• Art Magazine
    • Art Magazine > Homepage
    • Architecture
    • Sculpture
    • Design
    • Digital art
    • Fashion Design
    • Photography
    • Freelancing
    • Garden design
    • Graphic design
    • Handmade
    • Interior design
    • AI Art
    • Creativity
    • Art Marketing
    • Art Periods And Movements
    • Art history
    • Art trade
    • Artists
    • Art Market Knowledge
    • Art scene
    • Works of art
    • Painting
    • Music
    • News
    • Product design
    • Street Art / Urban Art
    • Tips for artists
    • Trends
    • Living from art
  • Online Gallery
    • Online Gallery > Homepage
    • Categories
      • Abstract art images
      • Acrylic painting
      • Oil painting
      • Sculptures & Statues
        • Garden sculptures
      • Street art, Graffiti & Urban art
      • Nude Art / Erotic Art
    • Post new artwork
    • Browse art
    • Search for artwork
  • Design & Decor Shop
    • Shop > Homepage
    • Wall decoration
    • Canvas art
    • Metal art
    • Sculptures
    • Furniture
    • Lighting
    • Textile wall hangings
    • Mirrors
    • Home textiles
    • Home accessories
    • Watches
    • Jewelry
    • Outlet / Sale
  • My account
    • Customer area
    • For artists
      • Login
      • Register
The product has been added to your shopping cart.

Small works of art at the table – folding napkins

Avatar photo
Solveig
Solveig
Thu, November 14, 2024, 2:21 p.m. CET

Want to read new articles immediately? Follow Kunstplaza Magazine on Google News.

The situation is familiar. You've invited good friends over and want the setting for the meal to look nice. So you resort to various design tips and decorative tricks. This includes beautifully folded napkins . Perhaps in the shape of a swan, or how about the Starfleet symbol from the Starship Enterprise – that shouldn't be too difficult, right?

Show table of contents
1 Why is this piece of fabric called a "napkin"?
2 Why do people fold napkins?
3 What napkin folding techniques are there?
4 Conclusion
4.1 You might also be interested in:

Why is this piece of fabric called a "napkin"?

Let's first take a look at this piece of fabric – or its paper counterpart, for example, when you're at a funfair like the Dom in Hamburg . The napkin has been with us for at least twenty centuries.

In the first century AD, the so-called "mappa" an integral part of a Roman banquet. And barely 200 years later, these mappas were incorporated into depictions. From these, we know of a cloth measuring 50 x 50 cm, which served to protect the upholstery of the dining couch, and the mouth cloth , which is still used today to dab the lips. In the illustrations, it was usually held in the left hand.

For the next 1300 years, the idea of ​​the napkin seemed to have vanished from the collective unconscious, as it wasn't reintroduced until the 16th century. And this reintroduction, of course, wasn't for the common people, but for the nobility. The middle and lower classes apparently continued to do as they had in the Middle Ages: wiping their hands on the tablecloth (if one was available) or directly on their clothing.

But now the napkin, which incidentally owes its name to the French for "little servant" , is once again on everyone's lips and can also be purchased on the internet, for example at https://serviettendirekt.de/servietten/ .

Why do people fold napkins?

One of the reasons for doing this is, of course, aesthetics. It simply looks nice when this piece of fabric isn't just lying plainly on the plate, but has been draped in a somewhat artistic way. This doesn't mean you should use all your origami skills, as the napkin shouldn't be folded too elaborately.

What napkin folding techniques are there?

A quick internet search will reveal numerous options. The most well-known are, of course, the bishop's mitre , the fan , or even the jacket , but resourceful people have so many more possibilities. And when you consider that you can even an entire zoo – a crab, a seahorse, a spider, a cobra ready to bite, or a peacock – the initial idea of ​​folding a swan doesn't seem so far-fetched after all.

Folded napkins are part of an atmospheric table decoration
Folded napkins are part of an atmospheric table decoration
. Image source: https://www.pexels.com/de-de/foto/sitzung-tisch-kerzen-drinnen-6554676/

Looking at these works of art can certainly make one envious. However, it's just like any other subject. If you're unlucky, your first attempts at origami, just like your first coherent text and your first few kilometers of running, will be a complete disaster.

You quote the good Catweazle , mutter "Nothing works" – and yet you keep going.

Practice, practice, practice – that's the motto. Because it's certainly no easy feat to shape a piece of fabric into a rose or lotus blossom, a junk or a screw.

Only the Starfleet symbol is quite easy to break. Take the napkin and fold it so that the square resembles a diamond shape. The open side should be facing you. Then fold the bottom point up to the top point, creating a sort of "sandwich" shape. Next, fold the point that was previously folded upwards back down, leaving a small border uncut.

So we don't fold the entire napkin back down, but only about two-thirds. Then the left point is brought to the right point.

And: The Starfleet badge .

Conclusion

There are so many different things you can make from a simple napkin. It's a shame that in our throwaway society we've degraded this—actually not unimportant—accessory into a mere paper object that can be easily disposed of.

A cloth napkin, when no longer needed, could be cleaned and upcycled .

Solveig
Solveig

Freelance writer in the categories of art (Art Brut), interior design, handicrafts and literature (novels).

www.kunstplaza.de

You might also be interested in:

DIY art projects offer a great way to add uniqueness to your home Visually upgrade your home with DIY art projects. Sofa arrangement in the living room: These are the best tips Sofa arrangement in the living room: These are the best tips. Transform your garden into a unique oasis with the right garden decorations Unique & creative: Your garden can be so much more than just a green lawn. From classic to extravagant: The Christmas tree as a canvas Can Christmas decorations be art? A perfect combination of venerable building fabric, understated furnishings, atmospheric lighting and art objects. Restaurant decoration › Successful interior decor for restaurants, bars & cafes (expert analysis)

Seek

Similar posts:

  1. Visually upgrade your home with DIY art projects
  2. Sofa arrangement in the living room: These are the best tips
  3. Unique & creative: Your garden can be so much more than just a green lawn
  4. Can Christmas decorations be art?
  5. Restaurant Decoration › Successful Interior Decor for Restaurants, Bars & Cafés (Expert Analysis)

Featured Art

  • Edyta Grzyb "Insane" (2016) - Limited edition fine art pigment print
    Edyta Grzyb "Insane" (2016) - Limited edition fine art pigment print
  • Street art masterpiece "Girl with Balloon" (2004), signed by Banksy, limited edition silkscreen print
    Street art masterpiece "Girl with Balloon" (2004), signed by Banksy, limited edition silkscreen print
  • Acrylic painting "PERFECT MISTAKE" (2024) by Edyta Grzyb, limited edition pigment print behind acrylic glass
    Acrylic painting "PERFECT MISTAKE" (2024) by Edyta Grzyb, limited edition pigment print behind acrylic glass
  • "ETHNO II" (2021) - Mixed-media portrait painting by Alina Konyk
    "ETHNO II" (2021) - Mixed-media portrait painting by Alina Konyk
  • Large-format acrylic painting “REBORN” (2025) by Edyta Grzyb, signed unique piece
    Large-format acrylic painting “REBORN” (2025) by Edyta Grzyb, signed unique piece

Design and Decor Highlights

  • J-Line Large Cushion with Knitted Surface, Cotton (White-Dark Green) J-Line Large Cushion with Knitted Surface, Cotton (White-Dark Green) 42,90 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 2-4 working days

  • J-Line rattan design chair (natural) J-Line rattan design chair (natural) 439,00 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 3-5 working days

  • Metal wall relief "Santos" with leaf motif and black frame Metal wall relief "Santos" with leaf motif and black frame 185,00 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 3-5 working days

  • J-Line Christmas decoration "Forest", bronze-colored J-Line Christmas decoration "Forest", bronze-colored 79,00 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 3-5 working days

  • Premium men's watch with Japanese quartz movement and distinctive retro design from the famous Jet Age era RC-Series Men's Wooden Watch Eco Design Wristwatch Quartz Chronograph 94,95 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 1-3 working days

  • Beautiful metal wall decoration with a tray and a cocktail set. Little Party - Metal wall decoration 44,95 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 3-5 working days

  • Semi-abstract image "Woman with flower hat", art print on pine wood panel Semi-abstract image "Woman with flower hat", art print on pine wood panel 98,00 €

    VAT included.

    Delivery time: 5-7 working days

Kunstplaza

  • About us
  • Legal notice
  • Accessibility
  • Press Area / Mediakit
  • Advertising on Kunstplaza
  • FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get in touch

Languages

Art Magazine

  • About our magazine
  • Editorial Policy / Editorial Standards
  • Guest contributions / Guest author
  • RSS feeds / Subscribe to news

Online Gallery

  • About our gallery
  • Guidelines & principles
  • Buy Art in 3 Steps

Online Shop

  • About our shop
  • Newsletter & deals
  • Quality Promise
  • Shipping & Payment
  • Return Policy
  • Affiliate Program
Carossastr. 8d, 94036 Passau, Germany
+49(0)851-96684600
info@kunstplaza.de
LinkedIn
X
Instagram
Pinterest
RSS

Proven Expert Label - Joachim Rodriguez

© 2026 Kunstplaza

Imprint Terms & Conditions Privacy

Prices incl. VAT plus shipping costs

Manage privacy

We use technologies such as cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve your browsing experience and to display (non-)personalized advertising. If you consent to these technologies, we can process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this website. Refusal or withdrawal of consent may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Functional Always Active
Technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service expressly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a message over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that were not requested by the subscriber or user.
statistics
Technical storage or access that is solely for statistical purposes. Technical storage or access that is used solely for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, the voluntary consent of your internet service provider, or additional recording by third parties, the information stored or retrieved for this purpose cannot generally be used to identify you.
marketing
Technical storage or access is required to create user profiles, to send advertising, or to track the user on one or more websites for similar marketing purposes.
  • Manage options
  • Manage services
  • Managing {vendor_count} suppliers
  • Read more about these purposes
Manage options
  • {title}
  • {title}
  • {title}