Keep Your Napkin In Your Lap!

I remember those words from my mother when I was a child.  “Your napkin goes in your lap, not on the table.”

Well…..I’m assembling 150 napkins for the wedding.  I HOPE that they will be “table view”worthy when I’m through with them and not need to be hidden in anyone’s lap.

So what are the criteria when you are making that many of anything?

1. Must be affordable
2. Must be easy and fast to assemble
3. Must look FABULOUS
4. Must reflect our rustic theme
5. Fabrics must be easy to work with

I started with one of my favorites.  The good old flour sack kitchen towels from WalMart.  You get five towels in a pack for $5.50.  You will get four napkins out of each towel.  CHEAP!

I prewashed all of my towels and then pressed them smooth.  Folding in half and then half again as I went.

After they are cut (or torn) into four pieces, each piece will look like this.  This will leave you two raw edges.  The one directly opposite  the selvage edge I turned under and hemmed.  The other raw edge is where I will attach my ruffle.

For ruffles…….cut a piece the entire width (45”) of your cotton fabric, and 4” long.  Here again, I tore all of my pieces, it does stretch your fabric a little, but……150 napkins!!

Here are your two pieces of fabric.

At this point, fold your ruffle fabric in half and take it to the sewing machine, stitching shut at the raw edge.

Piece shown is folded but not sewn. 

Then…..I sew the ruffle to the napkin.  No pinning, no measuring, I just take it to the machine and ruffle as I go.  The first couple weren’t too perfect, but I am getting better as I go.  Double top stitch each napkin.  It makes the ruffle lay nice and flat.

 

And here are your finished products.

Aren’t they pretty!  The total cost per napkin…….95 cents each!!  Cheap Cheap!!

You could afford to make a set of these for every occasion!  If I were making them for myself, I might add rick rack or other trim.  More is better?

I started out leaving a raw edge on the back, where I sewed the ruffle on.  THEN….I thought hummmmmm   French Seams!

French seams…..some how I missed those along the way. 

Until I read this great tutorial  HERE!

Thank you Georgia Peachez!

And isn’t that so much prettier than those raw edges.  Am I going to go back and redo the others? NO!!

If all you’re doing is sewing up 150 napkins, you may just go nuts!  At least that’s my excuse for throwing in little extra projects along the way.

I had this project in my head for awhile.  I purchased some vintage pillow cases at a reasonable price, but the cases had little holes in them.  Enter this project…….

When I saw that cute paisley/floral fabric at Hobby Lobby, on sale no less, that pretty well did it for me!  I LOVE LOVE these pillow cases!

Is there anyone who DOESN’T love rickrack?  I think it’s just one of the cutest all-time, long-time trims!

I used the French Seams on these also.  No raw edges here!  So much prettier.  Now I don’t even want to spend the money on a serger!

These cases will be going to the Rink to be sold.  Along with a coordinating throw pillow which I have yet to start.

 

I also finished up my little arm lamp slipcover with a white trim.  So much cuter.  It was just the perfect touch!

AND……here’s a biggie for me!  I have been looking for one of these for YEARS!

The little over the headboard lamps.  They are SO hard to find.  I wanted one to hang on my tree bed.  And there it was…..at Tuesday Morning, after years and years of searching!  For $14.99!  They could probably hear me squeal with delight all over the store!

So….it seems that the words “pretty” and “cute” are the theme around my house right now!

Have a wonderful week!

Denise