I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS keep my eye out for things that I can incorporate into my home, especially in unexpected ways. Whenever I am in stores such as Marshalls, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, Michaels, Walmart, Target, etc, I always scour the shelves for bargain items that match my decor scheme. Lately, I’ve been carrying around my fabric swatches and paint chips in my purse for that exact reason!
Case in point: when I was in Target recently, I found this cloth shower curtain. I didn’t even need my fabric swatch to know that it was a PERFECT match to my new dining room walls, window treatments and chairs (although I did whip them out and check before I put it in my cart!). The color was spot on, and I loved the contrast of the white-background floral with my saturated blue geometric. Not exactly sure what I was going to do with it, I bought it anyway…because $20 for a 72″ square cut of fabric is a really great deal, and I could always return it if I didn’t find a use for it (keep your receipts, people!) 
I debated using the shower curtain to make my chair slipcovers, but didn’t think the fabric was quite durable enough. And then once the cornice boxes and chair slipcovers were done in my very bold geometric pattern, I was nervous about adding another pattern. Then, being a cloth napkin household already, it occurred to me that I could make some great cloth napkins for our new dining room. It was a great way to add the pattern without it becoming too much in one space!

Dining Room Projects-013

This project took me less than an hour…let me show you how I did it!
1. Cut 20″ strips from the shower curtain. I wanted my cloth napkins to measure 20″x20″; therefor, I folded up the shower curtain length-wise (just to make it more manageable), and using my rotary cutter, I cut 20″ strips down the length of my curtain. Since the curtain is 72″ long, I was able to get 3 20″ strips out of it.

Dining Room Projects-014
2. Cut 20″ squares from the 20″ strips. Unfold one of the 20″ strips you just cut and place it on your cutting surface. Again, using a ruler and rotary cutter, cut 20″ widths down each 20″ strip, to result in 20″ squares. From each strip measuring 20″x72″, I was able to cut 3 20″ squares.

Dining Room Projects-015
3. Cut remaining strips. Repeat using the other two 20″x72″ strips. You should end up with 9 20″ squares.

Dining Room Projects-016
4. Finish each napkin’s edge with a rolled hem. On your surger, change your settings and adjust the tension for a rolled hem. Then, surge around each of the four edges on every napkin!

Dining Room Projects-017
See…nice, pretty, finished edges!

Dining Room Projects-018
One 72″ square shower curtain produced 9 20″ square napkins; and I have leftover fabric to add the pattern in some other places!

Dining Room Projects-019

I am thrilled with how these turned out. I’ve washed them several times already, and they come out of the dryer perfect! Now I feel like my table has a coordinated sophistication, even on boring weeknights! I really do love the way this pattern fits into my decor scheme, so I am hoping to find some ways to add it in…maybe as trim on throw pillows, perhaps??

Dining Room Projects-020
That’s all I’ve got for this week! Phew…it’s been a good one though! It’s been nice to finally get my posting caught up with my real-time crafting! I’ve been hard at work on a few other things recently, so be sure to check back next week to see what else I’ve been up to! Have a great weekend!!!

I am linking this post to:
The 36th AvenuePositively SplendidLil'Luna

See You Soon!
Megan