedding. You can choose the fabric, style, and size to make these napkins your own. You can even customize the napkins with words or images, or use them as place cards for your guests. Making your own cloth napkins is also a great way to save money, as buying ready-made napkins can be costly.

Choosing the right fabric

The first step to making cloth napkins for a wedding is to choose the right fabric. The type of fabric you choose will depend on the desired look and feel of the napkins, as well as their intended use. Here are some factors to consider when selecting the fabric for your DIY wedding napkins:

Absorbency and Durability

When choosing a fabric for your cloth napkins, consider the absorbency and durability of the material. Linen and cotton are popular choices for napkins because they are highly absorbent and durable. Linen, in particular, is a great option for dinner napkins as it is long-lasting and won't leave lint on your guests' clothes. It also holds a press well, making it easy to create crisp, mitered corners. Cotton is easy to care for and can be machine washed, making it a practical choice for reusable napkins.

Weight and Opacity

It is essential to select a fabric with the appropriate weight and opacity for napkins. Choose a heavier weight or opaque fabric to ensure that the seams are not visible through the material. If you can clearly see your hand through the fabric when holding it up, it is likely too lightweight or sheer for napkins.

Colour and Pattern

The colour and pattern of the fabric you choose will depend on your wedding theme and personal preference. For a rustic theme, consider earth tones such as beiges, creams, browns, and fresh greens. If you're going for a vintage mismatched china look, try mixing floral patterns to create unique napkins for each guest. You can also add a personal touch by customising the napkins with words or images using fabric paint. Remember, the perfect wedding décor is all in the details!

Amount of Fabric

When planning to make cloth napkins for a wedding, it is crucial to calculate the amount of fabric required. The number of napkins you can make from each yard or meter of fabric depends on the width of the fabric bolt and the size of the napkin. For example, with one yard/meter of fabric (about 36 inches long), you can typically make two 18x18-inch dinner napkins or four 14x14-inch lunch napkins. To make 12 napkins, you will need 2.7 yards of 100% cotton fabric. If you're using linen, a bolt of 45" fabric will yield 90 dinner napkins.

Fabric Care

Consider the care instructions for the fabric you choose. Some fabrics may require dry cleaning, while others can be machine washed. It is always a good idea to pre-wash the fabric before sewing to account for any shrinkage and to ensure the colours don't bleed.

Cutting the fabric

The first step to making your own cloth napkins is to cut your fabric to the desired size. It is recommended to wash, dry, and iron your fabric before cutting to account for any shrinkage, prevent colours from bleeding, and remove chemicals. This process will also make the fabric easier to work with when cutting.

For a standard-sized napkin, cut your fabric into 18" (or 46 cm) squares. 1 metre of fabric will make 4 napkins of this size. If you want to make larger napkins, cut your fabric to 20" x 20" (50 cm x 50 cm) squares. For smaller lunch napkins, 14" x 14" squares will be more appropriate.

When cutting your fabric, use a ruler or measuring tape to measure out the dimensions and mark them on the fabric with chalk or a pencil. Cut the fabric with a pair of fabric scissors, or a rotary cutter and self-healing mat. Try to cut the lines as neatly as possible, as these cuts will be visible on the finished napkin. If you are using a rotary cutter, cut the fabric on a self-healing mat with a large, clear ruler to guide you.

If you are making multiple napkins, it is a good idea to use the first square you cut out as a guide for cutting the rest of the squares. This will ensure that all your napkins are the same size.

Folding the fabric

The first step in folding the fabric is to decide on the size of the napkin you want to make. For a wedding, a standard size is 18" by 18" (46 cm by 46 cm). This will be the size before adding a hem, so if you want a larger finished size, be sure to account for that in your initial measurements.

Once you've determined the size, it's time to cut your fabric. Using a ruler or measuring tape, measure out the square and mark the fabric with chalk or a pencil. If your fabric has a right and wrong side, make sure you mark the reverse of the fabric, so any marks are on the back of the finished napkin. Cut the fabric along the lines you've drawn, trying to make the lines as neat as possible as these cuts will be visible.

Now it's time to create the hems. Fold over the edges of the fabric by 1/4 to 1/2 inch (0.5 cm to 1 cm), pressing with an iron as you go. If your fabric has a right and wrong side, fold the edges towards the back so the hem will be on the wrong side. Repeat this process, folding the edges again and ironing to create a neat, crisp fold.

For a more decorative touch, you can also try a mitered corner. To do this, open the corners of the napkin and trim from corner to corner, removing the bulk in each corner. Refold the corners and pin them in place before sewing.

Finally, sew around the napkin, securing the ironed-in seams. You can use a simple straight stitch or get creative with decorative stitches if your sewing machine has that function. And that's it! Your napkins are now ready to be used or gifted.

Sewing the napkins

Before you start sewing, it's important to prepare your fabric. Wash, dry, and iron your fabric to account for any shrinkage, prevent colours from bleeding, and remove chemicals. Ironing your fabric will also make it easier to work with while sewing.

Next, decide on the size of your napkins and cut out your fabric accordingly. For a standard-sized dinner napkin, cut your fabric into squares measuring 18 x 18 inches. If you want larger napkins, cut 20 x 20-inch squares, or for smaller lunch napkins, cut 14 x 14-inch squares. Remember to include a hem allowance when cutting your fabric.

Now it's time to fold and iron the hems. Fold over the edges by a quarter to half an inch, then fold over again and iron as you go. If your fabric has a "right" and "wrong" side, make sure to fold the edges towards the "wrong" side so that the hem will be less visible.

To create mitered corners, open each corner of the napkin and trim from corner to corner to remove the bulk. Refold the corners and pin them in place.

Using a sewing machine, sew around the napkin near the outside edge of the hem, and then sew again near the inside edge. Repeat this process for each napkin.

For a simple finish, use a straight stitch or a zigzag stitch. If you want to get more creative, try using decorative stitches or adding embroidery or fabric paint. You could also use a contrasting thread colour to add a unique touch.

Once you've sewn all your napkins, give them a final press with the iron for a crisp, professional look.

Adding decorations

Fabric Paint and Stencils

Creating a stencil from glue and then using fabric paint is a simple way to add words or images to your napkins. First, heat up a hot glue gun and cut a piece of parchment paper. Write your desired word or design with the glue gun onto the parchment paper. If you want a specific font or design, print it out and slide it under the parchment paper, then trace with the glue gun. Wait for the glue to dry, and then use the dried glue as a stencil. Place the stencil glue-side down onto your cloth napkin and paint over it. Remove the stencil, and you have a customized napkin!

Decorative Stitches

If you have access to a sewing machine, consider using decorative stitches to add a unique touch to your napkins. You can choose from various stitch patterns, such as crosses, hearts, stars, or squiggly lines, to create interesting and creative designs. This method not only adds visual appeal but also provides an opportunity to use those beautiful built-in stitches on your sewing machine.

Mitered Corners

Mitered corners give your napkins a crisp and polished look. To create mitered corners, start by opening up the corners of each napkin and trimming from corner to corner to remove the bulk. Refold the corners and pin them in place. Sew along the outside and inside edges of the hem, securing the mitered corners in place. This technique adds a professional finish to your napkins and is perfect for those who want to try a new sewing technique.

Color and Pattern Choices

Choosing the right color and pattern for your napkins can be a form of decoration in itself. For a rustic theme, opt for a mixture of beiges, creams, browns, and fresh earthy greens. If you're going for a vintage mismatched china look, try mixing floral patterned materials to create unique napkins for each guest. You can also stick with one solid color or create your own design by using multiple colors.

Embellishments

Consider adding embellishments such as lace or ribbons to your napkins for an elegant touch. Fold a piece of lace or ribbon in half and pin it between the mitered fold of the napkin. Straight stitch along the hem, sewing the lace or ribbon in place at the same time. This adds texture and visual interest to your napkin design.

With these decoration ideas, you can create beautiful and personalized cloth napkins that will impress your wedding guests and enhance your table settings.

Frequently asked questions