A table cloth can be the fastest, cheapest way to evoke a mood, style or an atmosphere.
It can give your kitchen or dining room a mini make over in a matter of seconds.
It doesn't matter if your table top is made of barn board or 18th century solid cherry, a thick rich white damask cloth will give a classic look to both while a cheery red check table cloth will make it feel happy and casual.
It doesn't take a lot of money to get a good quality table clothes that will last you years and with a selection of table clothes you can brighten up your every day meals and have a different look for every holiday and celebration.
But what do you need to look for in a table cloth and where can you find the best deals?
First off, table cloths don't have to just stay in the kitchen and dining room. If you do a walk through your house you might find many other places that you would like to enjoy a meal. You could get in the habit of setting up a cozy tea on the weekends before the fire place, breakfast under the tree in the backyard in the summer or have a lovely little table ready to set up in your bedroom for those times that you want to hide from the world.
Grab a small notebook that you can easily put in your purse and starting with your dining room use a tape measure and measure out the table with no leaves and each subsequent leaf in the table. Write this all down and then do the same with your kitchen table. If you are going to use your coffee tables in your living room and family room write down their dimensions as well and add their height. Do you have a hall table that you ever use as an extra drinks table or service table during buffets? Measure that out as well along with how high it is.
Now that you are thinking about it do you want an extra table some where that can be used as a bar station or cutlery station during parties? Don't forget about any tables that you have outside. If you have any 40 inch wide round patio tables consider that they can be used inside if they have a cloth going to the floor. If you have several of these then write it down so you could get the same cloths so they will look uniform during outdoor parties.
Having written down all your tables and their various dimensions you now have an idea of what types of table cloths to look for. On most modern linen packages there are charts on the back showing the table sizes and the linen sizes. You want to go bigger than you need rather than smaller if you have an odd sized table.
It is also a good idea to have come colour swatches of your rooms, especially if they are painted a very distinct colour. If you are looking for a blue table cloth for your blue dining room you don't want to buy something that ends up looking purple next to the painted walls.
You don't need to toddle off to the nearest department store to find linens. You can find amazing bargains in new, used and antique linens at yard sales, church rummage sales, thrift shops, auctions, antique stores and antique malls. Also look for them at liquidators and outlet stores. Department stores will often slash the prices of linens at the end of each season so they can bring in the next season's colours. When buying vintage or antique table cloths have a tape measure handy to measure the sizes and inspect them very carefully for stains and holes. Stains can sometimes be washed out using the new stain removers but if the stain has been ironed then the heat of the iron might have set it so will be very difficult to remove. If the linen is damaged but very inexpensive then consider if it is worth your while to cut it down and re hem it to fit a smaller table.
Probably the best place to get inexpensive, but quality looking linens is the fabric store. You can easily make your own table linens. Remember that people will probably be staining your cloth with food so look for good fabric that is washable. Very cheap cotton fabric can shrink when you wash it and be so thin that you will see the table underneath it, cheap polyester fabric can start to look drab and pill after a few washing, so avoid those. Fabric usually comes in 36", 42", 54" and 60" widths. The 54" and 60" widths are generally upholstery and drapery fabric and they tend to be thicker and can be perfect weight for table clothes.
Most modern tables tend to be about 40 inches wide so a 54" piece of fabric, once it is hemmed, will leave an over hang of about 6 inches on a table which is long enough not to be skimpy but not so long that it sits on your lap. Remember that what ever the over hang will be on the sides of the table should be the same over hang on the ends of the table so buy you fabric long enough that you can do this. Usually fabric is not measure out perfectly straight when you buy it so always add 4 to 6 inches extra so you can cut the fabric perfectly square before you hem it. To hem the table cloth follow the same instructions as we give for Sewing Napkins for the Table . Often upholstery and drapery material that is less than 2-1/2 yards long is considered a remnant and in discount and outlet fabric shops they can sell for $6 or less a yard.
You should also invest in a table pad for your table. A table pad is a white under cloth that hides the colour of the table underneath and adds a layer of protection for your table against the heat, wet and bumps of your dinner. It also makes the table cloth look richer and more substantial. Modern table pads tend to be plastic on one side and a brushed polyester on the other. Older table pads are a thick felt like material. They should be just smaller than your table cloth so they won't show. You can also find them at liquidators, outlet malls, yard sales, church rummage sales, thrift shops, auctions, antique stores and antique malls. You can make a table pad by just using a thicker white cloth and pin it under the table. This is really good to do if your table cloth is a slippery type fabric as it will stop the cloth from sliding around on the table.
Look for table cloths that you will get the most use from. While themed holiday cloths can be fun you will only get limited use from them. Checkered table cloths are popular because the pattern hides stains and has a casual happy feel to it.
Grab a small notebook that you can easily put in your purse and starting with your dining room use a tape measure and measure out the table with no leaves and each subsequent leaf in the table. Write this all down and then do the same with your kitchen table. If you are going to use your coffee tables in your living room and family room write down their dimensions as well and add their height. Do you have a hall table that you ever use as an extra drinks table or service table during buffets? Measure that out as well along with how high it is.
Now that you are thinking about it do you want an extra table some where that can be used as a bar station or cutlery station during parties? Don't forget about any tables that you have outside. If you have any 40 inch wide round patio tables consider that they can be used inside if they have a cloth going to the floor. If you have several of these then write it down so you could get the same cloths so they will look uniform during outdoor parties.
Having written down all your tables and their various dimensions you now have an idea of what types of table cloths to look for. On most modern linen packages there are charts on the back showing the table sizes and the linen sizes. You want to go bigger than you need rather than smaller if you have an odd sized table.
It is also a good idea to have come colour swatches of your rooms, especially if they are painted a very distinct colour. If you are looking for a blue table cloth for your blue dining room you don't want to buy something that ends up looking purple next to the painted walls.
You don't need to toddle off to the nearest department store to find linens. You can find amazing bargains in new, used and antique linens at yard sales, church rummage sales, thrift shops, auctions, antique stores and antique malls. Also look for them at liquidators and outlet stores. Department stores will often slash the prices of linens at the end of each season so they can bring in the next season's colours. When buying vintage or antique table cloths have a tape measure handy to measure the sizes and inspect them very carefully for stains and holes. Stains can sometimes be washed out using the new stain removers but if the stain has been ironed then the heat of the iron might have set it so will be very difficult to remove. If the linen is damaged but very inexpensive then consider if it is worth your while to cut it down and re hem it to fit a smaller table.
Probably the best place to get inexpensive, but quality looking linens is the fabric store. You can easily make your own table linens. Remember that people will probably be staining your cloth with food so look for good fabric that is washable. Very cheap cotton fabric can shrink when you wash it and be so thin that you will see the table underneath it, cheap polyester fabric can start to look drab and pill after a few washing, so avoid those. Fabric usually comes in 36", 42", 54" and 60" widths. The 54" and 60" widths are generally upholstery and drapery fabric and they tend to be thicker and can be perfect weight for table clothes. Most modern tables tend to be about 40 inches wide so a 54" piece of fabric, once it is hemmed, will leave an over hang of about 6 inches on a table which is long enough not to be skimpy but not so long that it sits on your lap. Remember that what ever the over hang will be on the sides of the table should be the same over hang on the ends of the table so buy you fabric long enough that you can do this. Usually fabric is not measure out perfectly straight when you buy it so always add 4 to 6 inches extra so you can cut the fabric perfectly square before you hem it. To hem the table cloth follow the same instructions as we give for Sewing Napkins for the Table . Often upholstery and drapery material that is less than 2-1/2 yards long is considered a remnant and in discount and outlet fabric shops they can sell for $6 or less a yard.
You should also invest in a table pad for your table. A table pad is a white under cloth that hides the colour of the table underneath and adds a layer of protection for your table against the heat, wet and bumps of your dinner. It also makes the table cloth look richer and more substantial. Modern table pads tend to be plastic on one side and a brushed polyester on the other. Older table pads are a thick felt like material. They should be just smaller than your table cloth so they won't show. You can also find them at liquidators, outlet malls, yard sales, church rummage sales, thrift shops, auctions, antique stores and antique malls. You can make a table pad by just using a thicker white cloth and pin it under the table. This is really good to do if your table cloth is a slippery type fabric as it will stop the cloth from sliding around on the table.
Look for table cloths that you will get the most use from. While themed holiday cloths can be fun you will only get limited use from them. Checkered table cloths are popular because the pattern hides stains and has a casual happy feel to it.
Here the same table setting is placed
on three different table cloths and it gives each setting a
different look.
Change the salad plate from each setting and it
wouldn't be recognizable. You don't have to have shelves full of
different plates and cutlery to give your table settings variety, just
a few interesting table cloths.
Remember to take care of them properly and don't let soiled table cloths sit before you wash them. Use a good stain remover and launder them as soon as possible. Iron them on the proper setting and hang them folded on a hanger if possible. When you place them on the table and notice that they are slightly wrinkled you can give them a fine spray of water from a laundry mister and gently smooth them out with your clean hands. Don't place anything on the cloth for a few minutes.
A selection of table cloths is a cheap fast way to change the look of a table. It can add a lot of style to an everyday meal and make a special occasion really sparkle.
Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
Change the salad plate from each setting and it
wouldn't be recognizable. You don't have to have shelves full of
different plates and cutlery to give your table settings variety, just
a few interesting table cloths.Remember to take care of them properly and don't let soiled table cloths sit before you wash them. Use a good stain remover and launder them as soon as possible. Iron them on the proper setting and hang them folded on a hanger if possible. When you place them on the table and notice that they are slightly wrinkled you can give them a fine spray of water from a laundry mister and gently smooth them out with your clean hands. Don't place anything on the cloth for a few minutes.
A selection of table cloths is a cheap fast way to change the look of a table. It can add a lot of style to an everyday meal and make a special occasion really sparkle.
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Photography and Content
Copyright Ingrid Talpak 2010
Morestylethancash
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