Linen Napkins
Linen Napkins
Dress up your dining table with elegant linen napkins! Follow these instructions to learn how to make
inexpensive embroidered napkins that will last wash after wash. Different colored linens, varying
embroidery motifs, and thread colors make these napkins easy to adapt for holidays, special occasions,
and decorating schemes.
Project Needs & Notes
-
Linen fabric (each 1/2 yard yields three 16" dinner napkins)
Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
Temporary spray adhesive (like Gunold KK100)
Ruler or straight edge
Air-erase pen for marking
Paper or tagboard (lightweight cardboard)
For this tutorial, I used the medium size of the Oak Leaf Pair design on orange linen fabric. Browse
through the many Embroidery Library designs to find something that matches your preference and
decor.
Finished Size:
Standard sizes of dinner napkins are between 16" x 16" and 18" x 18".
Standard sizes for cocktail napkins are between 6" x 6" and 8" x 8".
This project was featured in the following:
Gather 'Round the Table Lookbook
Begin by creating a paper
pattern for your napkin. Using a
paper pattern will ensure that all
of the linen napkins in your set
will be the same shape and size.
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Linen Napkins
Decide how large you want to
make the napkins. Add 1" to
the height and width for seam
allowances. Draw a square that
size on the paper or tagboard.
Cut out the shape.
In this example, the linen napkin
will be 16" x 16" so I made a
paper pattern 17" x 17".
Place the paper pattern on the
linen and trace the shape.
Leave at least 1" of excess
fabric around the square.
Prepare the fabric for
embroidery (here we are
stitching in the corner of the
napkin).
Spray cutaway stabilizer with
temporary adhesive. Smooth the
linen fabric on top.
In this example, the corner of
the linen is angled so that it
points down to one end of the
stabilizer.
This will usually be necessary
when embroidering on a corner, so that the maximum amount of
fabric will be hooped, and the
design angled properly.
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Linen Napkins
Draw a line from the corner up
to the opposite corner.
This line will be used for design
placement and hooping.
A template is a printout of the
design, and it's an excellent tool
for planning where to stitch. Print
a template of the design from
your embroidery software.
If you do not have embroidery
software to print templates, try
Wilcom's TrueSizer, a free
program.
Place the template of the design
on the napkin, aligning the
center point of the design with
the line that you drew on the
fabric. That is the vertical axis
line.
Mark the center point and the
horizontal axis line, too.
Make sure there is at least 1"
between the edges of the design
and the outer edges of the
square.
Hoop the fabric and stabilizer
together, lining up the marks on
the fabric with the marks on the
hoop.
Attach the hoop to the machine
and move the hoop so the
needle is right over the center
point.
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Linen Napkins
Embroider the design.
After embroidering, trim the
excess stabilizer away from the
back.
Cut out the square shape.
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Linen Napkins
Fold all of the edges over 1/4" to
the wrong side and press with
an iron.
Fold all of the edges over again
1/4" and press.
Unfold the edges and draw a
line on each corner connecting
the fold lines.
Trim each corner along the lines
you just drew.
Here's a closer look at where to
trim the corner.
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Linen Napkins
Fold each corner 1/4" to the
wrong side along the newly cut
edge and press.
Fold the edges over along the
existing pressed folds and press
again. Doing this will create
mitered corners.
Sew a seam along the entire
inner edge of the folds on the
backside of the napkin to
complete.
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Linen Napkins
In this example, the smallest
size of the Woodland Whitework
Spray design was embroidered
onto tan linen for an elegant
look.
Varying the linen colors,
embroidery shapes and sizes,
and thread type will give each
napkin a distinct look to match
your decorating scheme.
In this example, a strip of burlap
was added to the edge, and it
brings a wonderful textured look
to the table.
This table setting also features
one of the in-the-hoop
silverware holders. To learn how
to make these, click here.
A set of linen napkins will
instantly add an elegant look to
your dining table.
Make for special occasions and
holidays, or create a simple set
for everyday use.
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Linen Napkins
Questions or comments? Let us know! Send an email to us; the address is stitch@emblibrary.com.
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