How to Fold a Kick Ass Napkin

Impress your dinner guests by presenting a polished look to your Thanksgiving table with expertly folded napkins. My dear Aunt Sandee taught me how to make this napkin design and it is the only one I know how to do. This is a simple fan design.

For this design to work best, you need a perfectly square napkin. You can use not-perfectly-square napkins and the design will still work, but the fan will not look as nice. Cotton napkins are the best to use for this design. The napkin I used measured 19 by 19 inches.

Step 1: Start by ironing and lightly starching your napkins. This is a very important step, so do not skip it. In order for the design to look good, the napkins must be neatly pressed.

Step 2: Fold the napkin lengthwise so that the fold is on your left.

Step 3: You will be making 3 accordion folds. Each fold should be about 1 inch. Do not make the accordion folds larger than 1 inch.

Step 4: Once you have made your first accordion fold, make another one the same size.

Remember to keep your napkin smooth and make sure that the edges are not askew. This is what your napkin is going to look like after the 3 accordion folds are complete. The first fold I did is on the top.

Step 5: Keeping your accordion folds firmly in place with your left hand, flip your napkin over so that the accordion folds are now on the bottom. Keep your left hand in place over the folds so that they do not come loose.

Step 6: Take the top half of the napkin (the edge that is furthest from you) and fold it in half towards you so that your napkin looks like this:

Step 7: One half of the accordion folds should now be on top on the napkin and the other half is facing the table. Fold the "tail" of the napkin up so that it is now parallel to the accordion fold on top.

Step 8: You will have a little extra hanging over. That is good, because you are going to tuck it under.



Step 9: Your napkin should now look like this. It resembles a little boat. Notice in all the previous pictures that my left hand is always on the napkin. That is because if I were to take it away, the accordion folds would spring up and ruin everything. Now is the time to remove your left hand holding down those accordion folds. The folds should spring up and you should see your fan design.

Don't get discouraged if it doesn't turn out the first time. This design takes practice.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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