How beautiful to fold serving napkins?

Every housewife wants the festive table to look perfect. There are many ways to make its design beautiful: high-quality dishes, a good tablecloth, sparkling cutlery, neatly cut products and decorated dishes. But even before the dish appears on the table, I want to dilute the boring placement of appliances a la “knife on the left, fork on the right” with a little twist. Ordinary napkins will help with this.

It's no secret that the ways to give napkins an interesting shape are close to the origami technique. To beautifully fold napkins for table setting, you need to learn some universal basic tricks. The most popular of them:

• "Harmonic". It is needed for such simple shapes as a fan, butterfly or crane. The principle is intuitive, you just need to fold the entire napkin into an accordion with a rib width of 2-3 centimeters;
• "Book". A rectangular or square napkin folds in half. Depending on the scheme, on the smaller or larger side of the rectangle;
• "Doors". The square is visually divided vertically into two equal parts, both parts must be folded inward to the fold line;

• Triangle. Two opposite corners are diagonally aligned with each other. Roll along the front or back side, as indicated in the diagram. Paper napkins in this form can already be placed in holders;
• double triangle. The square is visually divided into 4 parts, two sides are tucked inwards along the central points, forming triangles with pockets inside;

• "Pancake". Making it is also very simple: just wrap each corner to the center point. The pancake can be multi-layered. Each time all the corners meet at a central point, the napkin is turned over and the procedure is repeated;
• Tie. The napkin needs to be placed in front of you like a rhombus, outline the center line, combine the side corners in the center.

They also sometimes include a double square, a pocket, a boat or a catamaran, a “frog”, a “bird” and a “fish”, which in themselves are not yet full-fledged figures, but have common features with them. However, these forms are too complicated for a beginner and not always easy to handle.

The correct beginning of the design of the table is not in the development of origami techniques with textile materials, but in the choice of napkins.Therefore, the desire to fold lilies and swallows from pieces of fabric should be postponed until later and carefully study the issue of choosing suitable napkins.

When choosing serving napkins, several criteria are important.

This is the first difference between napkins, depending on their purpose and the nature of the meal. So, for breakfast and tea parties, napkins measuring 25x25, 30x30 or 35x35 centimeters are enough. Napkins for serving for a dinner party or dinner, size 40x40cm. Sometimes there are larger options, with a square side of up to 50 cm. The most common napkins for decorating a festive table are from 50x50 to 60x60.

The size of the napkins is of fundamental importance when using them to decorate the table. The most suitable option is the average size. Too small napkins are convenient for shaping figures, but creases remain on them in large quantitiesas if the napkin was crumpled. Large fragments of fabric or paper are also of little use for complex decoration.

The classic, most common and most practical shape of napkins is the square. It is convenient to set the table with square napkins, laying them in different ways and combining them with each other. However, there are other forms that are less malleable for decoration, but sometimes irreplaceable. These can be napkins that have a rectangular shape with sharp edges, elongated with rounded corners, triangular, round and oval.

As a rule, there are no paper ones among them.This extends to textile serving sets, often complementing a cloth tablecloth.

Color and pattern is very important. Textile napkins should be identical in tone to the color of the tablecloth. It is allowed to repeat the pattern, if any, the presence of textured details, interesting edge processing, double-sided colors. If the design idea involves two tablecloths at the same time to decorate the table, the color of the napkins should match the bottom tablecloth.

Only plain napkins are folded. If they already have an active decor or a thematic pattern (flowers for March 8, snowflakes for the New Year and other popular colors), it is enough to beautifully place them in napkin holders. Origami in this case will already look like overkill. In addition, with a non-uniform color, it is difficult to see the fold lines.

This factor is perhaps the most important. The type of material determines whether the napkin figure will keep its shape, whether it drapes beautifully, how much it wrinkles, whether the serving element will withstand washing, or after the feast you will have to purchase a new set. The following materials are often used in serving:

• Linen. This material is practical, natural, easy to starch, looks beautiful and washes well. It is very convenient to use in order to fold napkins in non-trivial ways. There are few creases on the fabric. Linen napkins have a nice base color, so they are versatile in every way.
• Cotton. Different varieties of cotton also have positive qualities. They are not capricious in care, are easy to manipulate when decorating, absorb sauces and fat well, and are suitable for reusable use.Linen and cotton napkins can be combined with each other to create a beautiful decoration on the festive table.

• Silk. Rarely used due to the high cost and impracticality of the material. However, if the tablecloth is silk, napkins from the same material are needed. They don’t drape well, figures made of smooth material with a silky surface “spread”, so either a lot of starch or the simplest decor is required. For example, various sachets, a lying fan, triangles.
• Synthetics. For decoration, it is considered the most suitable option, but the material itself is unpleasant to the touch, does not absorb sauces or fat well, and may lose color after washing. These wipes are suitable for single use. It is advisable to have paper ones on hand as an alternative.
• Mixed fabrics. The most practical option for the price. In addition, mixed fabrics drape well and keep their shape, have absorbent properties, and wash off various stains.

• Paper. They are not customary to put in complex shapes. Paper napkins are needed for quick use. The most practical way is to place them in napkin holders on a table or in an access area. The modern assortment allows you to choose them to match textiles, from thick or thin paper, with or without texture.
• Parchment, PVC and bamboo. All three types are designed to protect fabric tablecloths, and they also serve as a stand for plates and cutlery and, as it were, limit the person sitting at the table beyond their size. This is very important for situations when a large number of guests gather at the festive table. Folding such napkins will not work. Maximum - roll into a beautiful roll.But their practicality is very high - such attributes are easy to combine with decorative napkins.

Do not forget that the decorative function of napkins is not paramount. They are necessary on the table for hygiene and convenience of guests. If you really want to impress everyone with skill, then in addition to complex fabric lotuses and boats, there should be ordinary paper napkins on the table, which are convenient to wet your mouth or fingers if necessary. The same applies to starching cloth napkins. Of course, they hold their shape better, but it will simply be impossible to use these standing napkins for their intended purpose.

There are a lot of options for how to fold napkins. Among them are universal geometric shapes (triangles, envelopes, double squares, sachets and others), romantic flowers, themed figurines (Christmas trees for the New Year's table, rings for a wedding celebration, Christmas snowflakes, ties, handbags), animals (for a children's holiday or symbol of the year), non-trivial forms.

They master the technique from simple figures to more complex ones.

The fan is a classic table decoration. There are several variations of it. The first involves the use of auxiliary materials, in addition to a napkin: soft cardboard and beautiful braid or ribbon.

To get a fan with a holder, you need to put a square napkin in front of you like a rhombus so that the corners are in a vertical line.Fold the rhombus in half, iron the fold with your fingers, leaving a noticeable line, and unfold. Then, from the center line, with a step of 2-2.5 cm, fold the resulting triangles into an accordion. The resulting fan is inserted into a cardboard holder.

The holder is prepared as follows: an oval 3-5 cm wide and 6-10 cm long is cut out of soft cardboard (velvet paper can be used). The length and width depend on the splendor of the fan. At a distance of 1 cm from each rounded edge of the oval, holes are made with a hole punch. A ribbon, braid or cord is inserted into the holes. A napkin fan is placed in the resulting holder, the cord is tightened and tied with a beautiful bow or knot. You can decorate the holder with inscriptions for the celebration.

The second common option is a standing fan. It's called Peacock's Tail.

The napkin should be laid out on a flat surface face down, folded in half into a “book”. Expand the narrow side to the edge of the table and start to form folds from it. Not along the entire length, only to the middle of the napkin. The ideal crease width is the thickness of the index finger.

When the assembly is finished, holding all the folds one on top of the other, you need to bend the napkin in half in width. It turns out a rectangle, which has a bottom assembly, and a free edge on top. The upper left edge must be bent diagonally into a triangle and tucked between the folds.

Aesthetically looks on the table "Asian fan". The sequence of actions is as follows:

• Lay the napkin face down on a flat surface.
• Bend the top edge inward one-fourth the width of the napkin.
• Turn over to the front side.
• Bend inward the bottom edge by one third of the width of an already rectangular figure.
• Fold the resulting rectangle in half along a horizontal line.
• From a strip of fabric, gathering it along the width of the rectangle, fold an accordion from 5 identical folds.
• Hold the lower edge of the "accordion" with your hand, and in the upper edge straighten the edges that go inward.
• Unleash the fan. If the napkin is starched and hard enough, it will press the supporting part of the figure with its weight. If not, then the folds must be fixed with a clip, then the napkin will acquire an exclusively decorative function.

The "floristic" theme in folding napkins is very popular. Flowers look beautiful, do not require special skill for execution, are appropriate for almost any celebration.

Laconic and elegant option - calla. This simple flower is done step by step:

• Fold the square shape into a basic triangle shape, put the triangle with a single corner up.
• Take the upper corner of the triangle by the edge and wrap the entire napkin into a narrow bag with a diameter of no more than 1 cm.
• Turn the wide part of the bag so that its narrowest part is inside the open flower bowl.
• Put the resulting flower on a plate.

Another easy-to-perform and very popular option by March 8 is a tulip.

It is done as follows:

• Fold the napkin into a basic triangle shape and turn it upside down.
• Bend the top of the triangle to the center point of the base from the bottom up. In appearance, the figure resembles a simple schematic boat.
• Fold the left and right edges of the “boat” down, slightly overlapping each other, so that in the middle between them the tongue of the top of the triangle looks out.Now the figure looks like two isosceles triangles superimposed on each other, the vertices of which look in opposite directions to the right and left. The horizontal line between them (can be noted visually, can be laid with a pencil) is the fold line. According to it, the lower corner of the first upper, then the lower triangle is bent upward.
• The tulip is already visible, it remains only to tuck the protruding left and right corners behind the “back” of the figure and tuck one end into the other so that the flower does not unfold.

A little more difficult is the lily. The first step is the same as when forming a calla - the square must be folded into a triangle and placed in front of you. The left corner is point A, the top is B, the right is C. The edges of the napkin need to be tucked inward so that the tops of corners A and C coincide with the top of corner B. You should get a rhombus. It must be folded in half horizontally, bend the top of the upper triangle to the bottom edge. It remains only to put the napkin on the table or plate and bend the side "petals".

There is also a complicated version of the lily - royal. It requires napkins that hold their shape well, otherwise the petals will not be visible. Actions are performed sequentially:

• Fold a square napkin into a basic pancake shape (repeat twice).
• Press the second layer of the "pancake" with the bottom of the glass (corners connected in the center).
• Turn the bottom edge of each square outward, it should form a petal.
• After holding the glass for a while so that the napkin takes shape, remove it and place the lily on a dish.

Similar to a royal lily, but more original is the Artichoke.To get this figure, the square napkin needs to be bent three times with the corners towards the center, turning over each time after all the corners are connected at the center point.

Then, as in the case of the lily, you need to draw out the bottom of all four triangles that have turned out as a result. It is advisable to hold the middle of the figure with your hand or with an improvised press in the form of a glass. It is not necessary to stretch the lower "petals" much. They should rise up a little. Under the flower, a square substrate is obtained from a napkin. The artichoke is ready.

A common and beautiful way is to fold serving napkins with a rose.

The procedure is as follows:

• Fold the fabric napkin into a basic triangle shape.
• Starting from the base of the resulting triangle, roll it into a loose "sausage", leaving the upper edge 7-10 cm free.
• Roll the “sausage” from left to right into a snail, fill the very edge inside the snail so that it does not unwind.
• Take the corners of the protruding triangle and straighten them to the sides.
• The lower petals are formed, you can turn the rose over and put it in the allotted place.

The theme of animals becomes relevant on the eve of Easter (chickens and rabbits) and the New Year (a symbol of the coming year in the form of a dog, horse, rooster and other animals). A napkin in the form of a bunny, a fox or a raccoon will appeal to the children at a children's party.

A simple and accessible figure - a bunny or a rabbit. To do this, first of all, the napkin must be folded in half twice along the same side to a rectangle. Then repeat a series of actions:

• Having outlined a vertical line in the middle of the rectangle, bend the narrow edges of the rectangle inward so that the upper edge of the right and left sides passes through this vertical. You should get a figure similar to a blank for a paper airplane with beveled top edges.
• Bend the left and right corners of the base of the figure inward to make a rhombus.

• The previous fold lines formed a straight vertical line down the center of the diamond. Focusing on it, you need to bend the left and right sides of the figure in half so that the lower left and lower right edges of the rhombus coincide with this vertical. The shape now resembles the basic "tie" shape, only it expands from bottom to top instead of top to bottom.
• "Tie" must be turned "back" to you. In the upper part, on the right and on the left, there will be the two most protruding points. They form a horizontal fold line along which the upper triangular part of the "tie" must be folded down.
• Turn the figure over to the front again. It should look like a triangle upside down. A pocket is formed at each corner of the base.
• The triangle is folded with the edges inward, one edge is hidden in the pocket of the other.
• The figure is turned from top to bottom and from the front to the back. At this stage, the "muzzle" and "ears" of the hare are already visible. It remains to spread them with your fingers and put the figure on a plate.

It is also possible to make a rabbit or a hare out of paper napkins, but without adding volume to the figure. It is not necessary to put such a napkin, you can simply put it on a table or dish. Flat figures turn out faster, wrinkle less, and it is easier to guess the features of this or that animal in them.

In addition to universal colors and isolated cases of using various animal schemes, there are a large number of figures suitable for completely different celebrations. These can be napkins in the form of candles for the New Year's table, rings for a wedding celebration, figurines of tuxedos for a bachelor party, Christmas trees, snowflakes, ties, palm trees, boats and much more. If you use not fabric, but paper napkins, you can take absolutely any origami scheme as a basis. Several workouts, and figures of varying degrees of complexity will be obtained in one minute.

If you don't have time to exercise without any preparation it is very easy to make a candle. With its help, it turns out to beautifully set the table for conservative events.

You will need a square napkin folded into a basic “triangle” shape, or a triangular napkin. You need to fold it, starting from the base of the triangle. "Sausage" should come out of nine-tenths of the triangle, and the very last part - a small triangle, remains free. Now the "Sausage" is folded diagonally, not strictly in half, but so that one end rises slightly above the other. The place of the fold must be wrapped with the remaining triangle so that the candles do not fall apart.

An actual way for Valentine's Day is to set a table for two using heart napkins.

Step-by-step scheme of actions:

• Fold the triangle with the base at the bottom, smooth it well so that the corners of the top coincide as accurately as possible.
• First, connect the right, then the left corners of the base to the top to make a rhombus.
• The upper right edge of the rhombus is visually divided in half. From the midpoint, draw a perpendicular line to the middle of the opposite side. This will be the fold line. Only the triangle bends, the rhombus at the bottom remains intact.

• Along the fold line, the upper part of the triangle must be turned inward, as if hidden in a pocket. Repeat the same steps on the left side. Against the background of the rhombus, a schematic heart is already visible.
• Now you need to turn the figure "back" to you. It looks like a rhombus without additional lines. This rhombus is bent horizontally in half.
• Turn the figure over again on the front side, and you can put the finished heart on a plate.

It is impossible not to note the figurines for the most beloved winter holiday - the New Year. His symbol, of course, is a Christmas tree.

It is correct to start creating this figure from the base "book". Then it is folded in half vertically. It turns out a rhombus, in which the lower part turns away with a pocket in 4 layers. Each layer is alternately bent from the bottom up. The new top should recede 1-2 cm from the top of the previous layer. Then the figure is turned back up, face down. The left edge is folded to the right side, the right edge to the left, resulting in a "tie", tapering to the bottom. The "tie" is turned back down again, face up.

The shape of the Christmas tree is already visible, it is formed by triangles, the corners of which are directed downwards.Alternately, starting from the very first, they need to be bent up. The corner of the first remains free - this is the top of the Christmas tree, the rest are tucked under the previous layer.

Not too pretentious and complex, but at the same time, original ways to fold a napkin exist to create an envelope with one pocket or several. They are in demand for formal and semi-formal events. It can be all the celebrations associated with marriage, events where people who are unfamiliar with each other meet, corporate parties and business meetings.

A horizontal sachet is made up of a basic “book” shape turned horizontally into a rectangle. The rectangle should open at the top.

Putting it in front of you (front side inside), you need to bend the top layer of the rectangle down one third of the width. Then fold both sides inward so that the edges meet in the middle. Turn the resulting figure inward again and turn it over so that there is a one-piece pocket on the front side. Cutlery is placed in this pocket.

A sachet envelope with a guest card and cutlery is simply indispensable at mass events where most guests do not know each other.

Actions are performed in the following sequence:

• Fold the napkin with a book, and then in half vertically to get the same blank as for the Christmas tree.
• Put the diamond-shaped blank in front of you with the free edge down. Bend all free layers from bottom to top one by one, retreating from the previous top from 0.5 to 1.5 cm.
• Bend the bottom edge 2-3 cm and iron with your thumb.
• Fold the edges to the center of the napkin, tucking one under the other so that the sachet does not fall apart. A card with the name of the guest is inserted into the smallest bottom pocket, cutlery can be placed in the top pocket or next to it.

A sachet envelope with a pocket for a guest card without cutlery can be compared to a bag. It is carried out step by step:

• Make a blank as for a Christmas tree, but place the free edge of the rhombus on top.
• Bend the top two layers from top to bottom with an indent of 1-2 cm.
• Turn the napkin upside down.
• Lay the corners of the rhombus on top of each other, tucking the edge of one under the other.
• Return the napkin to its original position. The topmost pocket is for a name card.

You need to start folding the “bag” for cutlery from the wrong side (it is interesting in this case that double-sided napkins or options with a pattern look). Fold the napkin with the base “book” so that the drawing or front side is inside. Then again fold across the width into a square. It turns out already a familiar basis for the Christmas tree and a sachet for appliances.

Unfold the diamond-shaped base in front of you with the free edge up. Bend from top to bottom with an indent between the layers of the first three layers. Turn over to the other side and bend the corners of the rhombus inward so that the edges meet in the middle and get a “tie”. Flip again to the other side. The bag is ready, it remains to invest the appliances.

You can decorate the table with napkins in different ways. However, it is important to follow a few simple rules when choosing shapes and materials:

• Napkins must be of high quality;
• The figures unfold without difficulty for the guest;
• Plain napkins always look better than gaudy ones;
• Napkins can be of different colors if guests are seated at several tables, but the fabric and design should be the same, as well as the shapes that are made up of them;

Ideas for decorating napkins must be coordinated with the reason for the feast. Complex paper figures (snowflakes, voluminous flowers and animals) will be appropriate as decor for home and children's celebrations. In addition to them, full napkin holders should be freely available. Textile strict sachets are attributes of business meetings and official events.

For large celebrations (anniversaries, weddings), a more expensive option, but justifying its price with aesthetic qualities, is provided - a napkin ring. Among them there are products made of metals, wood, glass, ceramics, textiles, paper (disposable). They are made in a very different style and organically complement both an airy, whipped napkin and any figure, from a double tube to a flower.

How to beautifully fold paper napkins for table setting (6 easy ways), see the following video.