Can you see that linen serviette/napkin underneath the flowers? I get so many questions about them.

Unfortunately I haven’t made or embroidered any of them but they do have so many handy uses in our home as well as being used for a napkin or serviette.

I first started buying linen or cotton serviettes from thrift shops when I saw the price of new ones at a homewares shop, as lovely as those new linen ones were they were close to eighty dollars for four. With family visiting from interstate for afternoon tea I really didn’t want  ‘one use’ disposable paper napkins as part of the afternoon tea table setting, Lil and I did lots of baking, set out pretty plates, a table cloth, put flowers on the table, paper napkins just didn’t suit!

One off disposable items is something our family is really trying to stay away from, so off I went to the op shop/thrift shop. It surprises me that good quality napkins aren’t that sort after given the anti disposable movement or maybe they are just considered too old fashioned?!

Beautiful quality cotton and linen napkins can still be picked up for a song and they are often washed, starched and bleached before going on the shelf in the op shop. If I was planning a wedding or party depending on the theme I would be looking for plain white ones or sweet embroidered linen or cotton ones. Washing, drying and ironing them isn’t a big task and cost saving. Plus they can be re sold, donated back to charity or given to someone else who is planning a wedding or party.

I also use the pretty napkins to cover bread dough when it is proofing.

To cover dishes on the dish rack when they are drying.

Place them over food when it is cooling.

And I fold them in half and put them in the bottom of a trug or basket, they are a bit nicer for the flowers to rest on, stopping the petals from damaging.

All part of our handmade home making use of beautiful things that are also so practical.

 

Jude x