Cloth Napkins have become a staple in our home in recent months. Not only are they environmentally friendly and cost-effective, but they can also be extremely beautiful! I love to keep an eye out at thrift stores for donated vintage or unwanted fabrics that aren’t quite large enough for other projects. The red and blue floral print I used for some of the napkins in this post I purchased for less than $2/yard this way!

I love the idea of romanticizing every day, and such a sweet, simple way to do that is through using non-disposable serveware and linens. These napkins add the perfect touch to a homemade meal, and bring that take-out to the next level!

I think that making a set of these cloth napkins would be a perfect Christmas gift. You can easily customize these to suit anyone, and even the size of the napkins can be adjusted to fit the occasion. These napkins I chose to make 18×18 inch squares, which is perfect for our family. There are also these options for napkin sizes:

Cocktail/Beverage Napkins: 6”x6”

Lunch Napkins: 18”x18” or 20”x20”

Dinner Napkins: 22”x22”or 24”x24”

Depending on how ornately you like to fold your napkins and for which occasion you would like to use them, you can easily alter this tutorial, simply change the square size for the initial cutting. 

Cloth Napkins Tutorial

Supplies

Scissors

Coordinating thread

Sewing machine or needle

Measuring tape

1 yard each of 2 coordinating fabrics

Make four (4) double-sided cloth napkins as follows:

Cut out 8 squares measuring 18.5”x18.5”, 4 from each fabric. 

Put the right sides of the fabric together and press. Pin in place. 

Sew around the perimeter of the fabric with a ¼” seam allowance. Leave a 2” opening at least 1” from any corners. 

Turn out your napkin through the hole in the seam. Use a pen, chopstick, or other means to push out the corners of the napkin. 

Sew around the entire perimeter of the napkin, beginning with the opening. Use a ¼” seam allowance. Remember to backstitch at the beginning and end of the stitch. 

That’s all folks! Wash on a cold cycle preferably with a gentle dry cycle to extend the life of your napkins. They are very hardy, however, and can certainly hold up to deep cleans when necessary. I think this would be absolutely gorgeous to try with some crisp linen or plaid patterns for the holidays. 

Give these super simple and thrifty cloth napkins a go and let me know how they turn out! Share your finished project in the comments and over on Instagram. Tag me @makeshifthomestead and I can’t wait to talk to you again soon! 

‘Later y’all!