Make a Tablecloth

When it comes to home décor, tablecloths offer an elegant way to enliven a kitchen or living room while protecting table finishes from water stains and scratches. You can buy tablecloths nearly anywhere, but you'll have a greater sense of personal satisfaction if you make a tablecloth that's perfectly matched to your style, color preferences and home furnishings. You'll find a large variety of tablecloth fabric at most craft stores selling home fabrics.

Steps

Measure the Table Area and Yardage

1. Use a cloth or rigid measuring tape to get the dimensions of your table surface.
2. Determine the desired length of fabric you want to hang from the edges of the table. This is called the drop.
   • Leave a drop of at least 12 inches (30.48 cm) for informal table dining. A formal setting tablecloth ideally reaches the floor.
3. Measure your square or rectangle table's area. Multiplying the length of your drop, times 2. Add this measurement to the table width. Next, add this measurement to the table's length. Multiply these 2 sums together.
   • Use the measuring formula: (length + drop x 2) x (width + drop x 2) = rectangle tablecloth area. Here's an example for a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} by {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} table with a drop of 1 foot (30.48 cm): (3 feet + (1 x 2)) x (4 feet + (1 x 2)) = {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} x {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} = 30 square feet (914.4 square cm) = 360 square inches (914.40 cm).
4. Calculate area of round tables by determining the radius of the circle. The radius is half of the diameter. Add to this your desired drop length, square the total (multiply by itself), then multiply this sum by pi (3.145).
   • For instance, use this formula (radius + drop) squared x 3.145 = round tablecloth area. For a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} diameter round table with a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} drop: ((2 + 1) x (2 + 1)) x 3.145 = 28.3 square feet (862.6 square cm).
5. Determine the fabric amount required. If you measured your tablecloth area using inches, divide your tablecloth area by 36. If you chose to measure in feet, divide by 3. These will give you your total required yardage. When measuring in cm, divide by 100 to get your total square meters of fabric required.

Create Your Tablecloth

1. Lay the fabric wrong side up (the inside of the fabric with pattern facing down) on top of your table. Cut to your desired length. Place wrong side up on a flat working surface.
2. Cut 2 additional panels to the same length. These additional panels ensure your tablecloth matches the width of your table. Lay the panels adjacent to your first one. If there's a pattern, ensure the patterns match up on the panels where you're placing them together. Adjoin them using sewing pins. Ensure that the panels are all wrong side up. It should now be the correct width for your table.
3. Sew a straight stitch seam along the pinned edges of the fabric. A straight stitch is the most basic sewing stitch comprised of uniform length stitches weaved in and out of the fabric in a straight line. Remove pins as you sew.
4. Iron the seams flat by pressing them open underneath the iron.
5. Size your fabric panels to match the shape of your table.
   • Lay the fabric on top of the table. Cut an even line completely around the edge of the table at the bottom of your desired drop length.
6. Hem the edges of your homemade tablecloth.
   • Place fabric wrong side up on a flat surface. Fold fabric edges over about 1 inch (2.54 cm).
   • Fold this piece over again, which gives you a half-inch (1.27 cm) hem.
   • Pin completely around the edge of the hem.
7. Sew a straight stitch along the hem, removing pins as you go.
   • Iron the hem when your sewing is complete.

Tips

• Sewing a tablecloth is easiest if you choose non-patterned fabric with a solid color. This enables you to avoid the challenge of matching pattern designs along each fabric panel.

Things You'll Need

• Calculator
• Pen and paper
• Measuring tape
• Fabric
• Sewing pins
• Iron
• Sewing machine
• Thread

Related Articles

• Choose a Tablecloth Size
• Pull a Tablecloth from Under a Place Setting
• Measure for a Tablecloth
• Make a Round Tablecloth
• Lay a Tablecloth

Sources and Citations

• http://sew4home.com/tips-resources/sewing-tips-tricks/380-how-to-measure-for-a-round-tablecloth
• http://dreamboxinteriordesign.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-make-tablecloth.html

See also

• Choose a Tablecloth Size
• Make a Bed Skirt
• Make a Bean Bag
• Measure for a Tablecloth
• Make a Round Tablecloth
• Get Wax Off a Tablecloth
• Keep Tablecloths Crease Free in Storage
• Make an Ironing Board Cover
• Make Waterbed Sheets
• Sew Duvet Covers

What links here

• Get Wax Off a Tablecloth
• Measure for a Tablecloth