Napkins for the well-dressed table

If you're looking to dress up your tea table or your Christmas dining table, one of the easiest ways to add a special touch is to try a new napkin fold. These are some napkins I found for about $3 at an antique mall (because there were only seven), but I liked the little cross-stitch rose detail on the corner. At a casual lunch for six the day after Thanksgiving, I used a new fold I learned from the book "The New Napkin Folding" by Joanne O'Sullivan and Terry Taylor.


First, simply fold the napkin in half.


Next, fold it in quarters.


Then, fold down the corner with the rose detail.


Last, tuck the left and right "wings" of the napkin to the back. Voila, a sweet little napkin fold, a nice touch for the table, and it didn't cost you a dime! If you happen to own napkins like those with a monogram shown in the book (top photo), this is definitely a fold I'd choose to try.