DIY Frayed Linen NapkinsAbove the Fray

Pantone’s Color of the Year is Greenery and we are fully embracing this color palette for the spring season. Here is a super simple tutorial to make frayed linen napkins, which we are using in our botanical Easter brunch table setting. Fringed napkins are the perfect thing to DIY because the project is really easy and it can save you some money. I was in Sur La Table the other day and I saw napkins for $6 or $7 each. By buying our own fabric we were able to make these for less than $2 per napkin! Yes please!

Tools & Materials

  • Scissors
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Serger (optional, to close raw ends before washing, not for finished napkins)
  • 1 1/3 yards Linen Fabric (56″ wide)
  • Matching Thread (if serging before washing)

Steps

  1. Gather the tools and materials listed above.
  2. Prewash your fabric. You may want to serge the edge of the whole piece of linen before washing so that the edges don’t unravel and become tangled, but this step is optional.
  3. Each napking will be an 18 x 18″ square, including the fringe. To begin the napkin, you will need to create a straight edge by cutting along the weave of the linen. To do this, pull a thread on one edge through the fabric as far as you can. The thread (or two) that you pull out will create a straight line across the fabric. 
  4. Cut along the line, all the way across the piece of fabric.
  5. Measure 18″ along this edge, create a cut and tear another thread running perpendicular to the edge. 
  6. Cut along this line to create the second side of the napkin.
  7. Repeat this process to create the four sides of the napkin.
  8. Pull threads off along each side to create the fringed edge. 
  9. Create a fringe that is about 1/2″ long on each side.
  10. Continue cutting and fraying to create 6 napkins. 

This project is a bit more visual, so find our photo tutorial below for crafting these frayed linen napkins!

Tips

Our frayed edge napkin tutorial shows you how to make six 18 x 18″ napkins. You also have the option to make four larger napkins if you prefer. We found our European linens from Fabric.com, and you can find the specific links to our color palette in Shop this Project below. You have a lot of freedom with this project, so personalize it in a way that will reflect your individual style or home decor. We kept our fringed edge to about a 1/2-inch, but you can easily continue fraying for a full inch on your DIY linen napkins. 

Get Inspired

If you like those brush painted leaves in our photo, you can find the project instructions here. For another easy home project similar to this, be sure to check out our tutorial for making your own linen tea towels, which includes an adorable embroidery pattern. We always like getting you in on the creative process, so leave a comment below if you have project requests and suggestions for us! Always feel free to share your project photos with us using #DIYDreamingWithLia, and head over to our membership page to join our crafting community. See you soon! ~ Lia & Team 

Fringed Napkin Tutorial Homemade Frayed Cloth Napkins Fringed Edge NapkinsHow to Make Frayed Linen Napkins

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