Reusable Valentine Napkins

Have you ever considered using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins? Cloth napkins are a fantastic way to reduce the amount of disposable waste a family creates.They can be inexpensive and the beautiful colors and prints brighten up mealtimes.

I grew up using cloth napkins on many occasions so it was only natural for me to use cloth napkins when I started my own housekeeping. (When I founded my kids' charter school, I even insisted that the lunchroom use cloth napkins for meals instead of paper napkins!)

My kitchen table has side drawers that are the perfect spot to store our everyday napkins. Special napkins and holiday prints are kept in the linen closet at the end of the hall.

We wash our napkins after every use (my four children are very messy when they eat) so I keep a laundry basket near the washer where the youngest child drops off the napkins after each meal. I throw the napkins in with a regular load of wash. No extra fuss and no extra soap or water to wash them.

I make my own napkins out of cotton fabric that I buy either at the local fabric store or repurpose from second-hand sheets and tablecloths. There are many reasons that environmentally conscious families avoid cotton and some people prefer linen napkins but I have found cotton fabric to be inexpensive, readily available in many prints and colors, easily obtainable. (I don't like the commercially available polyester napkins. They aren't particularly absorbent and just smear the food around.)

I made new cloth napkins for Valentine's Day this year. I selected a red print that I fell in love with and cut 15 inch squares.

I serged the edges and then hemmed them. (Sometimes I just serge the edges of my napkins and occassionally, I even let the edges fray in the wash.)

Using cloth napkins isn't a new idea but many families still think that paper disposables are more sanitary and convenient. A few people even claim that paper napkins are more environmentally conscious. (I disagree with their logic.)

Are you ready to switch to cloth napkins?