(Cloth Napkins) Uncovered

Justin told me to quit stealing images, so for now you're stuck with my photos. Yes, we eat with these every night.*

Dear Alisha,
I want some fabric dinner napkins. You'd think after being married for 10+ years that I would have outgrown the paper ones. Alas, every dinner function - ach - even formal-ish ones...I pull out our trusty stack of paper napkins - making everyone feel as if we're at picnic. Where can I buy some? What do I look for? Polyester that won't stain? Plain cotton? Linen hem-stitch? (I don't mind ironing). Then we're on to WHAT color? Oh the possibilities. I'm so confused.

Sincerely,
Uncovered

Dear (Cloth Napkins) Uncovered, (I have to watch what I call you, we don't want to attract an unsavory crowd.)
I do not know whether to praise you or scold you. Let's start with a little of each. I'm so glad you have decided to join the civilized world and use real napkins. I don't want to over sell their elegance, but your whole life is about to change. As you dot the corners of your mouth with a soft, absorbent, lovely piece of fabric; you will wonder how you ever survived the past with crumpled, withered paper napkins.
Now comes the scolding: they are just napkins! You are not investing in a sofa or a college education. There is not even a lot of research to be done: anything you buy will be better than paper. I like both cheap and expensive as both have their charms. But since you seem the type of person who likes details and research, I will elaborate.

I generally prefer 100% cotton or linen napkins 20" by 20"or larger. Most polyester napkins are horrible, their only selling point is that you usually don't have to iron them. Their draw backs are that they are so unabsorbent that their users hands feel dirtier after having wiped them on the napkin, they show oil stains, and they look cheap. Some restaurant supply stores sell polyester napkins that are more absorbent and mimic the look of linen, but since you have already established yourself to be a person of character-one who doesn't mind ironing**-then just buy cotton or linen. That's what most stores sell anyways.

I would start with white. They look elegant and can be combined with anything. I like a nice hemstitch but really, any decent white napkin will do. I own the hotel white napkins from Pottery Barn with a white monogrammed 'G' on them. I like them well enough, they are thick, but like other napkins that I have purchased at stores like Macy's or Marshalls just as well. A word of advise: buy napkins you like but remember that your guests will be wiping their dirty mouths and hands on them. Do not make them irreplaceable or of such value that you will not want to actually use them. Have a few extra of a set so that if a couple are stained or torn you still have enough. I never buy less than 8 of anything for the table but of course 12+ is better.

Once you have established yourself as a respectable person who owns white napkins, feel free to move on to color. Burnt orange in the fall, pink at Valentines, sky blue in the summer, any or all would jazz up your table of previously discussed white dinner plates.
Hurry! You don't have time to waste!

A selection of my white napkins, at the ready.

To prove I'm not making this crap up, my colored napkin drawer. (The red and creams are in my ironing basket. I pack my Christmas linens with my Christmas decor, like any of you care.) I missed out on a set of violet napkins this fall at Target. They sold so fast that there was only one four pack left for me to drool over. Other napkins were purchased at Pier One, more from Target, Marshalls, I made the pink, the green were given to me.

Hemstitched linens available at Pottery Barn, set of 6 for $54. A little pricey, but hey, if you have money to throw away, they are a great basic.

Also pricey and available from PB. My birthday is in April... (I don't really need them)

The photo is lousy, but this set of 12 from Target is only $15. I don't mind light weight napkins, which I assume these are.

These break my "irreplaceable" rule but keep my "if you have it, use it" rule. Given to me by my Grandma, they are hand embroidered, light as air, delicate as a baby, linen that I use for Easter Dinner only. Love them!

* I am lying. We use them when company comes over and occasionally on our own. I am trying to teach our 3 boys to be civilized.
**More on the subject of Ironing later. Surprisingly, I have an opinion.

Now it's your turn to brag: Raise your hand if you use cloth napkins.