Cloth napkins add some elegance to even the most casual meal, and also for people that are dedicated to going green, it is more responsible to wash and reuse fabric napkins than to clutter landfills using paper ones. Napkins can be placed anywhere on a table, but putting them on the plate is both appealing and convenient.
Folded Flat
Scrub square napkins in half lengthwise. Fold them in half crosswise so you’ve got a square. Place the square in the center of your plate, then either squared off with the table edge, or bend it 1/4 flip so that it forms a diamond shape on the plate. Fold rectangular napkins in half short side to short sideeffects. Fold them in half in the same direction so you’ve got a very long, narrow rectangle. Center the rectangle on the plate with one short side parallel with the table’s edge and the fold on the right.
Rolled with Flatware
This system is often used to set a table when the guests will be serving themselves in a sideboard or buffet. Scrub your napkin in half and place your flatware on top near the right edge. Fold the right edge above the flatware toward the lefthand. Roll the napkin and flatware to the left before the flatware is completely encased in the napkin. Tie a pretty ribbon or some raffia around the napkin for a decorative touch.
Napkin Rings
Napkin rings was personalized to ensure that family members and immediately guests could identify their individual napkins to be used at a number of meals between launderings. Today they are merely a bit of additional decoration on a casual table, since napkin rings aren’t used in formal place settings. Fold your napkin into a square and pull one point up through the napkin ring. You may also fold or roll up the napkin to a long rectangle or cylinder and then slip the napkin over it. Set the napkin in its band in the center of the plate to that it forms a very long vertical line in the table edge toward the center.
Origami Folds
Fancy napkin folds are an unexpected way to add a little bit of elegance or whimsy to your table. One of the easiest and most widely used origami napkin folds is the crown. Place your napkin flat on a diagonal so that one corner is pointing in your chest. Fold the bottom line up so it’s touching the top point. Fold the two corners up and in to ensure their points are touching the very best point. Fold the bottom line up two-thirds of the way toward the top point, and then fold it back down toward you. Flip the napkin over. Fold the two sides in until you are able to bend one into the pocket in the bottom of another. Turn the napkin back above and stand it up. Fold the two inner spray points. It really looks a bit more like a jester’s cap or a Bishop’s mitre than a crown when it is completed, so if yours looks like one of these items, you’ve done it properly.