Farm to Table Napkins

What gets you really excited when you go to a dinner party?  Personally, I love great guests (interesting, genuine, engaging, fun are adjectives that come to mind), great food, an environment that is not contrived, and nice details.  Not super fussy details, not expensive details, but some little things that tell me that someone thought to create a special environment to facilitate friends and strangers coming together. 

It’s just these details that leave my family scratching their heads (WHY?) and my guests buzzing (YES!) when they come to table.  Instead of my usual vintage or Matteo linens, I’m using vintage French dishcloths of Metis (cotton & linen) or linen & hemp or just linen instead of napkins.  I think they are really more like lap-napkins.  Overly generous, textural, and great to wipe off all that prime rib and chicken and whipped cream frosting off your hands.   Seeing them all rolled up makes me happy~

This evening, in a few minutes, I rolled up 40 of them, as this will be the guest count for dinner.  I left the monogram showing at top.  My goal was a slim yet long napkin that would tie up like a ballet slipper; loop around twice, a criss-cross is so great and oh so French~

then start to make a bow~

Leave the tails a little long; here is the basic look~

I gave up ironing these linens long ago, so these are plump and slightly rumpled.  I have just a few white toned ones; fine and pretty~

On the table they will look something like this.  The first course will be plated and sitting at each seat.  The napkins will be to the left.  Hanging over the edge of the table just like this.  I love it….French, tactile, different, finished, but fun and not too fussy, hanging down over the table edge like a child’s linen christening gown~

So many monograms, so many tones of white…..

I am going to ask Laura’s Sweet Boy to help me finish the napkins the day of the party, with a little lavender or rosemary.  I think I will let him take ownership and decide what to use.  They will be perfect for a farm to table, however they will be dressed~