How to Fold Cloth Napkins: 28 Different Ways

Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or having a casual Sunday night supper, a beautifully set table helps create a warm and inviting ambiance. Cloth napkins are not just practical, they're also a nice decorative accent and a great way to add a note of color and pattern, or enhance a theme. When it comes to folding them, there are countless creative ways; some are best suited for relaxed meals while others work well for more formal dining events.

Here are several different ways to fold cloth napkins so you can make your next table setting extra special.

The 9 Best Cloth Napkins

The Diagonal Pocket Fold

This classic napkin fold makes for an elegant touch and provides a spot for you to insert silverware, a sprig of fresh herbs or a flower stem.

1. Place napkin on flat surface with the design or monogram side down.
2. Pick up the top two corners and bring them over to the bottom two corners, folding the napkin in half.
3. Fold it over in half again to make a square.
4. Take the corner of the top napkin layer and bring it over to the corner diagonally opposite it.
5. Flip it over, fold it in half from left to right, then flip it over again.

What you'll end up with is a diagonal pocket on the bottom half of the napkin that you can use to hold various practical or decorative accents.

The Casual Napkin Ring Fold

If you want to add an extra decorative layer to your napkin, add a napkin ring. They come in various colors, finishes and textures, and you can attach a name tag or insert a flower spring for a festive touch. This is an incredibly quick and easy fold that works for both a relaxed and a slightly dressier table, and looks especially nice when linen napkins are used.

1. Take your cloth napkin and place it on a flat surface face side up. Pinch the center of the napkin gently and hold it up.
2. Still holding onto it, feed it through the napkin ring, so that the ring is about halfway down the napkin.
3. Fluff both ends of the napkin so they look nice and full before placing it on or next to a plate.

The Fan Fold

For a more formal table, consider folding your cloth napkins into a fan. Napkins from a stiffer material that are nicely pressed will work best with this method as they'll hold the fan shape better.

1. Take your napkin and place it face side down on a flat surface.
2. Pick up the top two corners and bring them down to the bottom two corners, folding the napkin in half.
3. Start an accordion fold, about an inch to two inches wide. Continue folding the napkin until you are about two folds' worth away from the other short end.
4. Take the folded napkin, holding the accordion side with your left hand and the non-folded side with your right. Fold the entire napkin in half over your left hand, then lay it down on a flat surface positioning the accordion portion on top.
5. Lift the bottom left corner of the napkin (that's the unfolded corners) and fold it up diagonally, tucking it inside the folded accordion corner. Press it down so you have a nice, neat fold. You should end up with a triangle shaped overhang.
6. Turn the napkin over so the triangle shape is on the bottom and the folded accordion ends are at the top, then unfold the fan and spread out the folds so they are even.

The Roll

Roll a napkin into a cylinder shape and add a napkin ring or tie it with some twine or ribbon, depending on how formal or casual the meal you are serving is.

1. Place the napkin face side down on a flat surface. Take the top and bottom right corners and bring them over to the top and bottom left corners, so you end up with a vertical rectangle.
2. Starting on the side with the fold, gently and loosely begin to roll the napkin jelly roll style to make a cylinder shape.
3. Feed it through a napkin ring (in which case you will want to adjust it once the ring is on) or tie it with a piece of ribbon so that it stays rolled.

The Envelope

This design is both simple and sophisticated, making it an ideal choice for sealing a printed menu, a party favor, or any other creative use you can imagine.

1. Fold a square napkin from corner to corner to form a triangle.
2. Tuck in both pointed ends twice.
3. Tuck in the top flap to form your envelope.

The Drape

1. Lay your napkin flat with any monogram or design it may have on the underside of the bottom right corner.
2. Fold the left half over the right.
3. Fold in half again, this time from bottom to top.
4. Turn the napkin so the design is at the bottom, and it forms a diamond as opposed to a square.
5. Flip it over and fold the top corner one-third of the way down.
6. Fold the right and left corners in at an angle so that the napkin forms a diamond.
7. Turn it over to display.

The Double Diamond

1. Fold a square napkin on the diagonal to form a triangle.
2. Bring the two bottom corners to meet the top. This will create a square.
3. Flip the napkin over and fold up the bottom corner to whatever length you desire—about halfway.
4. Tuck under the corners to create a rectangular shape with the diamond at the top.

The Bow

Making a bow out of your napkin will add a fun touch to your table and certainly dress it up.

1. Lay your dinner napkin flat.
2. Fold it diagonal to make a triangle.
3. Fold the top and bottom of the triangle inward towards the center about one-third of the way.
4. Fold in half and you will end up with a long strip. Press.
5. Lay the strip horizontally and flip down both ends one-third of the way so they cross over each other.
6. Use a napkin ring to pinch the center of the bow you've made.

The Plate Wrap

1. Lay a square dinner napkin flat.
2. Fold it into thirds from top to bottom.
3. Flip the napkin over onto a small plate and tuck the ends of it underneath the plate.
   

You can set a name card, flower or dinner menu on top of the wrapped napkin and plate.

The Four Leaf Clover

Napkins shaped like four-leaf clovers would be a wonderful touch around St. Patrick's Day. Once you've formed your clover-shaped napkins, add a festive touch to each by anchoring the center with a St. Patrick’s Day-themed bauble.

1. Fold each corner of a square napkin into the center, creating a smaller square.
2. Fold corners in again into the center.
3. Flip over and fold each corner to meet in the center.
4. Hold down the center of the napkin with one finger. Fluff out the bottom of each corner, creating each clover leaf.
   

The Bunny

Mastering the bunny fold will help make your Easter feast more festive.

1. Fold the napkin into thirds.
2. Fold lower corners up to meet in the center. This will give you a paper-airplane shape.
3. Place an egg on the newly pointed tip and tie "ears" above it with a ribbon.
   

The Carrot

1. Lay a square napkin in front of you.
2. Fold it evenly in half to form a rectangle.
3. Fold in half again to form an even smaller square.
4. Roll the napkin into a cone shape and tuck in the ends.
5. Cut leaf shapes from green crepe paper. Roll and tuck them into the open end of the cone to create your "carrot".

The Triple Pocket

1. Fold a square napkin in half from the bottom to the top.
2. Fold the napkin in half again, this time from left to right. All open corners should be at the top right.
3. Fold back the open top corner layer little by little until it's just past the center of the napkin.
4. Take the second layer from the open corner and tuck the tip under the layer you just folded back.
5. Repeat with the third layer at the open corner.
6. Fold the right side under so you have a vertical rectangle with three pockets.

The Lotus

The lotus is a beautiful flower, and you can create its shape with your dinner napkin.

1. Fold each corner of a square napkin into the center. This will form a smaller square.
2. Flip over and fold each corner into the center again.
3. Pull up the flap from underneath at each corner to create the petals of the flower while using your finger to hold down the center point of the napkin.

The Flower Vase

1. Fold the top right and bottom left corners of a square napkin into the center so they meet.
2. Flip over, and fold front-facing half of napkin up, but leave the left flap unfolded for now.
3. Reach underneath napkin and unfold the right fold so it lays flat.
4. Roll napkin around a small vase, tuck in the end, and fold down the top corners along the vase’s edge.

You can now fill the vase with water and add whatever flowers you wish to your bouquet.

The Diamond Pocket

1. Fold a square dinner napkin in half and face the open end of the newly made rectangle toward you.
2. Fold it in half again to make a smaller square.
3. Rotate to where the open corner is facing away from you.
4. Fold the open corner of the top layer almost in half to the bottom corner. Press.
5. Fold the next two layers the same leaving a small space in between corners. Do not fold the last corner.
6. Tuck the corners underneath the napkin about one-third of the way on either side.

The Knot

1. Lay a square dinner napkin completely flat.
2. Gather the corners of the napkin at the top left and bottom right.
3. Tuck the corners into the center of the bundle.
4. Tie the napkin in a tight or loose knot, depending on the look you'd like to achieve.
   
   

The Leaf

1. Fold your square napkin on the diagonal to form a triangle shape.
2. Take the top corner down towards the center of the napkin.
3. Make an accordion fold back and forth along the length of the napkin in about 2-inch increments. This will give you a long strip. Press firmly.
4. Fold it in half and match the remaining two corners together. Let the pleats fall open to create your leaf shape.

You can leave this napkin loose and lay it gently or add a napkin ring or ribbon to the base.

The Fan

1. Place your square napkin design side down.
2. Fold in half on the vertical. Make sure the seams are aligned.
3. Accordian-fold the napkin starting at the bottom. Try to keep each fold the same size so they align correctly.
4. Stop folding when you're about four inches away from the top edge.
5. Flip over and fold in half again lengthwise. Smooth out any wrinkles.
6. Fold the top right corner down towards the accordion folds forming a triangle, and tuck the corner into the center.
7. Stand upright and fan it out.

The Heart

A heart-shaped napkin would make a lovely touch on Valentine's Day or for an anniversary dinner.

1. Fold the napkin in half on the vertical.
2. Fold in half on the vertical again.
3. Fold the right side of the napkin up vertically and then repeat with the left side.
4. Tuck the center flaps under to begin the top part of your heart.
5. Tuck the corner flaps underneath to finish your heart shape.

The Bird of Paradise

1. Fold a square napkin in half.
2. Fold again in quarters to form a smaller square.
3. Fold in half on the diagonal to create a triangle.
4. Turn the triangle napkin so the tip is pointed away from you.
5. Fold the top right corner diagonally towards you and along the centerline. Repeat with the top left corner.
6. Fold the two newly created "wings" under. You should have a triangle shape once again.
7. Fold the triangle in half by bringing the center crease towards you.
8. Hold the base firmly to keep the folds in place and pull up the flaps. These are the feathers of your bird.

The Rose

1. Lay your square napkin flat.
2. Fold it in half on the diagonal. You now have a triangle.
3. Roll it up from the bottom to the top about halfway.
4. Turn the napkin over so the rolls are underneath, with the long side nearest you. It will resemble a triangle with two "tails."
5. Roll up the "tail" edges until they reach each other and tuck the open end into the pocketed space created at the bottom. It will resemble a candle at this point.
6. Pull the flaps that have been created down and open up the pillar.
7. Turn the napkin over and you will have a rose shape.

The Tree

This is a good method to have in your pocket for those Holiday celebrations.

1. Fold your square napkin in half. Repeat so that it's a quarter of its original square.
2. Position the napkin in a diamond shape with the open corners facing you. Fold each corner up in a descending row, beginning with the top fold.
3. Flip over and fold into thirds. Turn back over.
4. Flip the top flap up, then tuck the next flap under it to create rows of Christmas tree branches.
5. Tuck the remaining layer under the napkin once you've reached the fourth row.
   

The Square Fold

1. Fold the napkin on the diagonal to make a triangle.
2. Fold the two bottom corners to meet the top. This creates the square.
3. Turn the napkin over and fold up the bottom corner about halfway.
4. Tuck under the left and right corners.

The Triangular Fold

1. Fold one corner of your square napkin to the opposite corner. Face the open tip end of the triangle shape away from you.
2. Take the right end and fold it up to meet the tip. Repeat on the left side. You should now have a diamond shape.
3. Flip over and face the open end away from you.
4. Fold downwards in half.
5. Fold the napkin in half again along the center line, and you will have a standing triangle or "pyramid" shape.
   

The Cone Fold

1. Lay a square-shaped dinner napkin flat.
2. Fold it evenly in half to form a rectangle.
3. Fold in half again to form an even smaller square.
4. Roll it in a skinny cone shape and tuck in the ends.

The Star

1. Fold a square napkin into a diamond by bringing the four corners to the center, creating a diamond shape.
2. Create a smaller square by folding the four corners of the diamond into the center.
3. Flip the napkin over and fold the four corners in once again. This will create an even smaller diamond.
4. Pull out the bottom fold of each corner of the diamond and pull the fabric outward. Repeat for all four corners to create a star-shaped flower.
   

The Pendant

1. Fold your square napkin in half from left to right.
2. Fold the top right corner into the middle and repeat with the left. This will form a triangular point at the top of the rectangle.
3. Repeat the corner folds at the bottom of the bottom edge of the napkin.
4. Fold the bottom point upwards and the top point downwards so they meet in the center.
5. Flip the napkin over and fold the top left corner into the middle. Repeat with the left.
6. Fold the bottom corners in the same fashion up towards the center of the napkin.
7. Flip it over to face your "pendant" design up.