napkins

[Therese's Mommy]

My everyday napkins are getting really raggedy and I want to make some new ones. How would flannel be for napkins??

Thanks!

Beth

[KariM]

We have kitchen wipes (size of small paper towels) that I made with flannel. We didn't intend to use them as napkins, but hey sometimes we do!

I personally love the flannel and would make napkins out of it if I needed some new ones.

[chinaKat]

I usually buy 100% cotton from the home furnishings/upholstery section of the fabric store.

[Dillpicklechip]

How funny, I was thinking about making some napkins as my first sewing project (I just got my first sewing machine!) and I was going to come here today to ask what material is best to make them out of.

[ColoradoMama]

I'm making mine out of flannel!

[retro.mama]

So how big do you suggest the napkin be? We don't use them for covering laps, just hands and faces and the occasional spill. I'm thinking 12x12 would be good, or is that too big? I'm making mine out of flannel and want a little wiggle room in terms of size since flannel seems to constantly shrink in this house.

[chinaKat]

Originally Posted by retro.mama

So how big do you suggest the napkin be? We don't use them for covering laps, just hands and faces and the occasional spill. I'm thinking 12x12 would be good, or is that too big? I'm making mine out of flannel and want a little wiggle room in terms of size since flannel seems to constantly shrink in this house.

I don't recall how big mine are, I just use an existing napkin as a pattern when I cut them, leaving extra all around for hemming.

I do know that if you try to get two napkins across the width of the fabric, they'll come out a little small. Not ridiculously so, but smaller than maybe your average cloth napkin. So, you have to make the call if you want to get 4-6 napkins from a yard or just 2-3. If you just do 2-3, you can use the (relatively generous) scraps to make coasters or potholders or something, though.

[courtenay_e]

A typical dinner napkin is between 17 and 20 or 21 inches square, I believe, and a standard luncheon napkin is between 14 and 17 inches square, and that is measured after the hems.

[gnutter]

I like flannel for everyday napkins-its soft and absorbent- and cotton muslin for white dinner napkins-youknow, when you need to be able to bleach them all to match

I just bought fabric for kitchen curains so I will be making some matching napkins too-that fabric is cotton.

[reeseccup]

Originally Posted by gnutter

I like flannel for everyday napkins-its soft and absorbent- and cotton muslin for white dinner napkins-youknow, when you need to be able to bleach them all to match

.

I love muslin for any time (I used the unbleached kind though), since it is nice and soft and informally pretty IMO. I also love the muslin for hankies as well. For formal (like I have anything like that LOL), I'd use linen or a nice 100% cotton, heavier is good.

Flannel will work wonderfully as well, if that's what you have and want.

I generally make my napkins 10"x10"(finished product), they are on the smaller side, but they work fine for us. If looking for formal I'd go for the typical larger sizes.

[Magelet]

You don't find muslin too insubstantial for napkins? I like it for hankies, but I would think it would need to be heavier for napkins. when I was growing up we had some purchased cotton napkins, and the fabric was heavier. I can't figure out what kind of fabric it was, but it was heavier than muslin and heavier than say... calico or quilting cotton.

[mrsbernstein]

I would never have thought of usuing flannel for napkins. NEVER!

My grandmother always had linen napkins. My mom uses a woven fabric, and I have William-Sonomas "Hotel Napkins"...which I think are linen.

I am wanting to make some napkins for a Stash Game in which I am participating...and think now I will use some of my cute yellow flannel for napkins.

THANK YOU!

Mrs B

[mystic~mama]

I think flannel sounds nice...love the feel of it : )

for X~mas I made napkins (12X12) as a gift and used this fabric...

https://www.fabricdepot.com/index.ph...age&pageid=181

[retro.mama]

Great- thanks for the replies on the size. I'll go ahead and start sewing.

[reeseccup]

Originally Posted by Magelet

You don't find muslin too insubstantial for napkins? I like it for hankies, but I would think it would need to be heavier for napkins. when I was growing up we had some purchased cotton napkins, and the fabric was heavier. I can't figure out what kind of fabric it was, but it was heavier than muslin and heavier than say... calico or quilting cotton.

I don't for informal use, since we're not mopping up messes with them, just dabbing faces and hands.

I personally think the reason for heavier fabrics for formal napkins is for the fold/draping qualities as well as look and "quality", not so much for the dabbing hands and face purposes.

If you look at what is used in store bought formal napkins, most seem to use polyester with a few that use quality cotton or heavy linen. I would avoid poly and go for heavier cotton or linen (or hemp if you can afford to) if you want a heavier napkin.

A good place to look in local stores is the drapery section, but again, be very careful since most of those fabrics are poly, but you can find some good cottons there that are nice.