Dare to Make It: Holiday

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How to Edge a Napkin (or Anything Else) with Crochet

Linda Permann, contributor

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Make a whole set to use year after year, or just scatter a few around your table to add a colorful burst of design.

Linda Permann

Hand- or machine-sew a blanket stitch around the edge of your napkin.

Linda Permann

Insert your hook under any stitch and chain 1.

Linda Permann

Make a whole set to use year after year, or just scatter a few around your table to add a colorful burst of design.

Photo: Linda Permann

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Add a dainty touch to your holiday table (be it Thanksgiving or any other occasion) with delicately edged napkins. You can edge most anything that you can sew or embroider on—from cocktail napkins to table runners—so if you're short on time, try whipping up just one or two to decorate your table. If you'd like to make your own napkins for this project, check out Kayte Terry's tutorial near the end of her Leaf-Printed Napkins post.

The first step to edging your napkin is to make a blanket stitch all around the outer edge of the piece. You can check out Erika Kern's great tutorial right here if you want to do this by hand—truthfully, doing this by hand works out easier since you can leave the stitches slightly looser than the sewing machine will allow. To stitch by machine, select the blanket stitch, install your edgestitch foot (if you have one), and stitch all around the napkin, as close as possible to the edge of the fabric.

Hand- or machine-sew a blanket stitch around the edge of your napkin.

You will work the edging into the sewn stitches you just made. Warning: this can be a tedious process, but once you get past the first round, the work will become much easier. Use the smallest steel crochet hook you have (I used a size 12, 1-mm hook) to make it easy to get under each stitch. I worked this border with size 10 crochet thread—mine has a sliver of gold spun in for extra fun.

Insert your hook under any stitch and chain 1.

Make 1 single crochet (sc) in each sewn or embroidered stitch. Keep the tension pretty loose since you are using a tiny hook. Be very gentle with the sewn thread so that it doesn't break.

Make 1 single crochet in each stitch all the way around the napkin. Add 1 chain stitch to the last sc before turning each corner.

When you get to the end of the first round, slip stitch in the first single crochet to join the round. At this point, you can switch to a slightly larger hook to make things easier. I continued using a size 4 (2.0-mm) hook for round 2.

For the second round, chain 1, *single crochet, ch 4 in the first stitch, skip 1 stitch; repeat from * around.

Slip stitch in the first single crochet to join the round, and you're finished!

Make a whole set to use year after year, or just scatter a few around your table to add a colorful burst of design.

It's a bit last minute to finish these in time for Thanksgiving, but they'd also look great on a holiday table. Plus, you can apply this design to everyday cloth napkins, which will make great gifts for your eco-conscious friends, or you can make delicate hankies or dish towels in the same manner. Have fun with it, and be sure to log in and share your results if you make something from this pattern.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Comments (11)

Shushonet writes: Thank you! You've inspired me so much I've started looking for old napkins in my house that need reconstruction. Haven't found yet.
Still I've posted your tutorial :)
http://dreaming-of-craft.blogspot.com/2009/04/fresh-week-fresh-craft-and-links.html
Posted: 5:16 pm on April 12th

Love_it writes: It is great what triggers a persons experience when they see a new or old technique. Good for Foundling for sharing her experiences. And thank you Permann for sharing.
Posted: 2:58 pm on December 17th

LindaPermann writes: I think it's perfectly fine- and probably a good idea- to use heavier thread while making the item. I wanted to go fast and do it on the machine for the tutorial, but anything you can work with a blanket stitch and and embroidery needle would be fine- I think that's the traditional way to do it.
Posted: 4:07 pm on December 2nd

3Xsurvivor writes: P.S. She used her smallest crochet hook to make the holes in the hankie and sort of did the blanket stitch with her hook, if that makes sense...
Posted: 11:48 am on November 29th

3Xsurvivor writes: My mother used to do this to hankies that my great aunt hand embroidered. When Mom did it, she did the blanket stitch by hand and used the same thread that she was going to use for the crochet. It held up pretty well and I don't think any of it ripped out.
Posted: 11:46 am on November 29th

Secretsugar writes: I always wondered how to do this. Thanks so much for a very clear tutorial! I'm looking forward to giving this a go soon--maybe today!
Posted: 9:27 am on November 29th

alanapr1 writes: Finally I know how to do this. But, I'm wondering - would it be possible to do the blanket stitch with a stronger thread (such as a buttonhole twist), or with something like dental floss, so that you wouldn't have to worry about breaking your thread in the first round? Would it be too heavy looking on the finished item?
Posted: 9:14 am on November 29th

amnadeau writes: that is so cool! i can't wait to try this! what a neat gift!
Posted: 8:49 am on November 29th

Angie805 writes: Love this! I can't wait to try it!
Posted: 3:24 am on November 28th

Sofia_crochetgourmet writes: Great tutorial! And what a wonderful idea to be used in anything! In sweaters and tshirts must look great too! You should try it! Love, Sofia!
Posted: 4:08 pm on November 26th

kaytet writes: thanks for the shout-out! this is so so cute!
Posted: 12:24 pm on November 26th

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