The Decorative Stitch Trick That Gives Napkins a Heirloom Look

James Taylor · 2026-09-10

### Why Your Sewing Machine's Hidden Gems Deserve a Second Look Most of us have a sewing machine with dozens of decorative stitches we've never touched. They sit there, neglected, while we stick to our trusty straight and zigzag. But during National Sewing Month, why not give those overlooked stitches a little love? I recently dove into my machine's decorative stitch library and came out with a set of napkins that look like they've been passed down for generations. And the best part? It's easier than you think. ### What You'll Need to Get Started Before you dive in, gather these supplies: - Woven fabric (I used a fat quarter bundle from Moda Fabrics) - Contrasting thread (50wt Aurifil in Yellow and Midnight worked beautifully) - Totally Stable Iron-on Tear-Away Stabilizer by Sulky - A pen or pencil - Sharp fabric scissors (I used Sweet Snips 6-inch) ### Step 1: Prepare Your Fabric First, decide on the finished size of your napkins. I wanted mine to look like little hankies, so I cut my fabric to roughly 12 inches by 12 inches, which gave me a finished size of 11 inches by 11 inches after trimming. You can make yours any size you like—just cut your fabric about 1 inch larger than your desired finished size to allow for trimming. Next, cut four 1.5-inch strips of stabilizer, roughly the same length as your fabric. With the textured side touching the fabric, iron the stabilizer onto the perimeter of your fabric. Then, using a pen or pencil and a ruler, mark the desired finished size of your napkin onto the stabilizer. ### Step 2: Play with Your Decorative Stitches This is where the fun begins. Take one of your prepared fabric pieces and use it as a tester. Every decorative stitch is different, and by adjusting the width and length settings on your machine, you can control the scale and density of each stitch. As you experiment, write the stitch number and settings next to each sample on the stabilizer so you don't forget which ones you love. > "The best way to learn your machine's stitches is to play. There are no mistakes, only discoveries." ### Step 3: Stitch and Cut Your Napkins Now that you've chosen your favorite stitches and settings, it's time to work on the real napkins. Load a bobbin with your colored thread so both sides of the stitch match. I found it easiest to cut away the excess fabric after tearing away the outer stabilizer but leaving the inner stabilizer intact. Put on a good podcast or a movie, grab your sharp fabric scissors, and trim away. It's oddly satisfying. ### Share Your Creations I'd love to see what you make! If you create your own decorative stitch napkins, share them on Facebook or Instagram and tag @fatquartershop so we can admire your work. Happy sewing!