How to Fold a Turkey Napkin for Your Thanksgiving Table

Want to add a fun and festive touch to your Thanksgiving table? Crafting napkins folded into the shape of turkeys is an easy way to dress up your holiday tablescape. With a few simple folds, plain napkins are transformed into adorable turkey figures that will delight your guests.

Folding napkins into turkey shapes is a great Thanksgiving project to do with kids. Let them help embellish the napkins too for a personal handmade touch. Whether you have fancy linen napkins or simple paper ones, they can all become charming turkey creations.

Follow the step-by-step instructions below to learn how to fold a fun turkey napkin for your next Thanksgiving dinner

Supplies Needed

• Square napkins – Linen, cotton, paper or any fabric napkins can work as long as they are square in shape. For a standard sized turkey design, start with 16-inch square napkins.

• Embellishments (optional) – Things like googly eyes pom poms felt, leaves, feathers or berries can be used to decorate the turkey napkins.

• Scissors and glue (optional) – To trim any embellishments and glue them onto the folded napkin turkeys.

Folding the Napkin Base

1. Start with a square napkin laid flat on the table in a diamond orientation (with corners pointed to the top, bottom, left and right rather than straight sides).

2. Fold the left and right corners in so they meet at the center of the napkin. Crease the folds well.

3. Now fold the bottom corner up and the top corner down so they also meet at the center of the napkin. Again crease the folds.

4. You’ll have what looks like a smaller square napkin at this point. Fold the napkin in half diagonally to form a triangle shape.

5. Flip the triangle over and fold it in half again diagonally in the opposite direction.

6. You’ll now have a smaller triangle folded napkin base. This will become the turkey’s body.

Forming the Head

1. Orient the triangle napkin so the longest side is positioned vertically.

2. Fold down the top corner to the bottom third of the napkin. Crease the fold.

3. Take the bottom corners and fold them up diagonally along the edges to meet the top of the folded down triangle.

4. Flip the napkin over. You’ll now see the turkey head shape.

5. Gently pull out the corners from underneath to form the turkey’s comb and wattle.

6. Refold the bottom flap under to shape the head and neck.

Creating the Fanned Tail

1. Keeping the neck end intact, carefully unfold the bottom half of the napkin.

2. With the right side still folded under, take the left corner and fold it diagonally inward.

3. Now fold the right corner diagonally inward.

4. Continue folding the left and right corners in an alternating pattern to create a fan.

5. Make as many diagonal folds as desired to form the turkey’s tail feathers.

6. When finished folding, re-crease the center to define the tail shape.

7. Flip over the fan and refold the flap underneath to complete the turkey shape.

Embellishing Your Turkey Napkin

Part of the fun is decorating your hand-folded turkeys with embellishments. Here are some ideas:

• Googly eyes – Adhere googly or doll eyes on the turkey’s head for a silly touch.

• Pom poms – Small pom poms in fall colors can be glued on to make feathers.

• Felt shapes – Cut leaf shapes from felt or scrap fabric to attach as feathers.

• Real feathers – Use small real feathers to embellish for texture.

• Flowers and leaves – Tiny flowers, leaves or sprigs add nice accents.

• Berries and fruits – Glue on tiny fresh cranberries or rose hips for color.

• Collage scraps – Bits of patterned paper in fall hues can be cut out and layered.

• Washi tape – Add strips of colorful tape near the eyes or beak.

• Fabric scraps- Cut tiny triangles from varied fabrics and attach as feathers.

• Paint and markers – Kids can draw feather details with washable paint and markers.

Mix and match decorations to bring your napkin turkeys to life with personality. Keep them uniform for a cohesive Thanksgiving table, or let each person customize their own.

Turkey Napkin Folding Tips

• Stick with stiffer linens or iron napkins smooth to make the folds easier.

• For fluffy feathers, lightly spray napkins with starch before folding.

• Vary the size of your starting napkin for larger or smaller turkeys.

• Fold over a silverware roll-up inside for a practical napkin too.

• Refolding the bottom flap neatly hides messy interior seams.

• Go minimalist with simple folded shapes, no embellishments needed.

• Print out turkey images and mod podge them on as decoration instead of fabricating feathers.

• Add ribbon ties, rick rack or puff paint outlines for extra flair.

• For kids’ place settings, use festive holiday print napkins for built-in decoration.

• Save time by folding napkins in advance so they are ready to go on Thanksgiving.

Arrange Folded Napkins as Turkey Centerpieces

Make your turkeys the center of attention by clustering three together in the middle of the table.

Fan out their tails and position them facing each other in a circular arrangement. Sprinkle different fall leaves, nuts or berries around the bases.

Pumpkins, gourds, pinecones and candles can be incorporated too. Drape twinkle lights around the turkeys for an enchanting glow.

Voila – your folded napkin turkeys become an impressive Thanksgiving centerpiece!

Craft a Turkey Napkin Bouquet

For another creative presentation, arrange folded napkin turkeys into a bouquet.

1. Attach three wood skewers together with floral tape to form a base.

2. Affix ribbons around the skewers an inch from the bottom and gather tightly to secure.

3. Fold over a dozen turkey napkins using an autumnal palette of fabrics.

4. Adhere the ribbon portion of each turkey napkin to the base sticks with hot glue.

5. Position them at different heights, layering and overlapping tails.

6. Embellish the bouquet with leaves, nuts, berries and flowers. Display as the focal point of your table or buffet.

Make Place Card Rings with Folded Napkins

Add individual turkey napkins at each place setting for a personalized touch. Fold over name cards and secure with a ribbon ring.

1. Set out blank name cards and pens for guests to write their own names.

2. Fold one square napkin per guest into a turkey following the instructions.

3. Place the name cards face down onto the folded napkin tails.

4. Tie ribbon around the napkin and card, knotting it between the tail feathers.

5. These final touches complete your Thanksgiving turkey napkins:

• Adhere small feathers under the ribbons for flair.

• Attach candy corn or googly eyes above the name card.

• Write table or seat numbers on the name cards.

• Use different ribbon colors per table or household.

Your creative folded turkey napkins can be simple or elaborate. Go for bold impact by folding dozens in coordinating fabrics to blanket your Thanksgiving table. Or make just one showstopping bouquet as the centerpiece.

Even folding just a napkin ring for each guest imparts a handcrafted touch and holiday spirit. However you decide to present them, these folded turkey napkins are sure to delight and add an autumnal flair to your Thanksgiving table.