Many origami designs can be done with napkins (get an origami book or look at a website and play around -- it gives you a different selection than sticking with napkin folding books) and a bit of starch-- the more folds, though, the more difficult to retain the look as the fabric is too wadded -- we folded 125 napkins into samurai hats for our wedding reception (although I talked my husband out of sewing them, based on the comment above, that it loses the function and charm of also being a napkin once it's sewn together). (Plus, a little folding and starch is a tiny fraction of that $50 price tag.) -- Directions at a number of places, including: (http://www.lisashea.com/japan/origami/dirs/helmet/)