Square fabric napkins are super simple, especially when you follow our easy directions for how to make a perfect double-turn, narrow hem with clean corners. This holiday, pass on the paper, and make your own beautiful cloth napkins.

Designed to match our Thanksgiving Tablecloth with Arts & Crafts Style Panels, these napkins are a great accent for the overall tabletop. All eight of ours match, but it's also fun to mix things up, giving pairs of folks or even each individual his/his own custom fabric. This is a "green idea" as well, because then everyone can keep track of their own napkins throughout the evening rather than getting a new napkin each time.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Janome 3128)

Fabric and Other Supplies

• Fabric for eight napkins: 2½ yards of 45" wide fabric: we used Joel Dewberry's Deer Valley in Mountain Gem Celedon
  NOTE: If you need fewer napkins or want to mix and match your fabrics, ¾ yard of 45" wide fabric will make two 20" x 20" finished napkins.
• All purpose thread
• Contrasting all purpose thread for top stitching
• See-through ruler
• Fabric pencil
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Straight pins

Getting Started

1. Cut eight 21" x 21" squares. After hemming, your finished napkins will be 20" x 20" each.
   
2. This is a perfect time to use a rotary cutter (see: Product Review: Rotary Cutters) and mat if you have one. And, here's a little trick to go faster and cut straighter: fold the fabric in half evenly and smooth out the edges, make sure your print is lined up precisely, trim the cut edge so it's even and square, and make your first cut. Then, using this new cut as your guide, measure and cut the other 3 sides to make eight 21" x 21" squares.
   
3. Since the pattern we chose is so large, it's especially important to make your first cut square to the print.
   
4. For more about 'squaring up fabric' for exact cutting, read our tutorial: Quilting Basics Part 1: Tools, Cutting & Piecing.

At Your Sewing Machine

1. Create a ¼" doubleturn hem on all four sides, with clean finished corners. If you're new to this technique, check out our great tutorial: Quick Tip: 1/4" Double-Turn Clean Finished Corner. Once you master this technique, you'll use it again and again for narrow home décor hems.
   
2. In making these corners and the hem, your finishing step will be to top stitch all the way around in contrasting thread.

Other machines suitable for this project include the Singer Fashion Mate 7256 and the Viking E20.

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