April 21, 2015

Easiest Fabric Napkins

April 21, 2015/ Katie Taylor

I went to a wedding last summer where the groom's mother made dozens of fabric napkins for the place settings, beautifully mismatched in as many different patterns. The bride was incredibly generous and sent me home with four dainty flowery ones, which I use for special occasions.

Making some more to go along with those original four has been on my project list for almost a year. I don't know why it has taken me so long because whipping up a few of these fabric napkins is about the easiest and fastest sewing project you could imagine. Making hundreds for a wedding would take a while for sure, but I made 10 in less than an hour, with a little extra time for trimming the edges in front of the television.

And now, not only are we being a bit more environmentally friendly, but I get to see these pretty fabrics on a regular basis instead of having them folded up in my studio. And I have enough that we don't have to save them for special dinners, and we shouldn't run out even if I'm behind on the laundry (and you know I am).

If you're all set for fabric napkins at your own house, these would make a great hostess or housewarming gift.

Easiest Fabric Napkins

Cotton fabric in a variety of patterns
Ruler
Rotary cutter or scissors
Coordinating thread
Pinking shears

1. Cut your fabric into a large square. I did this by folding from the edge into an even triangle and then cutting the two sides, which ensures that the square is...well, square. I used an existing napkin to get the size right.

2. Sew a simple straight stitch all the way around the edges of your fabric square with a 3/8 inch seam allowance.

3. Cut the edges with pinking shears to avoid fraying.

That's it! Now put one next to your plate and enjoy having something so pretty for wiping your hands!

p.s. Embellished hand towels are another great way to get pretty fabrics into your everyday life.

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#Repost @ijeomaoluo with @make_repost
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I spoke with @voxdotcom about the racial justice moment we're in right now. “Be wary of anything that allows you to do something that isn’t actually felt by people of color,” Oluo

Learning. #Repost @ijeomaoluo with @make_repost ・・・ I spoke with @voxdotcom about the racial justice moment we're in right now. “Be wary of anything that allows you to do something that isn’t actually felt by people of color,” Oluo said. “I always ask myself when I’m trying to do solidarity work, can the people I’m in solidarity with actually feel this? Can they spend this? Can they eat this? Does this actually help them in any way? And if it doesn’t, let it go.” https://www.vox.com/2020/6/9/21285062/ijeoma-oluo-interview-talk-race-book-george-floyd-protests

Beautiful image and important reminder #Repost @mamaglow with @make_repost
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Mama Glow - Black breastfeeding is a revolutionary act. There are so many barriers to breastfeeding success including: lack of peer support, lack of familial encouragement

Beautiful image and important reminder #Repost @mamaglow with @make_repost ・・・ Mama Glow - Black breastfeeding is a revolutionary act. There are so many barriers to breastfeeding success including: lack of peer support, lack of familial encouragement, lack of education and instruction, aggressive marketing from formula companies and health care providers, less accessibility to lactation consultants, lack of intra-community support, policy gaps like lack of federal paid family leave, etc. Systemic racism plays a huge role in breastfeeding and the trauma endured by enslaved black women who were forced to nurse the children of their masters is directly correlated with black breastfeeding rates today. _ The CDC found that of infants born in 2012, 66% of Black women chose to breastfeed. While 75% of White women and 80% of Latinex women choose to breastfeed. Who really has a choice is the question. _ Not all black mothers are set up to be home with their infants for a great length of time them and able to nurse their babies on-demand. 1 in 4 women in the US head back to work 10 days after giving birth. This includes people like our essential workers. All mothers should have access to quality and culturally competent care regardless of ethnicity, skin tone, partner status, income, location or insurance. They should have access to education and support groups during the perinatal period to help encourage breastfeeding success. Modeling breastfeeding in the community is an act of community care. It preserves a natural biological process that is no longer instinctive. If we don’t see breastfeeding in our community then our chances for breastfeeding success decline. _ Salute to orgs like The Black Mothers Breastfeeding Association @bmbfa, who have a national impact on the reduction of racial disparities in breastfeeding success for black families. They provide education, valuable resources and ongoing support to black families and public/private agencies that service these families. _ Who are some of your favorite care providers and organizations serving the community and preserving breastfeeding? _ 📷 @rebornfromwi