The Techniques for Folding Napkins

From a fan to a swan, folded napkins add a touch of elegance to any place setting. With the introduction of the napkin to mealtime, the nobility began employing folding techniques to impress their guests. While you might not be serving any royalty at your table, folding napkins either at a party, wedding or any other event is fun and simple, and lends a bit of class to any gathering. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Napkins

Select napkins for folding that have firmly woven threads. Linen and cotton are the most commonly used, seen in restaurants and at banquets. They will hold their form better than most other materials when folded.

Starching

Lightly starching napkins before ironing them makes them easier to fold. Always iron and starch the napkins to both make them slightly stiffer and to remove any creases that may detract from the overall appearance of the napkin as well as throw off any folds.

Folding

Folding is the most important part of creating elegant napkins. Take time with each fold to make it perfect and even. Press down firmly and run your fingers along the crease to ensure the fibers in the napkin do not attempt to go back to their original shape. Do this with each fold. While it may be time consuming, it pays off in the end with a napkin that keeps its shape and its elegance.

Ironing

While ironing the napkin right out of the dryer may be one thing, some napkin folds require ironing a second time to accentuate their folds and keep them in place. The classic example of this is the fan napkin, which graces the tables at many restaurants and is popular for wedding settings. The pleats, or accordion folds, made in the napkin should have a quick press on top when folded, to ensure they maintain their shape when spread out into a fan.

Quick Folds

When in a rush, choose a quick fold for a fancy napkin. The table edge form, where the two sides are drawn towards the middle and placed on the table setting, is the fastest. However, gathering the napkin together and inserting it in a goblet produces both a finished look to the table setting and a slightly more casual one due to the arrangement of the napkin. The lovers knot is also another quick and easy fold that adds a look of elegance to a place setting due to its elongated shape.