Cloth Napkins - Hand made style

One the things I do to challenge myself daily is to use less disposable items and more reusable ones.  I like to play a game, taking one disposable item and then finding a reusable, more earth sustainable one.

In this case, napkins!  I actually had been using old kitchen towels for napkins but they were well, old, and kind of icky looking no matter how clean they were.  A nice new option was in order.

I wish I could say these simple napkins were easy.  They just about drove my out of my mind.  I'm thrilled to be done with them, but they don't make me happy yet when I see them.  It was too traumatizing.  :) Hopefully with time.

It all started when I saw this gorgeous pattern on the purl bee.  Yes please!

The rickrack size wasn't stated, and being a cheapskate I needed to find a less expensive option.  So, I guessed and picked mini.  I guessed wrong (but wouldn't figure this out til later).

The mini rick rack on the tiny edge drove me nuts.

I threw the whole project in a drawer.  Then, I found this uber cute tutorial to make essentially the same thing, but had a super smart way to sew on the rick rack.  Yea!

The rick rack was too small.  It was a living nightmare to sew it to the edge.  I persevered anyway.

 

I went to sew the top on and to turn it.  The rick rack was too small and didn't hardly show.  All that hard work down the drain. :(

I threw the project in a drawer (notice a trend?)

I pulled it out and sewed inside the rick rack, effectively hiding the offensive rickrack and making a plain napkin.

Joy reigns!

So here you go - gorgeous napkins that I made entirely too complicated and should have been simple but were not.  I will make more, just not anytime soon :)

To console myself, I had to make a little yarny purchase.  I couldn't resist that gorgeous new shelter yarn from brooklyn tweed.  Now this, this will be simple, and make me very happy.  :)

Comments

[Sasha]

Well they look pretty Keri! I once made two dozen napkins with mitered corners and it was also not so simple.
Those colors of Shelter are very pretty! I want to try some of that yarn soon.

[Bernadette]

LOL... We must be on the same wavelength! Last Saturday I was in NYC and visited Purl Soho (home of the Purl Bee!) and bought three skeins of Brooklyn Tweed as well! (Darker colors, for hats for my boys and hubby). I also picked up a few fat quarters - not for a quilt, but for some small sewing projects I have in mind.

I know your napkins were a nightmare in the making, but they are quite pretty now that they are done!Kisses to little Abby! (I bet she's growing so fast!!)

[kmckiernan]

Thanks Sasha! Those mitered corner napkins sound gorgeous and two dozen, wow! You are impressive. I think I barely made 4! :) I'll have to go stash diving to see what other fabric I can find to make some more.

[kmckiernan]

Oh what an amazing trip! Lucky you! Can't wait to see what you do with your shelter. I can't decide, it's almost too yummy to use! :)