Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 14

Today is the last day the “Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding”, I hope you have had fun trying the folds. This last fold is called “The Vase”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 13

This next napkin fold would be fun used on a gift at Christmas. In order to use a napkin fold as a gift trim you will have to carefully pin it at strategic points in the fold. Be very careful to keep the sharp end of the pin or pins concealed inside the folds of the napkin. This napkin fold is called “The Slipper”. Have fun coming up with colour schemes for this one.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 12

The website seems to take longer than anticipated. We are nearing the end of the napkin folding as well as coming near to completion of the site. Hopefully both will coincide. Here’s the next napkin fold to try. This one is called “The Sachet”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 11

This napkin fold has an obvious finished shape to stand a wineglass in. Don't go for the obvious, instead fold the rose out of a black silk or taffeta napkin and use it to display a salad of mixed greens and flowers or assorted sherbet in a black stemless martini or wine glass.

Go ahead and fold “The Rose and Star”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 10

It would be interesting to find out the history behind some of these folds. This next napkin fold is called “The Pyramid”. I wonder if this fold originated in 1922 when Howard Carter discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb or had it been around under another name and was just renamed to celebrate the discovery? Themed parties and card parties were very popular up until the 1940s so it could have been renamed to go with a particular decorating theme. If anyone has any information about this let me know.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 9

These three napkin folds are based on a quarter fold and then a diagonal fold. Basic changes give you “The Palm, The Lily, and The Cactus”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 8

The next napkin fold to try is called “The Mitre”.

This fold would be great if you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, just put a few gold chocolate coins under the mitre as a treat for each person at the dinner party.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 7

This design will hold a flower under the fold that runs across the napkin or tuck a gold chocolate coin in each diamond shape of the fold. This napkin fold is called “The Flat Sachet”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 6

When you are doing the napkin folds try using coloured napkins in place of plain white, a sheer overlay on a contrasting or complimentary coloured napkin or use two thin napkins of two different or coordinating colours. Experiment and have fun. This next napkin fold is called “The Fan”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 5

The 5th napkin fold to try is called “The Cockscomb”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 4

Yesterday I mentioned that some of the folds could hold a small gift. This particular fold will look beautiful holding an orchid in one boat section. Don’t go overboard (no pun intended) and fill both sides to the top, think simplicity. Here’s the next napkin fold to try, “The Boats”.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 3

Day three of the napkin folding classes is here. I hope everyone is seeing the possibilities for these folds. They do take time so if you are hosting a big event enlist some friends that have nimble fingers. Don't just use them for company you are worth the little extras in life. Some times breakfast in bed with your significant other is just a little more special (and thoughtful) when some time and attention are put into a silly little “frill” such as this and you can also put a little gift in some of these folds. This isn’t just for the ladies either. Guys spend a little time on presentation of a breakfast in bed to let your wife know that you really do understand and appreciate all of the work that she does for the family in and out of the home. Here’s the next napkin fold to try. This fold is called “The Boars Head”, have fun.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding – Day 2

Here’s the next napkin fold to try. This one is called “The Bishop” have fun.

Happy Holidays School of Napkin Folding - Courtesy of Mrs. Beeton’s Household Management - Day 1

When I was looking through “Mrs. Beeton’s Household Management” for the colour illustrations of the “Fancy Cakes” I came across these fourteen napkin folds and thought that at some point it would be fun to let people know how to do these old napkin folds. While I was at the grocery store the other day I came across a book called “Napkin Origami”, it was not a great book. The cover picture was the best example. So here are the fourteen different napkin folds that Mrs. Beeton instructed her devotees to use. I will post a new scanned page each day until they are done. Try them they are fun to do.

Don’t just use them for the table but try using the folded napkin as the gift-wrap or use it as part of the gift if you are giving wineglasses. Go ahead and copy the instructions to include with the gift if you want.

I didn’t realize but these napkin folds got me interested in origami, the art of Japanese paper folding.

Here is the first fold the "Fleur de Lis Varieties".