Setting Your Table with Cloth Napkins

Sometimes you may discover you have a relative you never knew you had. With the holidays fast approaching, the Fall City library staff decided to have a breakfast potluck for our December staff meeting. In addition to yummy food, one of our staff members brought in vintage cotton tablecloths and cotton napkins to set the table before the library opened.

Cloth table linens at a staff meeting? Really?!! Wow, you mean I'm not the only person who loves and uses cloth napkins every day?  And thus I discovered a kindred spirit!

In honor of my newly found sister-in-cloth I'm devoting today's blog on the use of cloth table linens.

First of all there is no right or wrong on this...socially or environmentally. I'm not going to get on my pedestal and chastise those who choose to use paper. I started using cloth napkins when my kids were toddlers. I found that cloth was easier to clean up their very messy faces and hands and wouldn't shred like paper. Since I was doing laundry almost everyday anyway, why not add a few napkins to the wash. And sturdy cotton napkins last for years...I've used some for 20 years.

Here are a few of my suggestions -

1. Buy sturdy cotton napkins not polyester ones. They last longer, wash easier and are more absorbent. (Isn't that why we use napkins?!)
2. Buy enough napkins in a neutral color to match your everyday plates. Add patterned and colored napkins as you find them on sale. You can often find good prices after each holiday.
3. Mix and match your napkins freely, that way you don't need to buy a full set of one color to set your table. Coordinating colors and patterns look smart and trendy on the table.
4. Use a basket, bowl or other container to corral your napkins in your kitchen. I use a cutlery basket that my son, Dan, made me when he was a Cub Scout. (Yep, the crafty apple doesn't fall far from the tree.)

Coordinate other table linens -tablecloth, runner, place mats - with your napkins. Here I've used a tea towel as a little table cloth on my kitchen table and I'm using white, tan, and tan plaid napkins with a tan check tea towel.

I change out my colors seasonally. Tan is my neutral default color, but this week I've changed to red and white for Christmas.

 I think the napkins look even nicer in a pretty, festive bowl for the holidays.

How to use napkins?  I get asked this all the time!

In my family we set the table with napkins taken from the basket or bowl. After the meal the napkin is folded and put on your chair - if it is still clean enough to use again. After a breakfast of cereal, the napkins are used again; after pizza for dinner, probably not. The dirty napkins are thrown in the wash, and a new napkin is set out for the next time. Easy. Kids get used to using cloth napkins - on their laps - at each meal, and grabbing a fresh one if their's is dirty.

By the way, I don't iron my napkins as a rule. They smooth out reasonably well straight from the dryer.

Just a few of my collection of cotton napkins!

One last thought -  you don't need to spend a fortune on napkins. Those from Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma and Crate and Barrel are no better on average than those from Cost Plus World Market. I've bought from all of these stores. Most of my generic napkins are from Dunroven House (dunrovenhouse.com). They have napkins, place mats and tea towels at very reasonable prices.

Happy Holidays!