Fringed Edge Napkins

Fringed Edge Napkins Tutorial

A finished linen napkin with a decorative, machine-embroidered fringed edge.

This design creates a napkin with a lovely fringed edge, perfect for decorating your home or for gift giving. The design comes in many sizes, from 4 inches up to 9 inches, and can be used to make napkins, coasters, placemats, doilies, and more.

Materials Needed

For this project, as shown in the photos, you will need your main fabric (I used linen) and a water-soluble stabilizer. I recommend using a fabric-style wash-away stabilizer, like Vilene, rather than a film type.

Stitch Sequence

Color chart for the fringed napkin embroidery design.

Napkin outline
Fringe large stitches
Fringe tack-down stitch
Decorative stitch

The complete embroidery design file for the fringed napkin.

Embroidering Instructions

Hoop a water-soluble stabilizer and lay a piece of your main fabric flat on top.

A piece of linen fabric placed over water-soluble stabilizer in an embroidery hoop.

Stitch Color 1, which is the napkin outline, then stop the machine. (Note: I have a large hoop, so I am stitching three napkins at once in this photo).

The napkin outlines stitched onto the linen fabric.

Do not unhoop your project yet. Carefully trim the excess fabric from around the outside of the napkin shape.

Trimming the excess linen fabric from around the stitched outlines.

Place the hoop back into the machine and continue stitching the remaining Colors 2, 3, and 4.

The completed fringe and decorative stitching on the napkins.

When finished, unhoop your project and trim the excess stabilizer. Gently wash the napkin in lukewarm water to dissolve the remaining stabilizer. (Sorry, I forgot to take a photo of the trimming; here you can see the washing process).

Rinsing the finished napkins in water to remove the stabilizer.