Today I have some really easy napkin folding ideas for you. I’ve realised that one of the easiest ways to make my table look dressy is to add napkins to the setting. Now you can just place the square napkins on the plates as they are. Or you can do a little something to make the whole thing special. The ‘little’ in the ‘little something’ is important. The last thing I want to do when I’m organising a meal, is to spend an hour folding napkins! It has to be easy, taking almost no extra time. And these are some of my favourite ways of doing just that. 

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas:

(1) Folding Fan:

The first is a basic folding fan. And yet, there are different ways in which you can fold one. We had one way in the post on table setting. This is another way to make it. Open out the napkin and lay it flat on the table.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas

Start making small zig-zag folds along its length, starting from one end…

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas

… until the full napkin is folded into pleats.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

Now fold the entire length in half to join the 2 ends.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

Insert the closed end of the fold into a napkin ring.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

And open out the fan from both ends.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

Place this on your plate, and you’re ready to go.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

If you don’t have a napkin ring.. or just for another look, you can use ribbon instead.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

Tie it around the base and make a pretty bow. Use a colour that matches or contrasts your colour scheme, the theme of the party, the season or occassion.. or even your mood!

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Folding Fan

(2) A Pretty Bow:

Place the napkin like a diamond, right side down.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas

Fold over the lower corner to the top, making a triangle.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas

Now fold over the top of triangle downwards, about half way through.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

Fold the bottom end upwards to meet the tip of the triangle.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

Fold it into half once again.

Now turn the right end towards the left to make a 1/3 fold.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

Fold the left end over on to the right.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

Slide a napkin ring over this…

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

… up to the centre.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

Now pull the 2 ends downwards and adjust to make the 2 ends of the bow.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

Turn it over and place on your plate.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Pretty Bow

(3) Peacock’s Plume:

Start with a triangle, just as you did for the bow. Start making zig-zag folds from the base…

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

… to the top of the triangle.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

Turn it over, and fold in half.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

Hold the 2 top ends together and watch the peacock plume spread.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

Place this in your plate and you are set.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

But if you want to dress it up further, you can take a decorative flower, or even a fresh one..

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

… and place it in the folds at the base.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Peacock's Plume

(4) A Perfect Pocket:

Fold the napkin in 4, inside out and place like a diamond with the open end up.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

Fold the first layer downwards to meet the bottom end of the diamond.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

Then fold the second layer similarly, but stop a little above the first one.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

Finally, fold the third layer downwards a little above the second layer, to make 3 distinct steps in the folds.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

Now flip the napkin over and fold the left end over towards the right…

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

… and the right end towards the left. You can adjust these folds to adjust the width of the napkin as per your requirement.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

Flip it over again and the napkin is ready.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

Place it on a plate, and you can use the pocket to keep your cutlery or a fresh flower.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - A Perfect Pocket

(5) Flower In A Glass:

This fold is not for a plate. For a change, you can sometimes place your napkins in your glassware. Again, start with a triangle as we did in the bow. Take each end of the base and fold upwards, a little away from the centre, so that it looks sort of like a tulip.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Flower In A Glass

Take the bottom end and fold it upwards till about the centre of the tulip.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Flower In A Glass

Now make zig-zag folds in the napkin from right to left.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Flower In A Glass

Insert the folded bottom into the glass.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Flower In A Glass

Open out the petals on top and your flower is ready.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Flower In A Glass

(6) Roll & Tie:

This is the simplest of all the easy napkin folding ideas and my absolute favourite because it is so versatile. Fold the napkin in 4 and start rolling it.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Roll and Tie

Make a wide, flat roll.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Roll and Tie

You can either slide it into a napkin ring, or tie it with twine or a ribbon. Place it on your plate and you can stop right there. It’s a sweet and simple napkin fold.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Roll and Tie

But here’s what I find so fun about this. Slide some fresh flowers into the tie to make it pretty.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Roll and Tie

Or some greens for a fresh setting.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Roll and Tie

I’ve put a sprig of curry leaves and a whole red chilli to spice up this setting.

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas - Roll and Tie

You can get as creative as you want, and it’s great fun!

In fact, there are many ways to get innovative with these easy napkin folding ideas. Change the look of these same folds by using napkins of different colours or bold patterns. You can use bright ribbons or delicate lace. Use bracelets instead of napkin rings. Add fresh or dried flowers, golden gota during Diwali and striped candy canes for Christmas.

In case you prefer it in video form, here it is…

If you want to read more on table setting, we have a fun post right here. Experiment, have fun, and share your easy napkin folding ideas with me too!

Until next time,

 

6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas I Love
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2 thoughts on “6 Easy Napkin Folding Ideas I Love

  • January 11, 2018 at 7:24 am
    Permalink

    Lovely Rittika. Very interesting. Loved the one with Indian Spices.

    Reply
    • January 11, 2018 at 8:51 am
      Permalink

      Thanks Rashi! One of my faves too. You can also add a cinnamon stick!

      Reply

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