Remember that time I DIYed all 78 of the cloth napkins for my $5,000 backyard wedding? Oy. My hands still hurt thinking about it!
But, while that DIY may have been boring and time-consuming, I did love all my napkins once I was done – they looked so pretty! And also super awesome?
Since our wedding day, they've actually been used quite a bit (mostly for holidays but also for my baby shower).
It's been so handy to have a giant wad of pretty linens available whenever I needed them; however, it's really been bugging me that the were all one sided and had ugly raw edges.
So, I set out to fix that and figured out how to make double sided cloth napkins from old napkins!
DIY: How to Make Double Sided Cloth Napkins from Old Napkins
Step One:
Use a seam ripper to remove all the seams along the hems (yes, for EVERY napkin).
Leave the ironed seams in tact.
Step Two:
Lay two napkins wrong sides together (that means that pretty pattern side should be facing out and the ugly side with the ironed seams should be faced in) and match up the outside edges (you might need to bust out an iron to make everything match up exactly).
Pin paying special attention to the corners.
Step Three:
Using a standard straight stitch, sew around the edges of the napkin (I just lined up the edge of my sewing foot with the edge of the ironed seams and took off).
Backstitch at the end to secure the seam.
Step Four:
Enjoy the awesomeness!
I've already plowed through about a quarter of the napkins from my wedding. I grab a handful and systematically rip seams while I watch a TV show with my husband at night.
Then, when I have a moment or two (like when Melly is in her high chair eating), I quickly iron and pin a few together. I try to sew a couple every evening as Melanie has her Daddy time.
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