How to fold paper and cloth napkins for table setting. Step by step for beginners

There are many options for setting the theme of a holiday through table linens - from a festive anniversary or wedding to something that would be appropriate for a children's party.

An effective table design depends not least on the hostess's ability to fold serving napkins in an original and tasteful manner, use different color combinations of napkins and tablecloths, add elegant accessories in the form of rings or ribbons, artificial or fresh flowers, fold double napkins of different colors, and arrange them on plates or in glasses.

How to fold napkins beautifully under cutlery

There are no insignificant details in the design of a banquet table. Not a single detail of the table setting or decoration will go unnoticed by the guests. Such important moments include the design of cutlery. There are several options: lay them out near the plates, observing the rules of table setting, or place them in envelopes made from napkins.

Envelope

How to fold napkins for table setting in the form of unusual envelopes so that they can accommodate a fork and knife, a business card with the guest's name and all sorts of nice little things for decoration is easy to learn in a short time.

For the New Year celebration, you can put mini cards with good wishes in such envelopes for each guest, for March 8 - a sprig of mimosa, funny toys for the holiday for children.

Horizontal envelope

1. The napkin is lying face up.
2. Fold it in half.
3. Fold the outer layer down one third from the top edge.
4. Turn over, fold both edges to the center.
5. Repeat this technique
6. Turn the resulting pocket over – you can place cutlery in it.

Envelope-candy

1. Turn the napkin inside out.
2. Fold it down and to the left.
3. Fold the corner of the outer layer from the top right diagonally down to the left, then fold it back to the fold.
4. Fold the corner of the bottom layer on the right to the center fold point of the starting layer.
5. Fold the corners of the napkin back.
6. The result is an envelope in which devices and design elements will look solid.

Envelope with diagonal stripe

1. The napkin lies face down.
2. Fold the fabric from bottom to top and from left to right.
3. Bend the corner of the outer layer from the top right to the center point diagonally twice.
4. Tuck the corner of the second layer inward so that it protrudes from under the outer layer by 3-4 cm.
5. Fold the top and bottom edges of the resulting figure to the center. A rectangle with an elegant diagonal fold appears.
6. Place the instruments in the received envelope.

Serving paper napkins in a napkin holder

How to fold paper napkins for table setting is easy to master if you already have the skills to fold cloth napkins. Paper does not look as solid as fabric napkins, but it can also be used to create exquisite decorative elements for a festive table.

Fan

An elegant fan can be created by evenly distributing napkins folded into triangles in a holder. You can arrange two fans in different colors facing each other or in opposite directions.

Bird

It is necessary to bend the opposite ends of the napkins and fold them in half. For greater effect, it is possible to use napkins of two or three color schemes, contrasting or smoothly merging tones. The resulting elongated trapezoids are carefully placed in a napkin holder. This is a gorgeous bird's tail, the head and body of the bird must be folded from a strip with a folded corner.

Waterfall

A fairly simple folding method looks very advantageous if you choose a tall napkin holder or simply use a low cup or vase instead. All napkins need to be unfolded once and folded in half, which will result in a rectangular stack. Then fold the stack of napkins in the middle. Place the resulting figure in the stand.

How to make a fan from napkins

The common method of folding has several variations, each of which is original in its own way and always looks impressive on any festive table.

Peacock

A variation of the fan folding, slightly different from the classic fan in that in addition to the fan itself, which plays the role of a peacock's tail, in this form of folding a bird figure is added.

1. The napkin is folded into a rectangle.
2. Fold both corners of the rectangle to the right.
3. Fold the part with the curled ends towards the central point.
4. Place the napkin on the reverse side.
5. Repeat the fold of the side corners on the right.
6. Turn the workpiece back over; it should turn into a square.
7. Fold the napkin on the left side in a corrugated shape and place it on a plate or table surface. If the fabric is tightly starched, it will stand without additional fastenings. If you fold such a figure from paper, then the edges of the peacock's tail can be connected with a paper clip from the back.

Fabric fan on a plate

1. Fold the napkin in half with the front facing up.
2. Make pleats on three-quarters of the material, turning the initial fold down.
3. Fold the napkin in the center, leaving the folds on the outside.
4. Fold the remaining front layer of fabric inward.
5. Fold the back layer of the remaining edge over the top and secure the edge in the fold.
6. Now you can unfold the workpiece on the plate like a fan; it will be held vertically, resting on the resulting triangular tail.

Fan in a glass

1. Unfold and fold the napkin into a wide strip.
2. Fold it like an accordion with a gap of 2-3 cm.
3. Bend the figure in half and fix it in a glass. Tightly starched fabric will hold the necessary shape.

If you put a decoration in the form of a live flower or a twig in a glass for such a fan, it will look gentle and unusual.

Fan in a ring

1. Make a fan in the same way as in the previous version.
2. Place a special ring or brooch on the fan for serving.
3. Place the resulting composition on a plate in front of the guest or simply between the utensils.

How to make bunnies

Funny bunny figures are good for decorating a children's party, as well as for a festive one in honor of Easter. In many countries, the bunny is a symbol of this bright day, as well as Easter eggs.

1. The napkin is folded in half.
2. Fold it lengthwise to form a thin rectangle.
3. Fold both corners of the rectangle inward.
4. Bend the base of this figure, for which make folds of each corner. First bend from the middle on the right and bottom corner, and then on the left. You will get a square.
5. Fold the right corner of this figure towards the center line.
6. Do the same on the left.
7. Turn the product over and rotate it 180 degrees.
8. Fold the bottom corner to create a hare's face.
9. Fold the blank in half lengthwise and secure it at the bottom with a paper clip.
10. All that remains is to straighten the bunny's ears. The original addition to the table decor is ready.

Color addition schemes

It is definitely worth learning how to fold napkins for table setting in the form of delicate exotic flowers, because such decoration will always add originality to any festive table.

Lotus

It doesn't take much effort or time to learn this technique:

1. Unfold the fabric completely.
2. Fold the corners to the center point.
3. Turn over.
4. Fold the corners towards the middle again.
5. Taking the corners one by one from the center of the resulting square, lift them up.
6. Release the loose ends from underneath at all four corners of the napkin.

Tulip

Even a beginner can quickly master this simple method:

1. Place the workpiece folded diagonally in front of you horizontally.
2. Fold the corner from the bottom up.
3. Fold the corners on the right and left sides downwards.
4. Fold the loose ends up on both sides.
5. Turn the corners of the workpiece towards the back.

Lily

You can fold the lily in two ways - with the petals spread out or fixed. Both variations look strict and elegant on the table.

1. Lay out the fabric into a triangle.
2. The corners on the right and left are aligned with its apex point.
3. Bend the workpiece in half.
4. Fold the two free edges of the resulting new triangle down.
5. If you need an option with free petals, then you just need to fasten the sides on the back side.
6. If you prefer the option with fixed ends, you should fold the narrow strip at the bottom, holding the free edges. Then connect the sides at the back.

Aster

Astra will look good both from linen and paper napkins:

1. Fold half of the fully unfolded napkin from the bottom to the middle line.
2. Fold the top half the same way.
3. Align the bottom edge of the resulting rectangle with the horizontal fold closest to it.
4. Then assemble the entire workpiece into an accordion.
5. Taking the napkin by the outer edge, tuck the ribs of the improvised accordion inward so that triangular shapes form.
6. Combine the sides of the opposite triangles of the outer parts of the flower.
7. Place the composition in the desired location. To add originality, you can put pearl balls or confetti between the petals, if the occasion allows it.

Roses

The tradition of decorating the table with flowers has ancient historical roots. People have always tried to combine the enjoyment of culinary masterpieces with the pleasure of contemplating the masterpieces created by nature. Rose flowers, graceful and uniquely beautiful, will add status and elegance to any banquet table.

Rose on a plate

It is better to take napkins of two colors - one as a background for the flower, the other contrasting, for making the rose itself.

1. Fold the unfolded napkin diagonally.
2. Roll up a narrow strip.
3. Roll the strip into a roll.
4. Fix the bottom.
5. Straighten the top so that the bud becomes more lush.
6. Place the rose on the background fabric.

Rose in a glass

The flower is folded in the same way. And the background blank is placed in a tall glass.

1. Shape the background fabric into a triangle.
2. Fold it diagonally.
3. Place the workpiece with the edge with the hole facing up.
4. Insert the improvised pocket into the glass and place the prepared rosebud in this pocket.

Rose with a glass

You can create such an amazing decor from paper napkins using a glass. Prepare 10 napkins and a glass.

1. Initially, place the napkin on the edge of the glass so that the corner of the middle of the napkin is directed inside it. The other three corners of the napkin should be outside the edges of the glass. Press the napkin to fix the fold line.
2. Place the next napkin next to the previous one, slightly overlapping the first one.
3. Next, arrange the napkins according to the whirlpool principle: each subsequent napkin slightly overlaps the previous one, and the laid out rows overlap each other.
4. After laying out the available napkins, move the glass upside down onto the placemat.
5. Holding the resulting figure, you need to remove the glass. A lush flower will remain. If you lay out napkins of different colors one by one, you will get a multi-colored bud. Several such compositions of different colors will look extraordinary on the table.

Volumetric figures

An easy way to effectively set a table is to place table linens in the form of three-dimensional figures.

Candle

Napkin candles are placed on a plateau, in glasses or in napkin holders.

1. Fold the fabric into a triangular shape.
2. Carefully roll it into a roll.
3. Do not roll it completely, but leave a small tail and place it inside the “candle” to secure it.

Crown

Any table will look exquisite with a design in the form of royal crowns.

1. Fold the unfolded napkin into a triangle, placing it so that its top faces the right.
2. Fold the corners of this shape up and toward the center point to form a rhombus.
3. Turn the rhombus over and fold half of it from the bottom up, creating a triangle.
4. All that remains is to fold the corners back, secure them to each other, and the crown is ready.

Napkin - heart

A romantic candlelit dinner or Valentine's Day celebration would not be complete without improvised hearts.

1. Fold the fabric in half twice to form a narrow rectangle.
2. Fold the sides of the rectangle up.
3. Consecutively fold the corners of the horizontal side of the workpiece inwards to get a schematic heart. If you make this figure from a fabric napkin, you can try to fold the corners smoothly, then the heart will turn out more rounded.
4. After placing the heart on a plate, it is worth adding a small souvenir or a declaration of love to it.

How to fold a cloth napkin in an original way

The folding methods for cloth or paper napkins when setting the table follow the same rules. However, cloth napkins always look more solid and elegant than paper ones.

Sail

This form is simple to make, but looks very impressive at any celebration.

There are several varieties of it that will be easy to make even for a beginner:

1. Fold the fabric twice along the horizontal line.
2. Give it a triangular shape by placing the lower left corner over the lower right corner.
3. Then move the right corner to the opposite edge.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3.
5. The right part of the composition should also be folded to the left, then placed upright on a plate or table.

Sail in the wind

Perform the actions similar to the previous method in points 1-4. Then you need to roll the fabric into a roll, starting from the acute angle of the triangle. Then place the napkin vertically, evenly distributing the ends of the sail.

Flame

It looks extraordinary not only when placed horizontally on a plate, but also vertically in a glass.

1. Give the fabric the shape of an isosceles triangle.
2. Fold it like an accordion, leaving out the small corner at the top.
3. Fold the workpiece in half.
4. The Flame can be secured and decorated at the same time with a ring, ribbon or designer clip.

Which option for folding serving napkins to choose depends on the occasion of the festive feast and the hostess's imagination. A few simple manipulations with napkins can give an original design to the table and give aesthetic pleasure to guests.

Author: Galina (penrouz)

Article formatting: Vladimir the Great

Video about ways to set napkins on the table

How to quickly and beautifully fold napkins on the table: