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I like using cross stitch in unusual ways, and I decided a perfect little cross stitch project for spring (or any other time) would be some cross stitch napkin rings.
The finishing is a little time consuming, but the cross stitch itself doesn’t take that long, and it’s a fun way to use different colors of embroidery floss that you might not normally put together.
These would be lots of fun for the Easter table, a summer cookout or, with different designs, Christmas (maybe that’s a project to come!).
Supplies
You don’t need a lot of stuff to make these cross stitch napkin rings; in fact, this is a great scrap project for using leftover bits of fabric and floss.
My napkin ring measures 2 inches/5 cm wide and 6 inches/15.24 cm long, because that happened to be the size of a leftover piece of cross stitch fabric I had lying around. It’s a pretty good size for a napkin ring, thought a little snug. You could make yours bigger or smaller depending on the size of your napkin.
You’ll also need cross stitch floss. I used three colors for the flowers and a different color for the blanket stitch edging (which happens to be a variegated thread, but it wouldn’t have to be. These were all random unlabeled things in the top of my stash bag. Use whatever colors you have handy.
Other supplies include a needle and scissors, tacky glue or fabric glue. A couple of jumbo wonder clips are handy, too.
Cross Stitch Napkin Rings Pattern
Cut your cross stitch fabric to desired size. Find the center of your piece and stitch the first flower.
Credit where it’s due: this pattern is based on a flower that’s part of the English Country Garden pattern from LoveCrafts.
Because I only have a knitting chart maker, the color is the cross stitches, shown in blue. The center of the flower is four French knots.
I wrapped mine five times but you can do as many or as few as you like. You can also add more knots if you like. I used the color from the center of the first flower to stitch the petals of the second (and likewise with the third) but you don’t have to do it that way.
For the second and third flowers you can either mark the center of the remaining space on each side, or decide how far you want them spaced apart. Mine has five stitches between the longest rows of the flower. I marked this with mechanical pencil, which actually erased!
I also did the flowers on the sides as mirror images of the center flower, but you don’t have to do that. It amuses me, which is really the point here.
Finishing the Napkin Rings
The edge of the napkin ring is worked on the two long sides and one short side with blanket stitch. I used a variegated thread but it’s not super obvious so you can do this with a solid color, too, if you’d rather. To start stitching, I tacked my thread down with a knot on the back and by taking the needle between the threads when I brought the needle to the front.
Trim any sticking out pieces when you’re done.
I didn’t stitch the fourth side because I knew it was going to be glued down.
Add fabric glue to that edge.
Press the finished short edge down on top of it.
Wonder clips are helpful to hold it in place while it dries.
Make as many cross stitch napkin rings as you want for your table. These would be super cute for a tea party or any special celebration.
