10 Ways to Fold the Perfect Thanksgiving Napkin

Step up your place settings this holiday season with these clever and festive Thanksgiving napkin folding ideas.

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia

Cassidy Garcia

Take both cloth and paper napkins from drab to fab this season with just a few simple and easy folds. Offering everything from functional silverware sleeves to a festive Thanksgiving turkey, your table will be dressed to impress with these fun and fancy tutorials.

Envelope Napkin Fold

Holiday Napkin Folded Like an Envelope

DIY Holiday Envelope Napkin Folding Technique

This cloth napkin is folded to resemble an envelope, creating the ideal spot for a holiday dinner menu. The napkin folding technique can be left open to reveal the menu or the top can be folded over to give the look of a closed envelope awaiting guests at their place setting.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Start by placing a square napkin on a flat surface and folding it in half to form a triangle (Image 1). Fold each bottom corner inward until the tips meet in the middle (Image 2). Next, fold the sides in so they meet in the middle (Image 3). Fold the bottom upward to create the envelope, then slide your Thanksgiving menu inside (Images 4 & 5).

Fold down the top to close the envelope or simply leave it open so guests can get a glimpse of the meal to come.

Napkin Folded to Resemble an Envelope

DIY Envelope Napkin Folding Technique for the Holidays

This napkin has been folded to resemble an envelope and placed on a coordinated holiday dinner plate. The napkin folding technique is perfect for displaying holiday menus and place cards, or simply for embellishing plates with a festive, fun accessory rather than a traditional napkin.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Cornucopia Napkin Fold

Cornucopia Napkin on White Plates

Thanksgiving Cornucopia Napkin Folding Technique

This cornucopia napkin folding technique is the perfect way to add a festive touch to your Thanksgiving table setting. The DIY consists of a napkin that's folded, then rolled and filled with an overflow of Thanksgiving accessories like mini pumpkins, pine cones and acorns.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Place a square napkin on the table and fold it in half (Image 1). Turn the folded napkin 90 degrees and fold it once more to create a square (Image 2). Grab one corner and roll the napkin into a cone (Images 3 & 4). Once the cornucopia is sitting on the plate, fill it with festive trimmings like mini pumpkins, pinecones and acorns (Image 5).

Pumpkin Napkin Fold

Napkin Shaped Like Pumpkin With Name Tag Sitting on Plate

Pumpkin-Shaped Napkin Fold

Wow your guests with this cute pumpkin-shaped napkin.

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Start with an orange square napkin on a table or flat surface. Place a napkin ring in the center of the napkin (Image 1), and slightly pull the middle section of the napkin up through the napkin ring (Image 2). Fold each corner of the napkin into the center (Image 3). Continue folding the napkin into the center, tucking the napkin into the napkin ring as you go (Image 4). Finally, insert a stick of cinnamon into the center to hold the napkin in place and serve as the pumpkin's stem (Image 5).

Put a personalized spin on each pumpkin place setting with a gift-tag name card.

Napkin Shaped Like Pumpkin With Name Tag Sitting on Plate

Pumpkin-Shaped Napkin Fold

Wow your guests with this cute pumpkin-shaped napkin.

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Maple Leaf Napkin Fold

A Napkin Folded to Resemble a Leaf

DIY Thanksgiving Leaf Napkin Folding Technique

The perfect way to give your Thanksgiving place settings a festive, seasonal touch is to embellish each one with a Thanksgiving leaf napkin. This tutorial utilizes a standard cloth napkin and a few simple folds to create the leaf shape. A napkin ring cinches the napkin to mock the shape of a leaf and stem.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Place a square napkin on a flat work surface and fold it in half (Image 1). Next, bring each top corner down to meet in the middle, forming a triangle (Image 2). Fold the bottom corners of the triangle upward to the top of the triangle, forming a diamond shape (Image 3). Fold the top corners back down slightly to create a leaf shape, then finish the look off by cinching the bottom with a napkin ring (Images 4 & 5).

Place a maple leaf napkin on each dinner plate to leaf your guests speechless.

A Napkin Folded to Resemble a Fall Leaf

Thanksgiving Leaf Napkin Folding Technique

To give your Thanksgiving table settings the undeniable look of fall, top each plate with a napkin folded to look like a fall leaf. This simple napkin folding technique utilizes a cloth napkin and a few simple folds to create the shape of a maple leaf and is held together by a standard napkin ring.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Gourd Turkey Napkin Fold

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia

Cassidy Garcia

Start with a square napkin on a table or flat surface. Fold the bottom edge of the napkin up two-thirds of the way (Image 1). Then, fold the bottom edge up about one-third of the way (Image 2). Starting at one side, make small vertical folds all the way to the opposite edge like a paper fan (Image 3). Secure the bottom with a napkin ring, and then fan out the top (Image 4). Next, cut the bottom off of a small gourd so it can sit flat (Image 5). Stand the napkin up using the ring, and place the gourd in front of it to form the turkey's head and body.

Create a gourd-geous turkey napkin for each table to create a festive Thanksgiving tablescape.

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia

Cassidy Garcia

Thanksgiving Turkey Napkin Fold

A Paper Napkin Folded Into a Turkey

Thanksgiving Napkin Folding Technique: Paper Turkey

Paper napkins, even the decorate type, aren't the most beautiful addition to a table. So, to make your Thanksgiving table more beautiful, fold your paper napkins into a turkey and place them at each place setting. Guests are sure to love this artistic, festive touch.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Unfold a paper napkin and place it on your work surface (Image 1). Fold the top corners down until they meet in the middle (Image 2). Fold the edges over to meet in the middle, then repeat once more to form a tall, thin triangle (Images 3 & 4).

Turn the triangle 90 degrees and fold the point back over the wider portion (Image 1). Fold a small portion of the point back in the opposite direction, then let go and allow the neck and head of the turkey to spring upward (Images 2 & 3).

Unfold a second paper napkin and fold it in half (Images 1 & 2). Turn the folded napkin 90 degrees and accordion-fold from the bottom (Image 3). Stop the accordion fold once you’ve folded three-quarters of the total length. Turn the napkin 90 degrees so the accordion folds are to the left and fold it in half (Images 4 & 5).

Fold the edge over against the accordion fold (Image 1). Flip the napkin over and fold the portion sticking out over the edge of the napkin, pressing the crease firmly (Images 2 & 3). When you let go, the accordion folds should unfurl to create turkey feathers and the small napkin fold should serve as a support base (Image 4). Place the feathers on top of the original turkey napkin to create the final product (Image 5).

Traditional Leaf Napkin Fold

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia

Cassidy Garcia

Start by folding a square napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle (Image 1). Starting in one of the bottom corners, fold a small piece over vertically, like a paper fan (Image 2). Continue folding all the way to the opposite corner (Image 3), and then secure the folds with a napkin ring. Fan out the top and lay it flat to form a leaf shape (Image 4).

Pretty Bow Napkin Fold

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia

Cassidy Garcia

Fold a square napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle (Image 1). Fold the tip of the triangle down almost halfway, then fold the bottom edge up to meet the tip (Image 2). Fold the bottom edge over again until it meets the top edge (Image 3).

Take each end and fold them upward at a diagonal angle until the tips meet in the middle (Images 1 & 2). Fold each piece down over the rest of the napkin, tucking the right end underneath the left end (Image 3). Fit a napkin ring around the center (Image 4), pull the pointed ends down (Image 5) and fashion each side into a bow shape.

Pro Tip: Take this Christmas bow place setting to the next level by pairing it with a gift-wrap-inspired tablecloth.

A Cloth Napkin Folded Into a Christmas Bow

DIY Christmas Bow Napkin Folding Technique

Folding a cloth napkin into a Christmas bow will make each plate at your table merry and festive. It only takes a few simple folds to achieve this Christmas look. To make the most of your Christmas bow fold, use red napkins and gold napkin rings to hold the look together.

Photo by: Clara MacLellan

Clara MacLellan

Treat Container Napkin Fold

Tiny Napkin Basket on Plate With Chocolates Inside

Napkin Basket Place Marker

This napkin treat basket is sure to wow guests at your next holiday party.

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Start with a square napkin on a table or flat surface. The napkin should be wrong-side-up. Fold the napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle with the long side closest to you (Image 1). Fold each corner of the triangle to the top to make a diamond shape (Images 2 & 3). Flip the napkin over (Image 4). Fold the bottom up, forming a small, one-inch border on each side (Image 5).

Fold the entire top triangle down to the bottom edge (Image 1). Flip the napkin over again, and tuck in each of the two tips of the loose triangles (Image 2). Fold the right corner three-quarters of the way over to the left (Image 3). Take the left corner and tuck it into the right to form a basket (Images 4 & 5).

Stand up a napkin on the center of each plate and don't forget to fill them with plenty of tasty treats.

Folded Napkin Treat Basket on Plate With Tiny Treats Inside

Folded Napkin Treat Basket

This folded napkin treat basket is sure to impress guests at your next holiday party.

Photo by: Sarah Busby

Sarah Busby

Silverware Pocket Sleeve Napkin Fold

Photo by: Cassidy Garcia

Cassidy Garcia

Fold a square napkin in half along the long edge, and then fold it in half again to form a smaller square (Image 1). Fold the top layer of one corner diagonally all the way to the opposite corner (Image 2). Fold each layer down in the same way, folding less each time and tucking the tips of each corner under the previous fold (Image 3). Tuck each side under (Image 4), and place silverware in the pockets.

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Folded Napkins Five Ways
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