daily use cloth napkins?

[illinoismommy]

We use paper napkins and I don't know why :scratch which is a good reason to change. :) But all the cloth napkins I've used have no absorpancy... its like using a newspaper for a napkin, not real helpful. I want to avoid terry cloth because it would be tacky.... so what other sorts of fabrics could I use? Is there a certain type that is good for this?

[klpmommy]

unless we have company we use small kitchen towels :shrug

[Marzipan]

All of mine are cotton. Medium weight or so.

[Mamaka]

I use a cotton, knitted washcloth thing for youngest ds and then the rest of us use cloth of which we have a variety (cotton, woven, blends - whatever I could get on sale cheap ;) )

[illinoismommy]

unless we have company we use small kitchen towels :shrug


DH would make fun of me :giggle He already makes fun of how many hand towels and washcloths I go through ;) ... I'd like something kinda pretty anyway.

I guess I need to go to the fabric store and wipe my face on things :shifty surely there is some actually absorbant cotton out there. Somehow none of the ones my parents have absorb anything. There must be something between terry cloth and thin cotton.

[mommylove]

Yeah, what's up with polyester cloth napkins? I hate those!!

I give DS a damp baby washcloth (I have to color coordinate between the ones that wipe hands & faces & the ones that wipe poop :shifty) What do you mean by 'tacky' when referring to terry cloth? What about a cotton similar to a tea towel? The downside to that, though, is the wrinkle-factor.

[Kazimiera]

I have a bunch of cotton ones. I guess they are not as absorbent as paper napkins. We use tea(kitchen) towels for wiping up messes and napkins for hands and faces (sometimes you have to wet them). When they are dirty I just trow them on top of the washer they get done about as often as diapers.

[SamsMama]

We have a ton of different ones. I don't really know what fabric they are (I'll look) but we love them. So much more absorbant than paper napkins, and softer too.

[WanderingJuniper]

We have vintage cotton ones along with terry one's which are available quickly for spills but not on display on the table.

Those polysester ones are horrible. They don't absorb and they wash really gross.

[Dana Joy]

I just bought the cloth that is supposed to be for baby wipes- nice and soft.

[crunchymum]

mine are just a medium weight cotton... i find that if it's not 100% cotten, it repels rather than absorbs. i just tossed some i found at a resale shop because i figured out they were not cotton.

old tableclothes or certain kinds of sheets can be good. i :heart using cloth napkins, we used to go through so many paper ones. i keep them in a little bin in a cupboard.

[Punkie]

I bought some really cute Amy Butler decorator fabric (http://www.fabric.com/CategoryDetail.aspx?CategoryID=01e19991-da27-40f2-b0be-00789f209fea) and made these - http://angharadhandmade.blogspot.com/2008/04/napkin-set-tutorial_06.html

[Mamaka]

I bought some really cute Amy Butler decorator fabric (http://www.fabric.com/CategoryDetail.aspx?CategoryID=01e19991-da27-40f2-b0be-00789f209fea) and made these - http://angharadhandmade.blogspot.com/2008/04/napkin-set-tutorial_06.html



Ooooo, super cute! My non-sewing, sewing-phobic self might even be able to handle making something like that. :think

[illinoismommy]

I bought some really cute Amy Butler decorator fabric (http://www.fabric.com/CategoryDetail.aspx?CategoryID=01e19991-da27-40f2-b0be-00789f209fea) and made these - http://angharadhandmade.blogspot.com/2008/04/napkin-set-tutorial_06.html



So does a basic thin cotton have much absorbancy? :think I am thinking mini-dribble spill of chocolate milk and the like, stuff that happens around here a lot but doesn't call for me to go get a towel.

[AmyDoll]

Mine are mostly from Target I think. Just cotton. They work fine for little messes. Like using a T-shirt.

[illinoismommy]

Mine are mostly from Target I think. Just cotton. They work fine for little messes. Like using a T-shirt.


I wasn't thinking of that kind, but that would be a good kind to look for. I was thinking of the type of stuff that my stepmom always sews with, its on almost every roll in the fabric store seems like.

[Punkie]

I used decorator-weight fabric, and it is nice and thick. I haven't had any problems with it.

[FaithfilledGranolaChick]

I got some big packs of baby wash cloths and they work great!!

[newday]

I always purchase linen and cotton ones from the antique stores and second hand stores. At my table they never match, but I don't mind. They are mostly white and I dry them on the drying rack. After shaking them out and stretching them a bit (while they are still damp) they don't really need to be ironed, they are somewhat wrinkly but lay flat... I do iron them when we have company, and I actually enjoy ironing them, I just don't normally have time. We start with clean napkins at breakfast and if there is nothing offensive on them the girls shake them out and set them back at their place at the next meal. The only stains I have trouble getting out are tomato type grease stains. I don't really try to get the stains out though.

Instead of paper towels we use thin dish cloths. I have about 35 or so and I wash the dirties every day with the diapers and napkins. We also use them instead of napkins if we run out... We could use anywhere from three to twelve in one day.

I'll let you know when we become a toilet paper free home!! I am collecting a stash and hope to start with toilet "cloth" soon!

[mwwr]

My mom makes hers from 100% cotton quilting fabric.

[MarynMunchkins]

I use washcloths. :shrug None of my company is fancy enough to be offended. ;)

[HuggaBuggaMommy]

I love my flannel napkins for every day use. Soft and absorbent, especially if they are two-ply.

[Marielle]

two ply - one side flannel the other side quilting cotton.

[Amber]

We use washcloths a lot. Although after seeing that tutorial Punkie posted I may be making some cool ones out of my fabric stash.

Mine are mostly from Target I think. Just cotton. They work fine for little messes. Like using a T-shirt.

My boys like using their T-shirts too :giggle :shifty

[jewelmcjem]

I think flannel would work really well, although it does wear some with repeated washings. They have lots of cute flannel prints out there, too.