DIY

SIMPLE WAYS TO FOLD NAPKINS

 

Simple ways to fold napkins.

I had so much fun this week playing with my new leopard dishes, I came up with so many combinations to use year round.   With Thanksgiving quickly approaching I thought I’d talk about my favorite EASY ways to fold napkins.  More advance napkin folding can be a fun project but with the crazy holidays coming up we need simple ways to have a beautiful place setting.  I’m all about simplicity!

Simple ways to fold napkins.

We don’t use cloth napkins at every meal of course.  However, when we do it’s such a real treat and I’m going to make it a point to start integrating cloth napkins more into our meal times.  Nothing says elegance and style like a real cloth napkin, plus its reusable so you save money!

I want to show you my 8 favorite easy ways to use napkins in a place setting.  I like my table settings to be simple but also have some style!  Some of the ways I use napkins are pretty simple and I’m sure you already know about some of these, but I’m also going to share my tips with you.

Simple ways to fold napkins.

TIPS

Have your iron handy!  I have a small table top ironing board I set up in my kitchen when pressing my napkins.   The most simple napkin folding techniques really shine when they look tidy and neatly pressed.

Napkins are kind of like scarves in a way.  Sometimes after folding or arranging your napkin it will need a little adjusting and fluffing, just like a scarf.  For more stiff formal napkin folding, take care that the corners and edges line up.  For that more relaxed napkin look I’m happy with a little asymmetry.

Get creative and use fresh herbs to decorate your napkins and place settings.  I especially love using mint, parsley and rosemary as an accent.

Cut the tags off the napkins.  The hard crunchy napkin tag will not feel nice on your legs and the tag can stick out when folding your napkin.  I recommend removing all the tags and writing down the washing instructions somewhere handy.

Always wash, fold, and put away your napkins soon after using.  If you delay washing two things can happen, stains can set in and you may forget about them.  There is nothing worse than needing clean napkins and you realize they’re dirty.

Be sure and click on the smaller photos in the tutorials if you need a better view.

THE CLASSIC FOLD

Yes, it’s basic but it’s still a beautiful classic choice.  I know you know how to fold a square napkin into a rectangle shape.  But I still wanted to include this because we live in a complicated world and sometimes we forget about the basics.  I folded my napkin half horizontally, then again in half vertically and again one more time.

Ways you can make this classic fold even better is to make sure the corners and edges line up as well as possible and then iron until your napkin is perfectly crisp.

THE CLASSIC ROLL

Again like the fold, this is a wonderful classic choice.  Fold in half, then into a quarter, taking care that the edges are lined up.  Then simply roll up.

THE POCKET FOLD

I could not get the folds on the red napkin to show up in the photos very well, so I used a different color.

I can’t believe how crooked this napkin is!  Luckily once it’s folded up we won’t be able to tell.  Start with the napkin face up, starting at the bottom fold about quarter of the napkin up,  then fold it again about a third or half way up.  Now flip the napkin over and fold in sections either 3 or 4 times, depending on what size width you want to achieve.  Be sure and press with an iron for a nice crisp look!

THE KNOT

This one works best on a thin relaxed napkin.  I purchased these years ago from Pier 1, I’m not sure if they’re available anymore.  Start with the napkin square, fold into thirds with the seam down, then simply tie into a knot and adjust.

THE SIMPLE NAPKIN RING

This is one of my favorites and so super easy to do!

Start with your napkin face up, in a diamond shape.  Simply place the napkin ring in the center, pull through and adjust.

THE TRIANGLE

This is a more formal version of the simple napkin ring.  Start with your napkin folded in half to make a triangle, pointed end down.  Fold the left point down to meet the center point, take the right point and also fold it down to meet the center.

Your now left with a small diamond shape, simply thread the napkin ring through and and adjust.

THE FLOWER

How to make a flower napkin

This one looks a little complicated, but it’s so easy!  You’ll need a small glass or bowl with a wide rim.  Start by folding your napkin in half to make a triangle.  Starting with the wide end roll it up to look like a rope.

Now, roll the napkin rope around in a circle, just like a cinnamon roll.  Then tuck into the glass or bowl and adjust.

How to make a flower napkin

Next, add some fresh greenery to your flower.  Herbs are perfect.  I used mint from my garden here.

THE LAYERED NAPKIN

Layering napkins

Just like the simple napkin ring above except with two napkins.

This starts out just like the simple napkin ring except the 2nd napkin layer is rotated 45 degrees.  Simply pull through the napkin ring and adjust.

Tablescape ideas

You can get creative and have fun through different colors, patterns, and textures.  Aren’t these leopard dishes AMAZING?  I think leopard is always a good idea, and I’ll be using these accent plates year round.

If you can’t decide on just 1 napkin ring then you can layer 2 together.

Easy ways to use cloth napkins.

You can also mix up the direction of your napkins for a different look.  Here’s the triangle pull upside down for a twist.

Easy ways to use cloth napkins.

This looks so pretty and fancy, but it’s just the simple napkin ring, sitting up on the bottom, fluffed a bit.

Easy ways to use cloth napkins.

Some napkins will work better than others when folding and arranging depending on the material and the size.  You may need to play around a little bit to see what napkin works best with what style of fold.

Simple ways to fold napkins.

The combinations you can come up with are endless!

So are you ready to start playing with your napkins?  Dig those babies out of storage, or maybe it’s time to do a little napkin shopping?  Now is the time to watch for those holiday sales coming up.  Have fun and thanks for reading!

 

Laura

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