One of the true luxuries of the modern dinner table is the table napkin; but the difficulty with most young housekeepers is how to fold it. Numerous designs have been adopted from time to time, but the following are simple and efficient. A napkin should be laid to every plate. To properly fold the napkins, they should be starched.
Тhe Mitre. — Fold the napkin into three parts, lengthwise, one side towards, and the other from you. Turn down the right hand corner, and turn up the left one, as in fig. 2 A and B. Then turn back the point A towards the right, so that it lie behind C; and B to the left, so as to be behind D. Double the napkin back at the line E; then turn up F from the front and G from the back, when the whole will appear as in fig. 3. Bend the corner H toward the right, and and tuck it in behind I, and turn back the corner K towards the left at the dotted line; and tuck it into the corresponding part at the back. Your Mitre is now ready for the bread, which may be placed in the centre, or beneath.
The Fan or Flirt.— This is a simple and pretty style. Fold the napkin into three parts, lengthwise ; then fold across the breadth, commencing at one end, and continuing from and to yourself in zigzag folds about two inches broad, until the whole napkin is so creased. Place in the tumbler, and it will fall over as in the illustration. This napkin does not require to be starched to make a fan.
The Collegian. — Fold the napkin into three parts, longways ; then turn down the two sides, towards you, so that they appear as in fig. 5. Then roll up the part A underneath, until it looks like B in fig. 6. Now take the corner B, and turn it up towards C, so that the edge of the rolled part shall be even with the central line. Repeat the process on the other side, and turn the whole over, when it will appear as in the wood cut fig. 4. Place the roll or cut bread under the flap at G.
The Slipper. — Fold the napkin into three parts, lengthwise. Then turn down the two sides, as in fig. 5. Turn the napkin over and roll up the lower part as in fig. 8, A, B. Now turn the corner B towards C, so that it will appear as at D. Repeat this on the other side; and then bring the two parts E together, so that they bend at the dotted line. The napkin will now appear in the shape of the slipper, fig. 7. The bread is placed in the hollow at G.
The Neapolitan. –– Fold the napkin into three parts, lengthwise. Then fold one of the upper parts upon itself, from you , and fold down the two sides, so as to appear in fig. 5. Now roll up the part A underneath, until it comes to the shape of the dotted lines in fig. 11 at B. Turn up the corner B towards C, so that the edge of the rolled part be even with the central line. Repeat the same process on the other side; turn the whole over, and you have the Neapolitan as in fig.10 with the bread beneath the flap G.