A beautifully set table filled with signature dishes and drinks with exquisite napkin-shaped design, made from a variety of fabrics, embroidered or paper, bought in a supermarket, but at the same time folded and decorated in an interesting way, will pleasantly surprise your guests.
How to Make Napkins for a Holiday Table. Step-by-Step Instructions
Anyone can fold paper napkins beautifully, you just need to study the patterns, choose the ones you like the most or vary them from holiday to holiday.
You should also spend some time choosing the material itself, paying attention to the required size, density and texture of the napkins, taking into account the tonality and color scheme of the dishes and tablecloth. The main methods for creating decorations from napkins in accordance with the theme of the table are listed in the table.
| Table theme | Name of the figure | Napkin material |
| Family dinner | Fan, sun, skirt, napkin in French | Any |
| Business meeting, men's holiday | Napkin pocket, diplomat pocket, cutlery "tie", spinner, beveled pocket | Thick paper, fabric in subdued colours with a pattern in the form of stripes, checks or a strict ornament |
| Kids table, summer party | Peacock tail, Christmas tree, swan, sun, starfish, pinwheel, tulip | Thick paper in bright colours |
| Romantic evening | Candle, sun, skirt, French napkin, beveled pocket, rose, artichoke | Thick paper in pastel colors or bright red |
| Wedding | Swan, lotus, rose, French napkin | Thick paper, preferably white |
| Gala dinner | Crown, pocket napkin, artichoke, lotus, lily | Thick paper, fabric |
Napkins fan
When there is absolutely no time or you want to decorate an everyday table, you can quickly fold napkins into a fan.
To do this, you will need a napkin holder and the serving items themselves in one or different colors. You need to diagonally bend each napkin in half into a triangle and lay them out in the device in the form of a semicircle, combining colors or textures of paper.
Napkin pocket
All kinds of pockets and envelopes made from napkins are perfect for placing cutlery and place cards with guests' names.
Here is one of the simple options for making them, for which only large colored napkins are suitable:
- The free edges of the napkin folded in four must be folded diagonally upwards one by one, leaving about 1 cm from the edge in each subsequent layer.
- Turn the resulting “sail” over so that the front side is facing the table so that the corner is directed away from the person creating the decoration.
- Fold the right and left corners towards each other until you get an imitation of an envelope, leaving a diamond-shaped corner at the top.
Peacock's Tail
Fun summer parties can be livened up with colorful peacock tail decorations:
- Unfold the multi-colored napkin from the package so that it remains folded in half.
- Fold the right short side of the resulting rectangle into an accordion approximately 2/3 of the length with a step of 1 cm.
- Turn the product over to the other side.
- Fold in half across the resulting accordion, placing the workpiece with the fold facing down.
- Fold the free corner diagonally so that its end extends 1 cm beyond the fold line.
- Turn it over again and fold the protruding edge. This will be the base.
- Place the peacock on the resulting base and unfold the tail.
Such figures can be placed on plates or in groups in free space near cutlery, plates and glasses.
Diplomat pocket
Paper napkins, beautifully folded into a pocket, are another fairly simple but interesting way to decorate the table. First, you need to decide on the corners: the first will be the one in which all 4 corners are free, the second and third - adjacent to it.
Stages of addition:
- gradually fold the first corner, in 1 cm increments, to the middle of the napkin, tucking in the two layers;
- turn the workpiece over with the back side up;
- fold the second and third corners towards each other so that their ends meet in the center of the napkin;
- return the workpiece to its original position.
New Year tree
Napkins in the shape of Christmas trees are perfect for preparing a children's table for a holiday:
- First, you need to fold the “sail” described in the pattern for creating a pocket napkin.
- Then, turning the workpiece over, place it with the fold facing up and bend the corners towards each other so that an acute angle of approximately 60° is formed at the top.
- Return the table decoration face up and lift the resulting 5 corners up, tucking them, starting with the second one, under the top triangle.
- All that remains is to decorate the tree with a top in the form of a ball, star or bow.
"Tie" for devices
For feasts dedicated to the male half of the family, unique ties made from napkins with a strict pattern, striped, checked or polka dotted, are good:
- First, you should unfold the napkin, placing it with the wrong side up.
- Bend the side corners towards each other at a 45° angle.
- Repeat the procedure.
- Bend the top perpendicular to the workpiece.
- Turn the "tie" face up and place the fork on it so that its wide part is completely outside the workpiece.
- Wrap the protruding corner around the handle of the cutlery to create a kind of knot.
Candle
The romantic atmosphere of special holidays and anniversaries for lovers will be wonderfully emphasized by "candles" made of napkins. Orange, yellow, scarlet or pink, they will create an imitation of fire and set the mood for the warmth and soulfulness of an intimate evening for two.
Stages of creating a "candle":
- Fold the unfolded napkin into a triangle diagonally, slightly misaligning the edges.
- Fold the base opposite the right angle by 5-10 cm and turn the workpiece over with the fold facing the table.
- Carefully roll the napkin from any end into a tight tube, and tuck the remaining edge into your pocket.
- Straighten the “flame” and place it on a plate.
Sun
You can fold paper napkins beautifully into the shape of the sun using the following pattern:
- Lay it out and pinch two folds around the central line, each 2 cm wide, iron well to secure the shape and turn over.
- Make an “accordion” across the central fold with a step of 1.5-2 cm.
- Fasten the center with a thread and unfold it into a circle, which can also be fastened with something like a paper clip.
- Carefully straighten the “rays” and place them on a plate.
Skirt
This is an easy and quick way to set the table with paper or cloth napkins:
- Unfold the workpiece.
- Take one of the corners and connect it to the next one, bending the straight edge inside the napkin, repeat the procedure with each of the four ends.
- Straighten the waves of the “skirt” and place it vertically on a plate.
- You can decorate the top of your head with a ring or ribbon.
Starfish
To create this origami shape, you need to take a bright napkin and unfold it completely, placing it with the back side facing up.
Next, you need to adhere to the following scheme:
- Make a triangle out of the napkin, then fold the two corners towards the center to form a rhombus.
- Turn it inside out and fold it in half from bottom to top.
- Fold it over where it is folded and place it on two edges like a bird.
- Form a pentagonal starfish by folding back two ends extending from the center and lifting two more "tentacles" from the bottom.
Spinner
Stages of creation:
- Unfold the napkin, lay it out so that it takes the shape of a diamond, then fold it into a square, connecting all the corners in the center.
- Fold the top and bottom edges of the workpiece so that the edges join in the center in one line.
- Turn the resulting rectangle over with the smaller side down and repeat the previous step again.
- All that remains is to turn all the corners into a pinwheel shape and decorate the center of the figure with a flower or berry.
Crown
An elegant imitation of a crown looks quite advantageous on a festive table:
- First, you need to fold a triangle from the unfolded napkin, then turn it into a rhombus, bending the free ends down without disturbing the shape of the figure.
- Fold the angle remaining after the previous step twice to obtain a triangular “boat”.
- Now you need to bend the edges towards each other under the workpiece, securing them in a “pocket”.
- Give it a rounded shape and bend the two corners of the “sail” down.
Beveled pocket
A table for a business meeting can also be elegantly decorated by creating a “pocket” for cutlery:
- With the napkin folded in four, fold one of the free layers diagonally to the opposite corner, then return part of it back, hiding the edge protruding beyond the diagonal.
- Repeat the steps with the opposite corner, resulting in a square with two diagonal stripes in the shape of an envelope.
- All that remains is to tuck the sides under the workpiece and turn it upside down.
French napkin
Origami in the form of a French fan is suitable for a table for a friendly cocktail party, so it is better to choose napkins in bright colors:
- First, you need to fold the top part of the napkin to the middle, while turning the bottom part to the back side only by a quarter.
- Now you should fold the bottom up to the top just above the middle and make a transverse accordion out of the blank.
- Squeeze the bottom of the napkin with your fingers and get the inner corners of the bottom row, bend the upper corners back.
- Tie the bottom of the fan with a ribbon.
Swan
The sweet table for children can be decorated with white swans made from openwork napkins:
- Place the napkin folded in four on the table in a diamond shape.
- Bend the right and left corners towards each other and turn them back towards the edges so that a counter fold is formed in the center of the figure.
- Fold the sharp top corner down just below the end of the piece, then return the 2-3 cm part up.
- Bend the swan in half lengthwise, raise the neck and straighten the head, forming a fluffy bird.
Artichoke
A voluminous figurine made from a dull napkin will beautifully emphasize the elegance of a romantic party:
- Unfold the napkin, placing it with the wrong side up.
- Fold the corners to the center twice, turn face down and repeat the procedure a third time.
- Holding the center of the flower with one finger, carefully turn the double petal out, grabbing the corner from below, adjacent to the center of the figure.
- Repeat with the remaining three corners.
Color addition schemes
Flowers, whether fresh or delicately folded from napkins, will liven up any table and can even become a symbol of the holiday. The lotus, for example, is associated with vitality and perfection, the white lily with purity and innocence, the rose with love and passion.
Lotus
The lotus, being a symbol of purity and innocence, will look harmonious on the wedding table:
- To create this beautiful flower, you need to completely unfold the napkin and fold all the corners into the center to create an equilateral diamond.
- Turn face down and repeat the procedure until you get a square.
- Now you need to carefully remove the lower “petals” from each corner and place them on a plate.
Tulip
It is also not difficult to fold paper napkins beautifully in the shape of a tulip:
- To begin, you need to bend the fully straightened workpiece diagonally until you get a triangle with a right angle facing downwards, which should be folded upwards until it touches the edge of the figure.
- Now fold the right and left corners towards each other, slightly overlapping each other.
- Bend the lower ends upwards until you get a straight line at the bottom of the figure.
- All that remains is to give it the shape of a tulip by tucking the side corners under the blank and securing them at the back.
The flower can be laid flat or, given a rounded shape, placed vertically on a plate.
Rose
The queen of flowers will decorate any holiday with its beauty and aroma. But even folded from a paper napkin, it will pleasantly enliven the feast.
Step by step production:
- First, you need to create a triangle from the napkin, which is twisted into a tight tube, leaving a small free end for future “leaves”.
- Now you need to roll the workpiece into a “roll” and carefully secure the edge.
- Pull the remaining ends, straightening them out as a base, and turn the resulting flower over.
This rose looks wonderful in a glass or bowl, but it will also pleasantly highlight the beauty of the table setting just next to the cutlery.
Lily
Origami in the form of this strict flower looks harmonious on a table dedicated to any special event:
- Again the process starts with a triangular blank placed at right angles upwards.
- Next, you need to raise the side ends to the top until you get a rhombus with slightly open corners.
- Fold the bottom corner up 1 cm, not reaching the edge of the workpiece, then bend part of it to the bottom line.
- Now tuck the side ends of the figure under it, securing them on the back side in the form of a pocket.
- Return the lily to its original position, giving it a rounded shape and removing 2 side petals.
After studying the patterns for folding paper napkins into beautiful images, it is worth mentioning the basic rules of etiquette for their use:
- If napkins are placed individually on the table, then they must be used. Fabric ones can be placed on your knees to protect clothes from accidental food spills, paper ones can be used to blot your mouth after eating or gently wipe your fingers.
- Napkins should be unfolded after the host has done so and the first course has been served.
- When leaving the table, the napkin is left to the left of the plate. The same is done after finishing the meal.
It is not recommended to shake the napkin vigorously, trying to unfold it, wipe your face with it instead of a towel, and leave it on the plate after finishing dinner or lunch.
Invite friends and family, beautifully decorate the festive table, fold napkins with imagination, both fabric and paper, prepare delicious or simply everyone’s favorite dishes – it’s not a difficult, exciting process and a great break from the constant stress of city life.
Video about table decoration with napkins
How to fold paper napkins beautifully: