DIY: Embroidered Alebrije Napkins

Alebrijes are some of the most varied and fantastical pieces of folk art in Mexico. They come in so many shapes, colors, and designs that it's impossible not to be inspired by them.

Since tabletop seems to be a common theme this week on the blog, we created alebrije inspired cocktail napkins that can be used over again and hand washed. You don't need to know much about embroidery to create a similar napkin, just a bit of patience and alebrije inspiration:

What you'll need:

-a needle
-embroidery thread
-a pencil (or pen if you want to live dangerously)
-fabric (we used muslin)
-a ruler
-embroidery hoop (optional-ours are hidden somewhere so we didn't use one)
-patience

What to do:
1. Figure out how big you want your napkin(s) to be (ours is 7"x7"), measure, and cut.
OR cut a piece of fabric that will fit over an embroidery hoop and begin drawing your design.

2. Draw your design lightly on your fabric (practice on paper first!) with a pencil, or pen.
3. Thread your needle with embroidery thread and knot the end of the piece you are using. Begin embroidering your design (you can start with the design first or the edges).

4. Use a blanket stitch (tutorial here) for the edges of the napkin. This will help hide frayed edges and gives the napkin a nice finished look. It also may help to put some liquid seam sealant before hand, which can be bought at a craft store like Michaels.