Since we're moving in the spring, one of my goals has been to cut down my sizable fabric stash. (Another goal this year is to make everything I can without spending any more money.) When you've sewn for over 50 years, it sort of grows, and while an analogy comes to mind I'm not putting it in writing! I not only have to move my stash, but move it to my new sewing room upstairs. I'm trying to save the movers' backs (and our pocketbook) a bit of wear and tear. That said, I realized this would be the last time I'd be making holiday gifts for coworkers, so wanted it to be something they'd use and perhaps think about me when doing so. It also needed to be something that was fairly quick.
After a little thinking, I came up with sets of napkins with a Christmas or winter theme. As most of you know, quilting fabric comes in 44"-45" widths. Since I was stash busting I was limited to the amount of fabric actually on hand. That means out of a yard or a little more I couldn't do the big (18"-20") napkins and get more than four, so I decided for most people I'd make six luncheon sized napkins.
Here's the process when you're using quilter's cotton:
1. Tear, and I do mean tear, all four edges of the fabric as close as you can top/bottom and so you get the complete selvage edges off the sides.
2. Measure your fabric piece and determine if you can get three 13" to 14" napkins from across the width. Figure out what it is, and most of the time I went with 13.5" squares. Tear the fabric into these squares.
3. Iron the fabric flat--I use a little spray sizing to give the napkins some body.
5. I have my serger set up for the rolled hem stitch. For mine, I actually use a little smaller stitch length than the manual suggests as I like tight rolled hem. I put Polyarn or Wooly Nylon in BOTH upper and lower loopers, then a thread that matches the background of the napkin in the right needle. Make sure you set your serger up and test for a rolled hem before starting on a napkin. [Note: I really like Superior's Polyarn better as it takes the heat of an iron better than the Wooly Nylon, which melts. I still don't advise ironing the rolled edges, though.]
6. I usually begin my serging on a straight side just after the curve. Hold the tail of the rolled hem you've previously done while you begin and rolled hems tend to curl and can end up in your new stitching. (Ask me how I know from multiple experiences!) Make sure you are cutting off at least 1/8" or so as you serge so the rolled hem has a nice, crisp edge to roll. [Note: If your fabric has from fray whiskers where you've torn it, make sure that the cut is at least 1/8" inside where the frayed part ends.]
7. As you begin to approach the corner, you need to start to gently curve the fabric so the you're consistently cutting off at least 1/8" of an inch, and sometimes you'll have to get more. I use the fingers on my left hand to do the gentle twisting to get around the corner. Remember, it's better to cut off a little too much than not enough, because you'll have rolled hem hanging on to thin air if you end up cutting nothing.
8. Continue around the four straight sides and three corners, and when you get to the last corner remember that you are going to not only have to turn, but cut off the beginning tail and overlap a bit of the already sewn rolled hem.
9. Leave the tail attached and use Fray Block to seal the hem. I like it better than the other popular Fray product as it doesn't discolor over time and becomes fairly soft after washing several times. I have napkins I've used for decades that I've used this on, and I've never had one fray apart. Let it dry.
10. Once the Fray Block is dry, hold the ending tail out and cut close to the overlap.
