Napkin Folding Tutorial Part 2

Yesterday I posted a napkin folding tutorial (click HERE) featuring the Rugby, Fleur-de-lis and Regimental Stripe Folds.
Today I have a few more relatively simple folds, including one of my all-time favorite folds, the Bishop's Hat.

What you need to know about napkins: Most of today's napkins come in 3 sizes: 12-13 inch square paper napkins sold in grocery stores, 17 inch square paper napkins in solids or prints sold at grocery stores or part-supply stores, 17 inch square cloth napkins usually made of a synthetic like polyester or a cotton and polyester blend, and 20 inch square cloth napkins of cotton, linen or a blend. Anyone lucky enough to have inherited their great-grandmother's table linens may even have napkins ranging in sizes from 22 to 30 inches square!

Most of the folds that I do are best suited to a 20 inch square napkin, but most of them can be made with smaller napkins and look the same. A light spray starch is helpful in adding "body" to limp or light-weight fabrics for some folds that require the napkin to be stood upright or help keep it's folded shape. I generally lightly starch all my table linens as rule, including table runners and place mats, as it helps eliminate creases and makes them look "crisp".

"Davallia"
This is a simple but elegant fold and very versatile. It looks especially lovely on a napkin with a monogram, initial or embroidered decoration. Click HERE to view the Davallia fold used in one of my tablescapes.
1) Fold the napkin in quarters:

2) Place the napkin at an angle so that the free corners are at the bottom. Then fold the top corner to within about 4 inches of the bottom corner:

3) Turn the napkin over and fold the right side diagonally across the center.

4) Fold the left side over the right side.

5) Turn the napkin over to the front side and voila!

Variations: If your napkins are plain, you can turn the napkin so the free corners are pointing up instead of down and the bottom point can be tucked under. Also, the narrow end of the fold can be slipped into a napkin ring for another different look.

"Reflections"
This is a great shape that is so versatile it looks good with solid, printed or striped napkins. It's also a great fold to use as a place card holder.
1) Fold the napkin in half to form a rectangle:

2) Hold your finger at the center of the top edge as you fold the top right corner across the center of the napkin:

3) Fold down the top left corner so that it slightly overlaps the right corner:

4) Turn the napkin over and fold up the bottom right corner in the same way:

5) Fold the bottom left corner so it slightly overlaps the the right corner:

6) Now bring the bottom point up to within 1 inch of the top point:

7) Fold up about 2 inches of the bottom edge to finish your fold.

You can set a place card across the bottom or tuck it under the lower point.

"Bishop's Hat" with "Butterfly" Variation:
Last, but not least, I have the Bishop's Hat fold with the Butterfly Variation.  It is a very traditional fold that has graced tables all over the world.
1) Fold the napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle:

2) Place the fold along the bottom edge.
3) Hold your finger at the center of the bottom edge as you fold the right and left corners up to the top corner.

4) Fold up the bottom point to within 1 inch of the top point:

5) Fold the same point back to the bottom edge:

6) Turn the napkin over ( I grasp it in the middle when I flip it). This is the back side of the fold.

7) Fold the left side towards the center:

8) Fold the right side slightly over the left side, tucking the point into the left fold:

                                                                  Folding over

                                                           Tucking in

This is how the back side now looks.
9) Stand the napkin upright, the front facing you:  the finished Bishop's Hat....

For the Butterfly variation:
Pull down the right and left sides of the Bishop's Hat until they are horizontal:

This is where it can get tricky; don't get frustrated if you accidentally pull apart the whole fold. It still happens to me about half the time!

But in the end, it's so pretty! I find that really pressing down on the folds at each step, and creasing them like I'm creasing paper, sometimes is really helpful to keep the folds in place, as does if the fabric is lightly starched.
There is another variation of the Bishop's Hat called the Blossom; for that variation, take the points that were just pulled down to make the Butterfly and tuck the ends into the fold, so instead of sticking out, the ends are tucked in.

Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you enjoyed learning some new folds!