How to Fold Napkin and Rings

creative ways to fold napkins for the dinner table. She demonstrates a chic napkin roll and also a more traditional pocket fold--and shares ideas for creative napkin rings.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• linen napkins ribbon raffia cookie cutters bangles flowers chopsticks

1. Step A Simple Pocket Fold (figure A)--Start with a square napkin and take the bottom edges of the napkin and fold the napkin up one third of the way.
   
   Take the top edges and fold the top edge down, covering the first fold, leaving about 3" at the bottom.
   
   Flip the napkin over. Start at the left side and fold the napkin in thirds from left to right.
   
   Use the pocket to hold a flower, a stem of fresh herbs, silverware, a menu card, and more. The possibilities are endless
2. Step B Chic Napkin Roll (figure B)--This roll is simple, yet gorgeous. Start with a square napkin (linen or cotton will give the best results). Fold the napkin in half once.
   
   Starting from the right side, roll in the edge of the fabric toward the center, forming a tube shape. Stop rolling when you reach the halfway point.
   
   Start from the left side and do exactly the same thing, roll the fabric towards the center until you have a double tube.
   
   Napkins Rings and Decorations--For napkin rolls, you will usually need to secure them. Use a pretty ribbon or even a bangle. You can also use raffia.
   
   Simple accents are also great to add a personal touch to any napkin--like flower blossoms, a home-printed napkin ring with a poem, quote or name. For Thanksgiving you might print quotes about gratitude on each guest's napkin and read them before dinner. Cookie cutters make great napkin rings and then the guests have a favor to take home!
3. Step C Another simple way to place a napkin is to pick the napkin up and put a finger underneath the napkin in the middle. Then, place your hand around the outside middle of the napkin and slide a napkin ring on the napkin and pull it down some (figure C).
   
   Keep an extra napkin or two on hand in case of spills--they are bound to happen. You can place it flat on the tabletop to create a "fresh" place setting.

Tips & Warnings

• Step D-You can purchase place card holders for napkins at party supply stores. Simple write your guests name on the tag and wrap the tag around the napkin--it then becomes the napkin ring (figure D). Themed napkins are also good. For the simple pocket fold, do an Asian theme by putting chopsticks in the pocket. For a Hawaiian theme, use a Hawaiian flower or a drink umbrella. Don't think your plates have to be gorgeous, you can make the table great by using creative napkins. Use patterned napkins--ones with a sports team logo for a super bowl party. Be creative--the napkins don't always need to be white.