DIY Designer Napkin Rings

by Sew Bright Creations | Jackie

6 Materials

2 Hours

Easy

I used materials I had at home (which cost $0) to make these napkin rings and they turned out so adorable! We have been using cloth napkins (also ones I made) for years! Sharing a few words about that below.

Click HERE for a quick video overview of this super easy DIY project!

I started with a scrap board that was ripped on the table saw to 2" in width. My goal was to create squares so I measured 2" length.

NOTE: I did not allow room for the blade thickness when cutting and had to adjust as I went. Next time I would measure and cut one napkin ring at a time.

Drill a hole in the centre of your 2" square with a 1 1/4" hole saw drill bit. Again, my "squares" were more like 2" width by 2 to 2 1/2" length.

TIP: It helps to drill through into another piece of wood underneath for a clean finish.

Trim the length (approximately 2 - 2 1/2").

Repeat until you have the desired amount of napkin rings. I made 8.

Sand the rougher parts using 120 grit sandpaper, I even used a wood rasp on some edges first. Sand again using 220 grit sandpaper for a nice smooth finish.

I sanded using my orbital sander upside down. Not sure if this is recommended, but it worked great and was easier to handle the smaller pieces.

Sand all flat surfaces and lightly sand the edges on your final sand.

Use sand paper to hand sand in the centre.

Wipe napkin rings clean with a tack cloth to prepare for staining. Stir stain well, do not shake as this produces a lot of bubbles with stain.

Dip clean rag into stain and apply to napkin rings. Rub in and remove excess.

Let dry.

Now you've got designer napkin rings for a fraction of the cost!

A word about cloth napkins... They can be spendy to buy good quality ones upfront, but if you can sew your own, you can save a lot! Grab your favourite linen or cotton fabric from a fabric store or check thrift stores for fabric or soft linen table cloths that you could cut into napkins. My favourite way to finish the edges is using a rolled hem.

You can also check thrift stores for napkins, I just bought a quality napkin set of 8 for $2.50 and they are in excellent condition!

Nice things don't have to cost a lot, just get creative with it!