Personalized Napkins

My dear sister, known to the Raptor as Crazy Aunt Kaci, recently moved to a new home. I wanted to make her a housewarming gift, and I was inspired once again by Martha Stewart. I decided to make Kaci a set of cloth napkins (she is a strong advocate of sustainability) with small embroidered touches.

I found a pair of unusually large linen place-mats at a local thrift shop, and I determined that if I cut off the bizarre decorative ends, I could turn them into something wonderful. First I washed them thoroughly, then I cut them into four equal pieces. I hemmed around the edges to prevent fraying, then planned out the decorations.

I ended up making four little fruit images using buttons and embroidery floss. It didn’t take terribly long, but I think they are fairly convincing. With practice, my embroidery skills will improve at some point, but until then I hope my sister will forgive my fledgling attempts.