I guess I need to buy some cloth napkins to keep everyone happy

[happysmileylady]

We have been using some gerber birdseye prefolds for napkins and other kitchen cloth. And, honestly they work GREAT. Wash them with a bit of bleach like I would a regular towel anyway, and I don't see the problem.

Well, mom was over the other night helping with our garage sale, and she brought pizza. First, she seems to have this issue that pizza HAS to be eaten on paper plates. I don't have a clue WHY pizza specifically needs paper plates vs other food. So she was complaining that she had to use a regular plate to eat her pizza with

But then when she asked for a paper towel for a napkin and I pulled out one of what we had been using from the clean drawer, she about died. Said I was being WAY too cheap and that was just the most ridiculous thing to be using. I then handed her a flour sack towel instead, which was only marginally better but she continued to complain.

That in itself wouldn't phase me too much, but then DD1 and DH both voiced their displeasure with having no paper towels either. I am not willing to turn around and go buy paper towels just because of this, but am willing to relegate the prefolds we had been using for napkins to cleaning cloths only and buy some cloth napkins to use when we eat.

So, where's the best place to buy cloth napkins? OR, can I make them? What do I make them out of? I just want some inexpensive cloth napkins for every day use, I don't need fancy use napkins like you pull out with china, I don't need "unpaper towels," or anything like that. Just want some basic napkins that most folks will see as napkins...

[hpfgirl]

I bought mine at cost plus.

[Shimpie]

I've been trying out cloth napkins by buying one here and there. The one I got from Cost Plus shrunk funny and isn't terribly soft. Honestly my most beloved napkin is one that I swiped off a Japan Airline flight in the 90's. It's super soft, doesn't wrinkle, and folds perfectly. Wish I could find more just like it.

[redheadinlove]

We haven't switched to kitchen cloth yet (soon!) so I don't have suggestions...
Just totally confused with the needing paper plates for pizza thing....sheesh. Weird.

[Fashionably Green Baby]

IDK BUT that is exactly why we have "unpaper towels" because instead of being freaked out everything thinks they are cute and get hung up on the idea of how clever they are and ta da! NO complaining LOL. I bet it wouldn't be too hard to find cloth napkins.

[ofthemoonsglow]

I found some great simple white square towels at Ikea a few weeks ago. We use them for napkins and as unpaper towels around the kitchen. Oh and wet for wiping down a messy 1 year old when shes covered in food. They were $4 for 10 so i bought 2 packs (20 of them) and they last for a while before i wash them.

Heres a link - http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/pr...8/?query=krama

[kfosmom]

It sounds just like my mother. She hates my unpaper everything and complains that it is just too much work for me and gross. When she comes over to eat she brings a roll of paper towels. I refuse to buy for her.

[remrath]

Goodwill. You can get a variety and have a fun stash for cheap.
Or you can make them. Thicker 100% cotton fabric. I make mine ~12x12 turned and topstitched. Or look at maybe big lots. seems like they had a lot of fabric type stuff when I went last.

[mamma_z]

We just eat pizza straight out of the box

Consignment/antique stores have cloth napkins, but they are typically on the "fancy" side. You could make some pretty easily, I'm sure--just squares of fabric (maybe flannel or Birdseye) turned and top stitched or serged.

[happysmileylady]

Awesome everyone! Thanks for the suggestions. We have a Big Lots right next door to my goodwill, so I will probably head out this weekend to check out both locations. It never occured to me to check goodwill and I dunno why, it should have.

What is so funny about my mom and my lack of paper plates is...I have NEVER had paper plates. When I moved out I got some cheapy but heavy earthenware plates and the cheapest way to get them was in this box of like 20 or some number like that that was just stupid for a single mom with a 4 yr old. Some have broken over the years but I still have like 10 left. And then when I got married just 2 yrs after moving out, I got some nice corelle plates, like 12 of those, so I have 22 plates, plus a huge set of china. I ALWAYS have PLENTY of clean plates to use, I haven't ever bought paper plates cause I have never needed to. But for whatever reason, whenever we order pizza, mom seems to think that requires paper plates. I wish I could explain it.