How Big Should Your Napkin Be?

What size napkin is the best size to weave? That answer is (as with many weaving questions) “it depends.” How wide is your loom? Do you want to weave more than just napkins on the same warp? Who is the intended recipient of the napkins, and what is their purpose? Are these everyday napkins, or will they be for a special dinner?

While there isn’t a Grand Napkin Council out there making decrees about napkins sizes (that we know of), there are a few accepted guidelines for napkin sizes. Generally speaking, the more formal the occasion, the larger the napkin, as you can see in the handy chart below. Why so many sizes? Napkins sizes are guided by use; read on to learn more about the different napkin types, what they’re used for, and, in some cases, project examples from Easy Weaving with Little Looms.

Napkin Size Guide

Casual Party Napkins

I like to break up the types of napkins into two categories. The first category, made up of the three smallest napkins, I call casual party napkins because these are the napkins you'd use in low-key get-togethers with small snacks, appetizers, and maybe a small meal that can be eaten while standing.

Cocktail Napkins

The smallest of these napkins is the cocktail napkin, which is the kind you’d have with a nosh board at a party. These need to be only 6 to 9 inches square—small enough to dab the mouth while chatting, but not so large that you can’t easily hold it in the same hand as your drink or plate.

Tea Napkins

Measuring in at 12 inches square, tea napkins are perfect for informal gatherings where you need something slighly more substantial than a cocktail napkin but still not so large that you can’t easily hold both the napkin and a plate. As the name suggests, these are the traditional size for tea, although they would work well for any event with messy appetizers or hors d'oeuvres eaten standing up. An example of this kind of napkin would be Yvonne Ellsworth’s Zakka Embroidered Napkins from the Holiday 2021 issue of Little Looms.

Zakka Embroidered Napkins by Yvonne Ellsworth. Photo by Matt Graves

Luncheon Napkins

If you’re having an casual get-together with a sit-down meal component, consider a luncheon napkin. These 14- to 16-inch square napkins are just large enough to cover the lap with little to no overhang. They’re great for brunches, luncheons, and bridal or baby showers. Luncheon napkins are also the most popular size of napkin amongst designers of Little Looms projects. For example, Elisabeth Hill’s Snappy Napkins from the Summer 2021 issue of Little Looms and Malynda Allen’s Sweet Americana Linens from the Winter 2024 issue.

Snappy Napkins by Elisabeth Hill from the Summer 2021 issue of Easy Weaving with Little Looms. Photo by Matt Graves

Dinner Napkins

The second category of napkins, I’m calling dinner napkins, although you could use them for any meal you’d like. They’re the largest of the napkin sizes.

Informal Dinner Napkins

Informal dinner napkins are everyday napkins—the kind you’d have at home for family dinners. At 18 to 20 inches square, these napkins are just the right size to cover your lap and maybe fold into a simple rectangle or triange when setting the dinner table.

Buffet Napkins

Next there’s the buffet napkin, which tends to be about 18 to 24 inches square, meaning there’s a bit of overlap with informal dinner napkins. Also referred to as “casual-dining” napkins, buffet napkins are designed to be large enough to not just fit the average-sized lap, but to fold into simple, elegant shapes—restaurants often use this size of cloth napkin. At 18 inches square, Susan E. Horton’s Striped Napkins with Pick-Up could be considered informal dinner or buffet napkins, making them a versatile project.

Susan E. Horton's Striped Napkins with Pick-Up. Photo by Joe Coca

Formal Dinner Napkins

Finally we have formal dinner napkins, which come in at a whopping 21 to 26 inches square. These are the napkins you'd find at a formal, multicourse meal. Why so large? First of all, if you’re at a formal dinner, chances are you’re wearing nicer and probaly more expensive clothing, so you want a napkin that will not only protect your lap but have some overhang to protect more of your legs as well. Also, if a meal has multiple courses and, therefore, more opportunities to get your face dirty, a larger napkin provides a larger usable surface area—nobody wants to wipe their face with a soiled napkin. One more reason formal napkins tend to be so large has nothing to do with utility; in fact, it’s downright frivolous. Larger napkins allow you to fold them into interesting and complex shapes, so it makes sense that if you’re putting on a big showcase dinner, you’d want the big show-y napkins.

Boldly Striped Napkins by Angela Tong from the Summer 2021 Easy Weaving with Little Looms. Photo by Matt Graves

Breaking the Rules

Just remember: when you weave napkins, your preference matters more than any “official designation.” If you want to weave a rectangular napkin, go ahead! In fact, that’s what Angela Tong did with her Boldly Striped Napkins from the Summer 2021 Little Looms. Measuring 11 inches by 19 inches, these napkins also feature fringe, another nontraditional element, but are so bright and beautiful, I’d be happy to have them on my dining-room table any day.

Happy Weaving!

Christina