It seems like a no-brainer when you consider folding napkins for your dinner table, but in reality folding napkins is serious business. A beautifully folded napkin is essential for a tabletop that will be remembered. The first thing a person does is grab their napkin to place on their lap, so a beautifully folded napkin will not go unnoticed, that is for sure.
When clients come into our showroom, usually the last thing they are thinking about unless they came just for them, are the napkins. In reality, the possibilities are endless when it comes to your napkins, they can accentuate your tabletop and change the place setting design in an instant. We like to think of them as an essential part of your table! To us here at P.O.S.H., the napkin fold is tradition, one in fact that dates back to the era of Louis XIV of France. You wouldn’t serve a four course meal without forks and you most definitely should not serve a dinner without napkins.
For best results, be sure to start with clean, pressed linen or cotton napkins; starch them and iron each fold as you are working. Depending on the size of your crowd, start early so you don’t have to worry about it at the last minute!
Welcome to our cheat sheet, because no one wants an ugly napkin!!
THE PYRAMID
1. Fold the napkin in half diagonally
2. Fold corners to meet top corner
3. Turn napkin over and fold in half.
4. Pick up at center and stand on base of triangle
5. Completed Pyramid
THE ENVELOPE
1. Fold napkin in half vertically
2. On one side fold corners about 2” down
3. Fold opposite end over twice meeting the pointed end
4. Fold the pointed flap over the rectangle
SILVERWARE NAPKIN ROLL
1. Fold the napkin in half diagonally
2. Place silverware on the inner edge of the long side
3. Fold both edges over the silverware without creasing
4. Tightly roll silverware into napkin
5. Completed Silverware Napkin Roll
BOW TIE NAPKIN FOLD
1. Lay a single paper napkin flat, then fold the top and bottom pieces toward the middle.
2. Repeat step 1, using the top and bottom pieces of the folded napkin.
3. Fold the right and left sides of the napkin toward the center in a standard tri-fold.
4. Fold down the two corners of the top piece (this will prevent the ends from awkwardly sticking out when your bow tie is complete).
5. Flip your folded napkin so the two corners you just folded down are on the bottom side, and pinch the center.
6. Wrap a few inches of pretty twine, string or ribbon around the center to create your paper bow tie!
