How to Fold a Standing Napkin
Fold an 18–20 inch cloth napkin into three offset triangles, tuck a base, and stand it. 5–10 minutes.
What You'll Need
- Cloth napkins, 18–20 inch square (linen or heavy cotton)
The napkin is the only material.
One square cloth napkin, 18–20 inches (45–50 cm). Linen, heavy cotton, or a polyester blend holds the stand; a soft tea towel will slump. Press it first if it is wrinkled. No starch required. 5–10 minutes per napkin.
Fold in half
Lay the napkin flat. Fold the top edge down to the bottom edge. Crease.
Fold into a square
Fold the right side over to the left. You now have a smaller square. Turn it so the open edges face you and sit on the right.
First triangle
Take only the top layer at the top-right corner and fold it diagonally down to the bottom-left corner. Crease.
Second and third triangles
Fold the next layer down the same way, stopping just short of the first crease so a band of the first triangle still shows. Fold the third layer the same way, again stopping short. Keep the gaps even — about 1/4–1/2 inch (6–12 mm).
Tuck the base
Flip the napkin over without losing the triangles. Fold the right side in by about one-third. Fold the left side in so it overlaps. Tuck one side into the other so the base locks.
Stand and fan
Set it on the tucked base. Fan the three triangle layers apart so they stand. If it wobbles, the tuck is loose or the creases are soft — refold the base tighter and press each crease again.
