Cloth Napkins??

**mommy4ever** · 04-23-2008, 11:28 AM

ok, I've been debating thsi for a long time. Today I've had enough. I have an obsessive 4 yo. If she has a drip of ANYTHING, she's freaking out. I have paper towel, but if we go through 8 rolls in a year, then I'm surprised. I *think* I want to go with cloth. I'm tired of her using up all my dish towels!(much better than paper, but a pain when you need one and there's something gummy dried onto it).

I don't care for the smooth ones, liek the restaurants, there's no absorbancy, just smears everything. What is family friendly? I don't care what the Joneses think, I don't have them over that often..lol. I get tired of hearing about all the money they make, yet they have to remortgage yet again.

What are your suggestions??

I'm debating what to use. I have a variety of fabrics I could possibly make some... but unsure of the fabric to choose.

**StaceyS** · 04-23-2008, 11:32 AM

I use those small white terry cloth towels that I got from Costco in a 12 pack. They clean and absorbe better than the smooth ones.

**Jskell911** · 04-23-2008, 11:45 AM

Or flannel would be a good option if you already have that on hand.

**C@rol** · 04-23-2008, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by StaceyS

I use those small white terry cloth towels that I got from Costco in a 12 pack. They clean and absorbe better than the smooth ones.

We use these too! So easy to wash also.

**peanut** · 04-23-2008, 11:52 AM

I just cut up an old towel and serged the edges and used that.

Jean

**shortstack** · 04-23-2008, 11:59 AM

Don't use linen! I made 16 chocolate brown linen napkins about 2 months ago and thats what we use. They do not absorb water at all!

I will also be interested in what material everyone else says as well. I do like all mine to match but thats only because I want to be able to pick them out right away out of the clean laundry. My husband has a tendency to throw every towel looking object into our towel closet and I don't want our napkins to end up there.

Andrea

**FrugalWitch** · 04-23-2008, 12:02 PM

I buy dinner napkins at yardsales for 5-10 cents each. I guess they are cotton, not really sure.

**Ali Lee** · 04-23-2008, 01:23 PM

I went to cloth napkins, a few months ago. I took dish towels, halved them, zig zag the end and Voila! napkins. I've also buy them @ the Goodwill or garage sales. We use them for a couple of days before washing. I use napkins rings from the $Store. Save the environment-use cloth.

**WV_mom_of2** · 04-23-2008, 01:55 PM

When I started doing in home daycare last year I had a 3 year old who was very messy. She would go through 4 or 5 napkins each meal. I went to Kmart and bought a pack of 24 thin washcloths for 3.99. I don't have those kids anymore but I do have a 2 yr. old and then my own family. The washcloths work great. I put an x on the tag of each one so that whoever folds the towels knows that those go in the kitchen. We all use them and I throw them in with the towels and wash them!

**nuisance26** · 04-23-2008, 02:49 PM

~I bought packs of woven cotton dishcloths from the dollar store years ago to use as napkins. My ds is insanely picky about drips and spots too. We go through 5 or 6 a day.~

**Its_Donna** · 04-23-2008, 03:02 PM

I knitted and crocheted a bunch up and used cotton so I think anything cottony and absorbent would be great.

**santoria** · 04-23-2008, 04:26 PM

I've honestly never bought paper napkins...

but when my gramma died I got all her linens and stuff...so I have a ton of old cotton napkins.

also took old cotton sheets and stitched two layers together. work well.

I recommend cotton, its nice looking and soaks up really well.

DON'T use fabric softener! its a repellant

**foxxyroxie** · 04-23-2008, 04:30 PM

Check out marthastewart.com. Last week she had a 'craft' segment about making cloth napkins out of men's oxford shirts. They looked really cool and will be looking at sales/thrift shops for neat colors and patterns.

**mommy4ever** · 04-23-2008, 04:48 PM

OH, they had a video clip on those!! I think I even have some scraps. Those looook SOOOOOOOO nice! Cheap to make too..lol. Thanks for the ideas ladies!!

After thinking and humming and hawing, I decided that I'm going to use the Martha Idea with a twist. I'm going to put them in a napkin holder on the table. Only take one if you need it. Less laundry. But these will be so cheap to make, having a couple dozen will be easy even when there's guests.

**redandlukesmom** · 04-23-2008, 05:48 PM

I'm guessing switching to cloth napkins wouldn't really increase the laundry all that much since they're small, right? At what point does switching to something like that become less frugal because you're using more water to clean them - KWIM? I'm not trying to cause controversy, but that was something that was brought up to me about cloth diapers - you end up doing a LOT more laundry (using more water, more soap, more electricity if you use a dryer, etc).

but i will have to check out that martha stewart clip - sounds like a cool idea.