How to Set Napkins for Guests at a Dinner Party

Although the first thing to disappear from a dinner table should be the napkins, choosing the right napkins and placing them attractively on the table is as crucial as having the right china pattern, silverware and centerpiece. These steps help you learn how to set napkins within a beautiful table setting.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Linen dinner napkins

Traditional Napkin Placement

1. Fold the napkins into rectangles and place them to the left of the forks. Place the folds toward the plates.

2. Put the folded napkins under the forks if there isn't enough space to place them beside the forks.

3. Save even more space at the table by placing the napkins on the plates.

Fans

4. Begin with a dinner napkin that has been folded in half. Place the fold nearest you, and starting at the bottom, make accordion pleats of 2/3 of the napkin.

5. Fold the napkin left to right with the pleats on the outside. The new fold should be on your left.

6. Pull the top right corners down to the bottom left and tuck them under the pleats.

7. Set the napkin on the plate and release. It should fan out beautifully.

Goblet Fan

8. Fold the napkin in half with the fold facing to your right.

9. Make accordion pleats from the bottom to the top.

10. Turn the napkin 90 degrees and fold the bottom third up. Holding the folded portion, place the napkin into the water goblet.

11. Spread the pleats to make an attractive fan shape.

Rosebud

12. Fold the napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle. The fold should be on the bottom.

13. Take each of the bottom corners and fold so they meet at the top corner. You now have a diamond shape.

14. Turn the napkin over and fold the bottom two-thirds of the napkin upward. Turn it over again and bring the outside corners together, tucking one into the other.

15. Stand the napkin on the plate.

Tips & Warnings

• Monogrammed napkins look beautiful, but are wasted if you can't display the monograms. Keep in mind how much room you will have at the table when deciding what napkins to use.