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How to Make Inexpensive Napkins and Napkin Rings

Making napkins and napkin rings is one of the easiest ways to break out of a decorating rut and entertain like a star.  Elegant and festive tables turn meals into magazine-ready photospreads that elevate every dinner.  Whether it’s a special occasion, or a small family get-together, making your own napkins and napkin rings allows you to embrace a wide range of themes without hurting your budget.

Paper goods make for easy clean-up, and the industry has done a great job providing stylish and unique options in paper table ware, but there’s something special about real place settings that you just can’t get with paper goods.  Fabric napkins and napkin rings can conservatively cost $6 per place setting, but can reach up to $20 per setting depending on style.  It almost makes sense to just use the paper goods–unless you can sew a straight seam and wield a hot glue gun.  Then, you’re ready to make fun or elegant napkins and napkin rings for $1.75 per place setting or less.

At that price you can afford to make napkins and rings for every occasion.  Let your creativity run wild.

I’ll be sharing other amazing table settings and tablescapes in the upcoming months, so you can see all the possibilities for decorating while using your new skill—making napkins and rings whenever you want!

This is definitely a Crazy Girl Project (a project for girls who love to save big money by building it themselves).  Add this cool sewing skill to your bag of tricks, and you’ll be pulling off everything from Thanksgiving to Sweet 16 Parties like a star hostess.

Here’s some inspiration from my Thanksgiving table to yours.  Between you and me, these napkins and napkin rings came in at $1 per place setting because I had a handy 50% off coupon for the napkin fabric, and I used some scrap fabric already on hand for the napkin rings.  You can really save big by getting creative and shopping your scraps or fabric store remains for the napkin ring material since it only takes ¼-yard of fabric.  I splurged on a $3 bag of feathers to add pretty detail to the napkin rings, so keep an eye out for little embellishments that you can purchase and keep on hand to add flair to the napkin rings.

Enjoy the pretty pictures, then keep reading for the details on how to make your own napkins and napkin rings.

Tutorial for Making your Own Elegant Napkins and Napkin Rings

Sew Your Own Napkins-Makes 8

You can get your printable project sheet here, so you have all the measurements to take to the fabric store.

SUPPLIES:

2 ½ yards fabric.  I prefer cotton-poly.  It sews easily, it’s soft and it washes beautifully.

Matching thread.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut 8- 16”x16” squares from the fabric.  Fold edges over ¼” twice (so the raw edge of the fabric isn’t visible).  Sew around all 4 lengths.  Repeat for all napkins.

Make your Own Napkin Rings-Makes 8

SUPPLIES:

2-paper towel cores (the cardboard center from a paper towel roll)

¼ Yard fabric in a coordinating color or print from your napkin fabric.  Thicker, or textured fabrics (like home decorating and upholstery fabric) look best.

Hot glue gun and sticks

Embellishments (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut each of the paper towel cores into 4 equal pieces

Cut the fabric into 8 sections large enough to wrap around the paper core, plus 1 inch.  And enough to tuck into the paper core on each end (about ½ inch extra on each end).  For most napkin rings, your fabric piece will be about 6-1/2”x4”.

Center your fabric on the first napkin ring.  Fold the end under and glue it, wrapping the cardboard completely.  Make sure the fabric reaches over the open ends of the cardboard by ½” on each end.

Tuck the fabric into each open end of the cardboard, gluing into place.

Add embellishments as desired.

That’s it!  This project is so cheap, that you don’t have to make any long-term commitments.  If you want to use the napkins and napkin rings for one party and then toss them—that’s ok.  If you’re like me, you’ll find that you can make 8 napkins and napkin rings in the time it takes to watch 2 episodes on Netflix.  And since you’re binge watching Netflix anyway, why not be ultra-productive and whip up some elegant and beautiful napkins with matching napkin rings?

You can spend the money you saved on some beautiful dishes, or a new crockpot to make it even easier to entertain.

I’d love to see pictures of your napkins and rings!

Shared with these and more great link parties!  My Busy Bees; Inspiration Monday; Inspire Monday; Merry Monday; The Scoop; Tuesdays at Our House;  Celebrate Your Story; Show & Tell; Project Inspired; Create, Link, Inspire; Sew it, Cook it, Craft it; Totally Terrific Tuesdays; Tuesdays with a Twist; DIY Crafts Link Party; Party in Your PJ’s; Dream, Create, Inspire; Wow Us Wednesdays; Whisk It Wednesdays; Wonderful Wednesday; Thursday Favorite Things; No Rules Weekend Party;  Feathered Nest Friday; Awesome Life Friday; Friendship Friday; Funtastic Friday; Inspiration Gallery; Friday Favorites; What to Do Weekends; Pin Junkie Pin Party;

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