I went to visit my parents last month and one of the awesome byproducts is access to my mom’s crafty tools and know-how. You may know my mom from t-shirt quilt and pajama Christmas stocking fame. I was determined to make the most of my time and set aside two projects that I’ve really been wanting to do.
The first? New napkins! We only use cloth napkins in our house, a practice I inherited from my mom. She has a sewing room, serger and more fabric than she knows what to do with. The napkins are machine washable and get tossed in the wash when we do our towels.
She made me a set five years ago. Hmmm. I suppose that’s why they started looking a little ragged. They held up for five years!
We packed off to the fabric store with coupons in hand. Yes, the husband came along. He has veto power over patterns I pick out and actually tends to have a better eye for color than I do. Together we picked out 7 bolts: 3 for every day use, 3 to put away for company, and 1 Christmas pattern.
Back home, we picked out coordinating thread out of my mom’s stash. Then she got to work. I’m not kidding anyone: I didn’t do any of the work.
She cut six 18-inch squares of each fabric and then ran them through her 4-thread serger using a narrow rolled hem. One yard of fabric will yield 4 napkins.
That’s it. Poof! We have 42 new napkins!
I cannot tell how huge my lust is for a serger.
It’s a 4-thread to boot – I don’t think 3-thread does the narrow-roll hem. I remember the day when my mom replaced her serger with the 4-thread. She went crazy making napkins.
Ah, pretty new napkins! I sewed a bit back in the day, but never had a serger. It just makes everything so polished and pretty. Lucky you to have a Mom that shares her skills!
I don’t think I’ll ever own anything beyond a regular sewing machine, but I love having access to her stuff! I wish I didn’t live so far away!
Very nice! I would love to know how she turned the corners on the serger.
Thanks! She doesn’t actually turn the corners. Since the serger can run after the fabric has passed through the machine, she runs one side completely through the machine then stops. Then turns the fabric 90 degrees and repeats. The result is that the corners have bits of thread hanging off that she trims at the end.
Does this make sense? If it doesn’t let me know and I’ll take a picture of it!
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I found you on C.R.A.F.T., and I just LOVE what you did. I NEED to make napkins now! Our dining table fits 12, and I usually end up piecing together two sets. Who knew they were so simple!
By the way, I am hosting a giveaway right now & would love to have you check it out!
http://sunla-designs.blogspot.com/search/label/Giveaways
Lisa!
Your newest Facebook fan!
Thanks! I’ll check it out.