Cloth napkins are great. They add a level of elegance and also are less wasteful to the environment. Last year I made extremely affordable napkins for the holiday season. Ever since then, I’ve been looking for the perfect napkin rings to go with them. I’ve searched high, I’ve searched low. But I didn’t expect to find them in the trim section at the fabric store! These super simple napkin rings might be one of my favorite DIYs yet.
How on earth does fabric trim equal napkin rings? Gad you asked! See, most people think you have to pay a pretty penny for wood rings from Pottery Barn or wire beaded ones from Pier1. But you can easily make your own too. I’ve seen tutorials using shower curtain rings and even paper towel rods. But after wandering Joann’s a few months ago, I found the trim. More specifically, all the silver trim (to match my napkin stitches) popped out at me and I instantly knew I hit the jackpot.
The decorative trim I used is stiff. It has a decorative pattern that repeats about every three inches. Taking two sections of the pattern and sewing the ends together to form a ring made the perfect sized napkin ring. My trim was a bit more open than others. I found it best to sew the sections together at two points. A lot of trims could easily be sewn together on a machine or even using a hot glue gun to connect them!
Quick Math Calculations:
Most napkin rings have a diameter of about 1.75 inches. A circumference of 6 inches (my 3 inch pattern repeated twice), makes my napkin rings a little larger with a diameter of about 1.9 inches. To make a set of 4, I recommend purchasing 2/3 yd (or 24 inches) of trim.
Now, I would argue that if you find a trim you love that isn’t so stiff, it’s still useable. Does it matter what if it lays flat when the napkin is removed? I don’t believe so! The napkin itself will give the ring shape. So don’t shy away from the pom-pom trims or the stretchy sequins. It’s all eligible material! Throw in a 40% off coupon and you can make napkin rings for every occasion!
