Years and years ago in a act typical of a self-sacrificing mom; my mother gave me her sewing machine. Her brand new machine. She it earned from an incentive program at work and I somehow convinced her to let me have it. Now before you think I'm a terrible daughter, let me clarify that this was her second machine, the first still sits in the guest room in fine working order having clocked-in endless hours on Halloween costumes and 'sock pants.' Sock pants?
Are what Mom called her invention of sewing crew socks to the ankles of pants. It gets cold in Northern California, and in an effort to keep her toddler son warm, Mom would layer up sock pants beneath a another pair of pants. Imagine this poor sprout in preschool around nap time when the teacher asked everyone to "Please take off their shoes and socks."
I've yet to make a pair of sock pants but I have made many of my own projects and inventions. Recently, I revisited my very first project: cloth napkins. It makes my heart sings to see that I have learned. Learned that ironing actually does save time, that corner can be tidy, and that moms really are the best.
How-to Sew Cloth Napkins
Cut some cotton fabric into squares (remember to take in account for the hem.) Mine were on the small size and measured 15" x 15" before sewing, the finished napkin was just shy of 14" but feel free to make them any size you like.
With the wrong side of the fabric up, eyeball a 3/8" hem folding and pressing all around the perimeter.
Next fold the hem over one more time pressing the corners well.
Next trim the corners to remove some of the bulk material do this by unfolding the pressed corners and drawing a line through the intersection of the second hem line.
Cut on the line
Fold and press the cut end.
Refold the hemsforming a neat corner. Here's the first fold
and the second
Ta-da!
Ok, so repeat for all the other corners. And press , press, press, this will make sewing a breeze. Then run a straight stitch along the hem and you're done.
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