Why use a boring square fold for your napkin when you have the opportunity to enrich your table? Both paper and fabric napkins offer dozens of fold possibilities; if you combine them with ornamental napkin rings, there are even more! Folding a napkin for a ring can be as simple or complex as you want so feel free to let your imagination run wild!
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Make an Easy "Cloud" Fold
Step 1. Open the napkin and spread it out on a surface
This method of folding napkins is quick, simple, and easy to copy, making it a great choice for beginners. To get started, spread the napkin on your table or work surface. Smooth out any creases or creases you see.
Note that this method only works with large, square cloth napkins. For best results, use napkins with no wrinkles, stains or frayed edges
Step 2. Lift the napkin off the center
Pinch the exact center of the napkin between your thumb and forefinger. Lift it up so it doesn't touch the table or work surface. The napkin should hang under your hand in delicate, flowing folds.
Step 3. Smooth out any creases
If necessary, use your free hand to straighten the folds of the handkerchief so that it hangs freely. Alternatively, shake it a few times up and down with the hand you are holding it with.
Once finished, the napkin should hang loosely at the bottom like a couple of curtains
Step 4. Slide the napkin ring over the pinched end
Grab the center section of the napkin with your free hand to hold it in place. Then, use the hand you are gripping the napkin with to slide the ring over the folded end of the napkin and pull it through.
If possible, push the ring along the napkin until it is held by the bulk of the napkin. Not all napkins are thick enough for this; if yours isn't, just tuck the ring in about 3-5cm and lay the napkin down
Step 5. Inflate both ends
Then, inflate the unfolded part of the napkin to give it some volume and improve its appearance; it's easier with heavy cloth napkins. For added elegance, give even the smallest underside of the napkin a quick fluff. Congratulations, you did it! Arrange your napkin however you like.
There are many different ways you can arrange your napkins to make the best impression; for example, you could place napkins directly on a plate to draw attention to them or arrange them all in a basket in the center of the table so guests can pick them up as they need them. It depends on you
Method 2 of 4: Make a Fan Fold
Step 1. Fold your handkerchief in half
This method isn't much more difficult than the one outlined above, but it looks incredibly elegant and is such a great choice for when you're trying to impress your friends. To start, lay the napkin out on one surface and fold it in half. Press along the crease to secure it. Open the napkin.
For this method, it is even more important to use a stiff cloth square napkin. These types of napkins retain creases more easily than paper napkins, making the final fan shape much more noticeable. Also, if you don't use a square napkin, the proportions of your fan may be wrong
Step 2. Accordion fold your napkin
Folding parallel to the first fold you made in the napkin, add more folds alternating from one side to the other. Try to fit about 4-6 folds on each side of the center fold; the exact number doesn't matter. As you go, press hard on each fold to fix its mark. Once finished, your napkin should be a long accordion strip.
Remember that the original fold should become one of many accordion folds. You may need to adjust the width of your creases slightly to make them line up perfectly with the original one. Over time, it will get easier
Step 3. Fold the accordion napkin in half
Next, find half of your accordion strip and fold it back on itself so that the edges line up. That way you should end up with a rounded, bent end (probably too thick to bend at this point) and an open, fan-like end.
Step 4. Insert the folded end into your napkin ring
Now, all that's left for you to do is insert the napkin into the ring. Slide the loop over the folded end of the napkin until it reaches the middle of the napkin. Pull the edges of the open end of the napkin to fan them out and show off the accordion folds. Congratulations! You did.
As usual, you can highlight the napkin by placing it in the center of a plate. You could also insert the folded part into a thin glass or champagne flute for a more exotic, peacock-like presentation
Method 3 of 4: Making a Double Roll
Step 1. Fold the napkin in half
This fold is simple, formal and easy; perfect for last minute preparations for an original wedding or party. To start, fold the bottom end of the napkin up to form a rectangle. To be clear, the bottom edge of the napkin should be folded and the top open.
Although a square napkin is the best choice, the material of the napkin is not as important for double rolls as it is for other types of folds, as the napkin does not have to support its own weight. Hence, it is a great choice if you are working with paper napkins
Step 2. Roll one end of the napkin halfway up
Then, take one side of the napkin and roll it tightly inwards. Stop when you get to about the middle of the napkin. Use the napkin ring or plate to hold this roll in place while you take care of the other side.
Step 3. Roll the other end up to the center
Then, repeat the same rolling procedure for the other side of the napkin. The two rolls should meet in the center of the napkin. They should be roughly the same size; if they are not, you could make small changes so that they are symmetrical.
Step 4. Slip the ring over the rolls
Slip the ring over the double-rolled napkin so that it is about halfway across it. Done! Your napkins are ready to be distributed to guests or arranged according to your preferences. If you have some ribbon left over, these thin rolls look even better if you tie them with a bow!
Don't forget to arrange the napkins with the double roll on top; otherwise, they will look like a normal roll
Method 4 of 4: Do a Double Candle Fold
Step 1. Fold the napkin diagonally
This gorgeous fold looks stunning when done correctly and surprisingly doesn't require much more work than previously seen. To begin, lay the napkin flat on a work surface or table and fold one of the top corners to the opposite bottom corner. Once done, your napkin should look like a triangle.
As above, a stiff cloth square napkin is the best choice. You will find that this fold requires more stiffness than the others described in this article; in fact this fold exploits more than the others the natural strength of the fabric to support the weight of the napkin
Step 2. Roll from the long side to the tip
Grab the longer, wider side of the napkin and start rolling it towards the tip of the triangle. Roll it up as tight as you can. The tighter you can make it, the easier it will be for your napkin to keep its final shape. So the tighter the better.
Once finished, the + napkin should look like a thin roll. The edges of the napkin should create repeated diagonal lines on the surface of the roll
Step 3. Fold the napkin in half
Being careful not to let your roll open, fold the napkin about halfway. The "tips" at the ends of the roll should line up with each other. Hold the folded base of the napkin tight to prevent it from opening.
Step 4. Insert the folded end into the napkin ring
Then, take the folded part of the napkin and push it into the ring (it should fit tightly; if your ring is too big or too small, it could be difficult). The two rolled edges of the napkin should stand upright, resembling a couple of thin candles. Congratulations! You did.
