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Make these DIY cloth dinner napkins from budget-friendly linen, and give your table a classic and upscale vibe. The more these napkins are washed, the better they look!
These DIY cloth napkins, which I promise are super easy, give your table settings a tremendous bang for your buck. Linen napkins are the best. The more they are washed, the softer they get! This post was originally published in 2018. I am still using that first set of cloth napkins, and I still love them. For the purpose of updating, I purchased linen, and made another set of napkins. The second set is featured in this post.
Easy-To-Follow Instructions
- Decide what size you want your napkins to be, and then cut squares one inch larger. I cut my squares 20 inches on each side, so my napkins are about 19 inches square.
- DO NOT PRE-WASH THE LINEN.
- Starting on one side of the first square, start pulling threads along the edge. Linen ravels quite easily, so it won’t be hard.
- Pull the threads until you get one continuous thread that runs along the entire side. At this point you will need to trim your fringe so it is even.
- Pull enough complete threads so your fringe is at least 1/4 inch wide. I pulled 10 threads per side.
- This isn’t an exact thing…and don’t worry if every napkin isn’t the same. Remember…these are handmade!
- When all the sides on each napkin are fringed, it’s time to wash and dry them. I use a regular cycle, with cool water.
- Warning: when they come out of the washer, there will be a lot of stray strings. This is normal, and actually what you want! Just lay the napkins out on your kitchen counter or a table, and trim the strings off with scissors.
- After trimming, use a hot iron to press the freshly laundered cloth napkins, but don’t be too particular. Linen has incredible texture, so let it shine.
- After pressing, trim the fringe again if needed.
How much fabric to buy?
This is a hard one! There are many factors that go into determining how much fabric you will need to make these cloth dinner napkins. All you need is basic math to figure it out. But let’s start here…to cut out six 20 inch squares, I recommend that you purchase 2 yards of fabric that is at least 45 inches wide.
Shop + Source
- My original source for linen is no longer available. Here are some fabrics to try:
FAQ’s
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I absolutely love this DIY cloth dinner napkins tutorial! The fabric choices are gorgeous, and I can’t wait to try making some for my next dinner party. It’s such a simple way to add a personal touch to the table setting. Thank you for the inspiration!
These napkins look beautiful! This is now on my “to do” list. :)
Do they not keep fraying if they don’t have a stay stitch?
I have never used a stay stitch. When working with pure linen, the first few times the napkins are washed there is quite a bit of fraying. As the linen softens, the fraying lessens. But every time they are washed, there are strings that need trimmed. If you try a stay stitch, let us know how it works!
Thank you for this easy tutorial! I love the casual appeal of these linen napkins!
Thank you for sharing! My only question is why you do not advice to prewash the linen? TIA
In my opinion, the linen is easier to cut before it’s washed. Also, the threads pull much easier in linen that has not been washed. Definitely wash and dry the napkins after they are cut and fringed. Thank you!
Thank you!
Would you add an extra cm to each napkin for shrinkage?
Hi Mada…yes that would be a good idea!
I am a linen fanatic and buy my linen from fabrics-store.com. Their prices can’t be beat, they have great customer service, and their linen comes in a variety of weights and many colors. They are in LA and I’m in San Diego so if I order early enough in the day, I will get the fabric the next day otherwise it is usually the following day. Try them out.
Thank you for sharing this project, Ann. Another source for linen is fabrics-store.com