A beautifully folded napkin is the perfect finishing touch for any dining table and can add that little extra something to special occasions.
In this article, we’ve got over 75 napkin folding ideas for you to try. We've split them into occasions so it’s easy to find the right napkin fold for your table.
You’ll discover how to fold napkins for all occasions. With everything from Christmas napkins to Thanksgiving napkins, Easter napkins and much more. Each idea has a tutorial with easy-to-follow instructions.
If you have an occasion in mind, skip to that section using the menu below.
Jump to:
- 24 fancy napkin folding ideas
- 18 Christmas napkin folding ideas
- 13 Thanksgiving napkin folding ideas
- 18 Easter napkin folding ideas
- 5 Napkin folding ideas for wedding
- 5 cloth napkin folding ideas
- 5 paper napkin folding ideas
How to fold a napkin: 75+ napkin folding ideas
24 fancy napkin folding ideas
If you’re hosting an elegant soiree, then you’ll need napkins to match. With our fancy napkin ideas, you can elevate your table and make it look like a million dollars!
We’ve got plenty of ideas for you including the classic swan napkin, a crisply folded pinwheel and a chic fan napkin.
Each idea contains a step-by-step tutorial on how to do each fold. They’re all suitable for beginners as we’ve only chosen easy napkin folding ideas.
In the round-up, you’ll find a mixture of colours, napkin types and styles, so there’s something for every taste.
Here’s a flavour of fancy napkin folding ideas:
1. Rose napkin fold
Fold a delicate rose with paper napkins and a glass. By layering the napkins, you’ll create a detailed rose with ease. Check out the full tutorial from Cooking with Manuela.
2. The bow tie
You can’t get much fancier than donning Black Tie for dinner! Make your table match with these stylish bow tie napkins from Nadine Stay.
3. The Fleur-de-Lis napkin
Yes, it’s as fancy as it sounds! The Fleur-de-Lis is a fan-style napkin and, in this case, is held together in a wine glass. Check the full tutorial from Napkin Folding Guide.
Check out more fancy napkin folding ideas.
18 Christmas napkin folding ideas
Christmas dinner is arguably the best part of Christmas Day! It’s when all the family comes together to eat, drink and be merry.
That’s why having your Christmas table looking its best will add a touch of magic to your meal. The finishing touch to any table is an artfully folded napkin. It’s the first thing your guests will see as they sit down at your table.
We’ve collected our favourite Christmas napkin folding ideas, with everything from Christmas trees and mini elf hats to stars and bows.
Here’s a couple of cute Christmas napkin folding ideas to get you started:
1. Christmas tree napkin fold
Folding your napkins into Christmas trees is an easy and cute way to make your Christmas table look stand out. Get the full tutorial from The Inspirational Nook.
2. Crown napkin fold
The crown napkin is great for your Christmas table especially when paired with winter foliage like holly and berries. Find the full tutorial at Sewlicious Home Decor.
3. The bread basket napkin fold
Everyone loves a freshly baked bread roll. Make a bread basket with napkin folds with this tutorial from Redefining Domestics. If you want to make it extra festive, fill the basket with warm mince pies instead of rolls.
Find the rest of the Christmas napkin folding ideas.
13 Thanksgiving napkin folding ideas
Thanksgiving is a time for appreciating your home, family and friends. It’s celebrated in the fall at the end of November so is often influenced by fall colours and themes.
When decorating your autumn table you can draw inspiration from nature, choosing natural colours, wooden candles and an orange or natural brown colour scheme.
In our round-up, you’ll have plenty of ideas including a fun turkey napkin fold, a bold maple leaf and a plump pumpkin. Here’s a few folds you’ll love:
1. Personalised leaf napkins
Incorporate place names into your napkin fold with this relaxed design by Pretty Handy Girl. Use natural colours for a fall aesthetic.
2. Autumnal napkin fold
This gorgeous fold will work wonders for your autumnal table when created with dark orange napkins. Get the full tutorial with BHG.
3. Turkey napkin fold
Of course, we need a turkey napkin fold in our Thanksgiving round-up. For a fun take on this design try the tutorial from DID With Caz Oshay.
Make your table look like a fall dream with the rest of our Thanksgiving napkin folding ideas.
15 Easter napkin folding ideas
With birds chirping and the sun brightening our homes, spring is a glorious time to sit down for Sunday lunch with family and friends.
Decorating your table for Easter lunch means taking inspiration from spring. That’s soft pastel colours, blooming flowers and bustling wildlife.
Once you’ve planned your spring table, you can add the finishing touch with our Easter napkin folding ideas.
In this round-up, we’ve included everything from the cutest bunny napkins to bright daffodil napkin folds.
Here’s a few fun napkin folds for Easter to get you started:
1. Rosemary wrap napkin fold
Keep your table simple and scented with this rosemary napkin fold by Sanctuary Home Decor.
2. Fresh flower napkin folds
Incorporate fresh flowers into your napkin folds for a spring feel. Check out what Knock off Decor has done.
3. Yellow fan napkin fold
Keep it light and breezy with the yellow fan napkins by Confessions of an Overworked Mom. Choose soft pastel colours for an Easter look.
Discover more Easter napkin folding ideas.
5 Napkin folding ideas for wedding
Your wedding day is a super special moment in your life, so make sure your napkins reflect the grace and beauty of the day.
Traditionally cloth napkins are used for wedding tables, but a high-quality paper napkin will also do the trick.
We’ve rounded up our favourite wedding napkins for you to browse so you can make sure your reception tables look stunning.
1. Bold striped wedding napkins
If you’re hoping for a bold wedding look, pair striped napkins with gold plates. This wedding table design by Little Black Book is a lovely example of contrasting colours working together. It also has an Art Deco feel to it.
2. Safari wedding napkin idea
Bring the warmth and natural beauty of the wild to your wedding reception table with EFD Creative’s safari napkin folding idea.
For this look use earth tones, animal prints and textures to build your table. The napkins are simply folded into a pretty beaded ring of orange and brown gems.
3. Woodland wedding napkin fold
If you’re all about a natural wedding setting you’ll adore this wedding napkin idea from Whimsical Wonderland Weddings.
It’s a really easy fold which your cutlery can be tucked into. It’s finished with a real bluebell. How wonderful!
4. Top knot napkin fold
For a casual grace knot your napkins at the corner. This guide by CV Linens demonstrates the fold with gorgeous gold napkins. They’ll certainly add a touch of decadence to your table.
5. Simple wedding napkin fold
Keep it low-key with this napkin fold by Bronte Bride. Choose a soft linen napkin and fold it underneath the salad plate for a sophisticated look.
This one is easy to make and can be adapted to any colour scheme.
5 cloth napkin folding ideas
Cloth napkin folding tends to be a bit different. You may need to starch your napkins to make them more stiff and easy to fold. If they’re too soft, they’re impossible to fold into a standing structure.
However, if you want a quick fold like a roll or a pocket fold, then starching is not necessary.
Check out the tutorial on how to starch napkins by Miss Sue Flay.
Here’s a few of our favourite cloth napkin ideas:
1. French pleat napkin fold
A flat fold like this one is easy to do and will give you somewhere to put your cutlery or a menu.
The fold has three pockets on the front so you can tuck in a flower or foliage to match your tablescape.
You can find a step-by-step tutorial by Nalata Nalata.
2. The Fleur-de-Lis
This iconic fold will give a polished finish to any table. It’s perfect for wedding breakfasts, fancy brunches or lunches.
Over at Architectural Digest, you’ll find a step-by-step tutorial and a video to follow.
3. The ring napkin fold
You guessed it, this napkin fold uses a ring. It’s a great way to display your napkins if you’re looking for a more relaxed vibe for your table.
Choose your favourite napkin ring and follow along with Party Trick’s tutorial for a quick and stylish look.
4. Bishop hat napkin fold
The Bishop hat is a great fold for any table. Since it’s a standing fold, it’s easier to achieve if you have starched and ironed your napkins. Check out the full tutorial by Napkin Folding Guide.
5. The Lily Goblet napkin fold
A classic yet stylish napkin fold which you’ll make into a wine glass. Putting your napkins in wine glasses will make your table look chic. Find out more about this easy fold by Napkin Folding Guide.
5 Paper napkin folding ideas
When folding paper napkins you can draw inspiration from origami. Essentially anything you can make with origami you can use as inspiration for your napkin folding.
You’ll also find that paper napkins hold their structure better than cloth napkins, which can be harder to achieve a precise fold with.
We’ve picked out our favourite paper napkin folding ideas for you to browse through:
1. Bird of Paradise paper napkin fold
Impress your guests with this tropical fold from Chinet. This fold is ideal for paper napkins since you’ll need several precise folds which are easier to achieve with paper.
2. Polo shirt paper napkin fold
Although this tutorial from DIY Magazine uses cloth napkins, it’s much easier to use a paper napkin. Discover how to fold a fun t-shirt shape perfect for a Father’s Day celebration or Dad’s birthday.
3. Paper flower napkin fold
With paper, you can be more defined with your folds, as demonstrated in this flower fold tutorial by Gala in the Kitchen.
4. Ice cream paper napkin fold
This is an easy yet elegant fold ideal for summer tables. Love to Know will show you step-by-step how to make this fold.
5. Double-star napkin fold
Another fabulous tutorial from Chinet with the double-star napkin. This one is great for Christmas since the star feels festive.
Napkin folding ideas to complete your table decor
A beautifully folded napkin will catch the eyes of your guests and make your table look special. Lots of folded napkins look complex, but when broken down into simple steps you’ll get the hang of it in no time.
Making your dinner party homemade
There are plenty more ways you can incorporate homemade decor into dinner parties. Take a look at our DIY party decoration ideas.
