How to fold fabric napkins for table setting?

Each hostess wants to surprise guests at a dinner party; for this, delicious dishes are prepared, a room and a table are decorated. Unusually folded napkins are one of the original ways of giving the table a festive look, because serving always attracts attention. If friends gather to visit, you can get by with paper ones. But for a more formal event, it is advisable to use fabric. As a rule, they are folded in a triangle and carefully placed under the edge of the plate. However, this will not surprise anyone, therefore, for effective design, it is worth giving preference to more complex, but at the same time quick options.

Napkins appeared in everyday life at a time when food was taken without cutlery. Hands had to be wiped, and it was forbidden to do this on a tablecloth or clothes, so they used handkerchiefs. Later, special materials appeared specifically for the fingers, and then disposable paper options.

When decorating the festive table, it is not enough just to fold the napkins beautifully, you need to know some subtleties of etiquette. It is recommended to serve both linen and paper products.

Preliminary textile product should be washed, starched and ironed well. In no case should you put the tablecloths with wet or not washed hands at all, as the material quickly gets dirty and even the most beautiful way of laying will not save a dirty look.And of course, before directly laying on the table, it is recommended to practice well and hone the skill of beautiful folding so that at the last moment everything works out as it should.

Etiquette rules dictate not only the options for serving fabric napkins, but also their use. First of all, it should be remembered that they can not be poked behind the collar of clothing, the material should lie open in the lap.

You can not wave the cloth too much or wipe your lips too carefully - this is a sign of bad taste. If necessary, temporarily leave the table, it is recommended to carefully place the scarf near the plate or hang it on the back of the chair.

When serving, you need to not only fold the napkins beautifully, but also be able to choose them correctly. You should choose based on the following factors.

According to the material, the napkins are divided into two types: fabric and paper. The first option is placed directly on the plate, the second - under it. Some housewives prefer to fold paper napkins inside the glasses, this method is also not forbidden, on the contrary, the table is given an even more festive look.

Fabric tablecloths are preferable to choose linen or cotton, since these two materials keep their neat appearance longer and do not slip when folding, unlike synthetic ones.

The shape of textiles for table setting is usually square, measuring 40 x 40 centimeters, however, some prefer to take rectangular pieces of fabric. It all depends on the folding method, one requires a square shape, the other is rectangular. Such a product can be sewn independently from any rag material.

According to etiquette, when decorating the table with napkins, their color should be combined with the main shade of the tablecloth and dishes.

If a thematic holiday is made out, then you can turn on your imagination and pick up tablecloths in any combination. Original colors require some folding methods. For example, a rose or a Christmas tree will look much better in red or green than white.

Folding fabric items for table setting has a huge number of options. Below are the most popular step-by-step methods that will become useful knowledge in the arsenal of any hostess.

This option is perfect for a romantic dinner for two. In this way, you can fold both a fabric and a paper towel. It is very simple and does not require much time:

1. first you need to deploy the product, putting it face down on the table;
2. then it neatly folds in half into an equilateral triangle, the bend of which is wrapped a couple of centimeters, after which the whole structure is rolled up and a tube is obtained;
3. for tight fixation, wrap the extreme corner inward;
4. if the candle is too high, you can tuck the upper part.

This folding scheme is one of the most popular. The napkin unfolds face up and gradually turns into a fan in the well-known way:

1. starting from the top, a small strip is wrapped down, then the material is turned over and the action is performed again;
2. the process is repeated until the last strip is bent, after which the cloth napkin from below is folded in half into an accordion;
3. the fan itself is ready, and in order to make a stand, it should be clamped in the hand and carefully pull up the inner fold on both sides;
4. the resulting structure is fixed and dissolved.

This option will be a great addition to a table set for an official event. Outwardly, it looks like a cutlery pocket. It is not difficult to wrap a textile product in a sachet, for this you need to put it face up. First, the square material is folded in half, then a third of the upper part is turned down to obtain a central fold. The design flips over, and its two edges are connected in a neat center line. The procedure is repeated on this side, after which the sachet is ready and cutlery can be put inside.

For the New Year, the table is always decorated with special scrupulousness and taste. A great addition to the festive table setting will be fabric napkins folded in the form of a Christmas tree:

1. the napkin is folded in half into a rectangle, each corner of which is bent to the center;
2. the resulting bevels are wrapped towards the center to achieve a square shape;
3. the material is turned over and similar actions are repeated on this side;
4. in the upper part, the left corner is bent diagonally and hidden in the opposite side of the square, the same thing is done with the lower right corner, after which an equilateral triangle is obtained, which also folds in half;
5. To get a full-fledged Christmas tree, you need to make two such details and connect them together.

In addition to the standard options for folding fabric napkins, there are more original ones that guests will remember for a long time. You can make a table with your own flowers from napkins, various figures or a peacock.

This type of design will look very elegant and original. For this figure you will need two fabric napkins, the choice of color completely depends on the taste preferences of the hostess. The process of creating a bird is complex, but the end result is worth all the effort and time:

1. the napkin unfolds face down, the upper corners are bent so that a house turns out, then the bevels are wrapped twice and the structure is turned over;
2. the resulting quadrangle is folded and a peacock neck is formed, then the beak is bent and the first part of the bird is ready;
3. the next step is to create a tail, for which a piece of fabric is folded into a rectangular shape and bent accordion, not reaching the edge of five centimeters;
4. the resulting structure is doubled, and the upper corner is bent to the central part;
5. when both parts are ready, it remains only to combine them into one and get a gorgeous bird that will surprise even those guests who themselves are fond of the original ways of folding fabric napkins.

This option will add elegance and beauty to the festive table. For a fabric rose, you will need two pieces of fabric - one to twist the bud, the second for foliage.

The green napkin is folded in half into a triangle, then the action is repeated two more times and the resulting shape is placed in a glass so that the sheets seem to peek over the edges. The red napkin needs to be folded into a rectangle and folded into a bud, and then placed on a foliage.

Whatever method of folding cloth napkins you choose, always rely on the general theme of the holiday and your own taste preferences. It is important to remember that a good pastime depends not only on delicious dishes and a beautifully served table, but also on the general mood of all guests, as well as the correct behavior of the host of the evening.

There are other ways to fold napkins. This can be found in the next video.