5 Simple Steps to Greener Living and a Cloth Napkin Tutorial

This cloth napkin tutorial and shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BringingInnovation #CollectiveBias

As the winter subsides and we begin to crawl out of our homes for what feels like the first time in months, it’s a good time to assess how we’re living and what we can do to live a little greener. It’s easy to make small changes that have a big impact on the environment – and your wallet!

5 Simple Steps to Greener Living

1| Combine your errands. Make a list of all of the places you need to go and set aside one day to do them. Reducing how much you are driving keeps your emissions low and your fuel economy will likely improve as you eliminate shorter trips.

2| Make Coffee at Home. Stopping at the coffee shop every day is fun, but think about the environmental impact. What happens to all of the cups you’re using. Most likely, they’re going into the trash. If you make a fresh cup in a reusable mug as you’re walking out the door, you’ll save time, money, and the environment.

3| Shop the Bulk Bins. If your grocery store offers it, shop the bulk bins. Eliminating the fancy packaging for things like nuts, oats, flour, and dried beans reduces cost and waste. Some stores will let you bring your own containers in for refilling, but check first before doing so!

4| Use Better Batteries. Energizer’s New EcoAdvanced batteries are the first battery on the market to use recycled materials. They’re available in two popular sizes: AA and AAA. I love them for smaller devices like The Boy’s camera and tablet.

You can pick them up at your neighborhood Walmart. I found them on a display near the Electronics section and at the register during check out. You can learn even more about them at bringinginnovation.net

5| Use Cloth Napkins. Switching to cloth napkins is easy and reduces waste. Depending on your family size, you’ll want to start with at least two dozen cloth napkins. Buying cloth napkins is quite costly, I’ve seen some for as much as $16 for 4! Yikes! But don’t worry, making your own is quick and affordable.

For each napkin, you need a 20 X 20 square of fabric. {Check the remnants section at the fabric store, you might find some gorgeous fabrics on sale!} From 1 yard, I made four napkins. Alternatively, you can pick up “fat quarters” – they’re cut 18 X 22; simply trim them square for slightly smaller napkins.

Pre-wash your fabric to avoid shrinkage. Iron it because ironing is fun. Kidding. Iron it because a smooth fabric is much easier to measure, cut, and sew.

Once the fabric is ironed, use a clear straight edge ruler to measure 20 inches and draw a line with a disappearing fabric pencil.

Use a rotary cutter and cut along the line. I’m terrible at cutting with fabric scissors, the rotary cutter helps me keep my line straight. Feel free to use scissors if you have a steady hand.

It’s time to get the iron out again! Iron a 1/2 inch hem all the way around your square. This is where you’ll be sewing.

To ensure the corners are flat and lay smoothly when sewn, snip them off using a pair of sharp fabric scissors.

Pin the fabric to ensure it lays flat as you repeat the ironing process with all of your napkins.

When you’re ready to begin sewing, choose a coordinating thread color. I love turquoise and red together, don’t you? Use a simple straight stitch and stitch all the way around the napkin. Remember to back stitch when you’ve finished!

Snip any loose threads and repeat until you’ve sewn all of your napkins. You can make a half dozen napkins in under 30 minutes. This quick project is perfect for rainy days!

I love this fabric – it’s bright and cheery just in time for Spring to arrive!

This Spring, as you dig out from beneath all that snow, try incorporating these five steps to greener living. What are your tips for greener living?