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DIY Plaid Cloth Napkins – How To Sew Cloth Napkins

December 12, 2024 by jenni 9 Comments

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Looking for the perfect cloth napkins and yet nothing seems right? I have been there and found the solution. Here’s how to easily sew your own cloth napkins.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission
at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

Stack of plaid fabric atop a butcher block counter.

How To Sew Cloth Napkins

Step 1: Source Your Fabric(s)

Finding the ideal cloth napkin fabric is not terribly difficult. You will want something absorbent, like a natural fiber, in order for the napkin to function properly.

My cloth napkins were to be used at a company holiday party themed “Cowboy Christmas“. To keep in theme, I sourced three different plaid fabrics for a mismatched look. JoAnn had a variety of Eddie Bauer plaid prints that are 100% cotton and they complimented my event design.

Buffalo Check Fabric Link – Green Plaid Fabric Link – Red Plaid Fabric Link

*Tip: Don’t forget to purchase extra thread!

Step 2: Measure Twice, Cut Once

Measure your fabric(s) to ensure what you received is truly what the label indicates. Then decide how many napkins you would like to get out of your fabric, and if you are utilizing the salvage or removing it.

*Tip: A general recommendation is to wash fabrics prior to sewing your projects,
allowing the fabric to shrink or warp prior to sewing. If you are washing
prior to sewing/cutting, measure your washed fabrics then cut.

Scissors cutting green and red plaid fabric.

Remember to account for the rolled hem. If you are turning your hem twice at a 1/4 inch, that’s 1/2 inch around the entire napkin to add to your measurements. If you want an 18×18 inch square napkin, your measurements should be 19×19 inch for a 1/2 inch on either side to incorporate into your hem.

We wanted to maximize the number of napkins per yard of fabric and decided on three napkins across the width, including utilizing the salvage. This gave us a slightly smaller napkin than banquet standard (18×18 or 20×20 is generally preferred) but we wasted less fabric this way.

Measure your napkins, place a pin at the measurements, then measure again! I cannot tell you how many times I was sure I measured correctly only to be off by an inch in my haste.

Rather than cut each napkin square at this time, we cut strips long enough for 4 to 5 napkins. By cutting strips, we were able to sew the edges (long sides of the strips) of multiple napkins at once.

Vintage Singer sewing machine sewing fabric with the guidance of a hand.

Step 3: Sew the Rolled Hem of the Long Sides

Turn your edge 1/4 inch, then again 1/4 inch for a rolled hem. Sew as close as you are comfortable to the inside edge of the hem. You do not need to back-stitch the ends of this piece as there will be a hem on either end as well to seal in the stick.

We opted to use the salvage and only turned the salvage once. This again saved fabric and maximized the size of the napkin for our situation.

*Tip: If you are a beginner, you may want to use an iron to press your hem prior to sewing.
This helps keep the hem in place so you can focus on straight stitches.

Step 4: Measure Twice, Cut Once, Again

Measure your napkins along your sewed strips, place a pin at the measurements, then measure again! Once confident in your measurements, cut the strips into the square napkins.

Vintage Singer sewing machine sewing fabric with the guidance of a hand.

Step 5: Sew the Rolled Hem of the Remaining Sides

Turn your edge 1/4 inch, then again 1/4 inch for a rolled hem. Sew as close as you are comfortable to the inside edge of the hem.

I liked to start my stitch slightly in from the edge and begin with the back stitch. Since you are sewing over the other rolled hem as well, it can be tricky for a sewing machine to gain momentum from the edge with so many layers to punch through.

Back stitch both the beginning and end of this stitch for a clean, finished edge.

Finished!

A festive table setting with black plates, plaid napkins, mason jars, horseshoes, and pine table runner.

Conclusion

I hope you were able to take something away from this guide on “DIY Plaid Cloth Napkins”! Feel free to switch out the fabrics and measurements for your own as needed.  These guidelines are not written in stone and variations are welcome.

As my first guide in the “DIY” series, this truly is the beginning of something good and a very exciting day.  I aspire to be your go-to resource for DIY projects that help complement the vision for your events.

Remember to Pin this post for when you are ready to start sewing your own cloth napkins.

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Filed Under: DIY Tutorials Tagged With: diy, diy project, sewing

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Judy

    December 22, 2024 at 4:58 pm

    Great DIY napkin tutorial!

    Reply
    • jenni

      December 23, 2024 at 8:19 pm

      Thank you! I had a great mentor (aka you!)

      Reply
      • Ophelie

        May 23, 2025 at 1:08 am

        I love this idea! Beginner friendly tutorial and such a money saving overall for a better tailored style! Love it

        Reply
  2. Alisha Mosier

    April 14, 2025 at 9:18 pm

    This would be such a cute host or housewarming gift. Love them!

    Reply
  3. Heidi

    May 16, 2025 at 4:54 am

    These are super cool! I love the mismatched look and making your own napkins is such a great project. Your detailed instructions are so easy to follow and thank you for the tips on using the fabric most efficiently. Very helpful.

    Reply
  4. Kaitlin

    May 22, 2025 at 7:41 pm

    I love these for christmas and holiday gatherings. Also love that there was more than one fabric used to create variation. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Reply
  5. Kimberley

    May 22, 2025 at 9:41 pm

    This is a great step by step! Thanks for sharing. I’m definitely interested in trying this out. There are so many more options when picking fabric vs pre made napkins.

    Reply
  6. Kirsten from Multiply the Five Blog

    May 23, 2025 at 6:15 pm

    I’m really wanting to learn to sew so I can teach my daughter one day! Thanks for an easy tutorial that I think even a newbie like me can follow ☺️

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Cowboy Christmas Party for a Local Non-Profit - An Exciting Day says:
    December 17, 2024 at 11:59 pm

    […] event since I couldn’t find the look I wanted at a reasonable price. There is a tutorial for DIY Plaid Cloth Napkins here on the […]

    Reply

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Today is an exciting day!  So glad you found our blog.  I’m Jenni, wife and mama, events professional and lover of all things wedding.  Follow along for stories on real weddings, event tips, diy projects, and more!  Read more about me here.

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