Just a quick little tutorial and then back to packing. I got this idea from a very dear friend Andy. I was at his house for a super fun farming, permaculture, hippie sleep over last winter and at dinner time I found a basket of these in his dining room.
His napkins caught my eye because he had used the same exact bed sheet design that I had on my bed growing up. Yep, my momma kept one set of bed sheets per bed. On laundry day, she stripped the bed, washed, hung them on the line and your sheets were back on your bed by bedtime. I do the same exact thing which has helped out since we have no linen closet to speak of.
Anyhoo, back to Andy’s sleepover, I picked up a napkin and smiled. So simple and smart, just like my friend Andy. They were just simple squares of fabric ripped from this one vintage bed sheet. I filed it in my mental “must make” file and it stayed there until this weekend when I felt we needed a pick me up in the napkin section of our life. I remembered that flowery bedsheet I had folded away for something like this. It is super old and oh so very soft and absolutely perfect for napkins.
You can make a few dozen from one top sheet and in 15 minutes that are folded in your napkin basket because all you do is snip a little cut in the edge and rip a whole strip from the sheet. Then just snip and rip the strip into smaller napkin sized squares. What takes the longest time in this project is pulling the hanging threads from the side which is quite fun and not very time consuming. When you wash them the first time, you will probably get a few more strings but no biggie. Simple and inexpensive, so now you have another use for that bed sheet you have been saving in your stash.
Thanks Andy!
I don’t know what inspired you to cut the bed sheet into pieces to prepare napkins, because I would have sewed an apron for me. Anyway, you did it very well.
Thanks!
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Whoo, I just made some luncheon size napkins from a 100% cotton pillow case! I used my pinkig shears around the edges, they came out cute! Thank you for posting.
Very love the idea of turning the sheet into napkins. Maybe i can try.
love this idea! I have tons of fabric (ahem- sheets) left over from the girls strawberry dresses. Now I know what I'll be doing with it!
Oooo! So pretty – maybe just maybe I'll break out one from my collection for this! 🙂 Thanks for sharing! x
Fabulous! I followed you here from Frontier Dreams. I've been wanting to make some napkins but the sewing's what's putting me off. Love your method
Love, love, love this idea! Thank you. I, too, enjoy every post. Was just trying to figure out how to make new napkins with very little expense. Awesome!
Is there a fiber content that works best? 100% cotton, or 50-50? I have some napkins that are so stained, it's terrible. They're also not really absorbant. This would be a nice alternative!
I have had napkins that were both 100% cotton and a blend and I always like the 100% cotton best. The best part about these napkins is that if they get too stained, you didnt spend a lot of money on them so you can put them into the compost pile 🙂
Love it! Too bad I don't have any old sheets (that I can spare ;-)). Must raid my mama's linen closet over Thanksgiving!
I have been needing some new napkins. This is such a great idea. Thank you for writing this great blog! I enjoy every post
I think I can even do this one. No sewing! Lol. Thx