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MichelleW
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Has anyone sewn a tablecloth? Is there a way to do this so that the seams aren't annoying? I found some perfect tablecloth-looking fabric, but it only comes in 45" width. Oh, and I don't have a serger.
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Michelle
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MicheleQ
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How big do you want it to be?
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Michele Quigley
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MichelleW
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Roughly 60x84.
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MicheleQ
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If you put the seam across the center of the table it would probably be less annoying than if you did it down the center longways. You would need 4 yards of fabric cut in half and then the 2 separate yards sewn together at the sides (I would cut off the selvages first because they tend to curl).
I would sew a regular seam, pink the edges to keep the fabric from fraying and then press it open to lay flat. I would also probably top stitch on either side of the seam to keep it flat but you wouldn't have to.
If you want an enclosed seam you could do a flat felled seam but that would add some bulk and might be annoying. 
Let us know what you come up with.
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nissag
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Another method I've used is to buy twice the length of your table worth of fabric. Cut it in half across and cut on of those in half along the length.
Place one narrow piece either side of the wider piece and sew using whatever technique you like (serging, regular seam, french seam, flat felled). Then your seams should fall roughly at the edge of the table.
You can then adjust the drop all around to suit you. There are a very, very few fabrics that come in MUCH wider widths such as muslin.
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MichelleW
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Thanks! I thought about cutting a piece that would match the size and shape of the tabletop and then sewing a border (maybe in a contrasting color) for the drop. I am thinking that might be too bulky for the sides? Not sure since the back on a drop might be more visible. Should I back it? That would definitely be more bulky, wouldn't it?
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MicheleQ
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nissag wrote:
Another method I've used is to buy twice the length of your table worth of fabric. Cut it in half across and cut on of those in half along the length.
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Nissa's right, this would work well. It didn't even occur to me to do it this way because my table is extra wide and the seams would be too much in the way. But on a regular size table it would work very well!
MichelleW wrote:
| Thanks! I thought about cutting a piece that would match the size and shape of the tabletop and then sewing a border (maybe in a contrasting color) for the drop. I am thinking that might be too bulky for the sides? Not sure since the back on a drop might be more visible. Should I back it? That would definitely be more bulky, wouldn't it? |
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Oh I think that would look nice. If you did it in such a way that the seams were off the edge of the table they wouldn't be in the way but their bulk would actually give a little weight to it and help hold it in place. If you felt like it needed backing you could just use double fabric folded so that the fold was at the bottom and you wouldn't even have to hem it.
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juststartn
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This is from a newbie seamstress, but what if you bought a double width....and then put another fabric down the middle? Something coordinating, but a different fabric. Then the seam would be "logical", if that makes any sense. Sort of like a runner?
I dunno, but it's the first thing that popped into my head.
Rachel
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SuzanneG
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juststartn wrote:
| This is from a newbie seamstress, but what if you bought a double width....and then put another fabric down the middle? Something coordinating, but a different fabric. Then the seam would be "logical", if that makes any sense. Sort of like a runner? |
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A friend of mine did this for her purple advent/lent tablecloth, and it does look really nice.
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MichelleW
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SuzanneG wrote:
A friend of mine did this for her purple advent/lent tablecloth, and it does look really nice. |
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Did she back it? I've been drawing pictures all afternoon and I just can't figure this out (I have seriously NO spatial intelligence whatsoever).
Seeing the seams underneath just feels like it would be unfinished and backing it seems like it would be too bulky to put glasses of milk on without danger of them falling over. (I do believe that was a grammatically weird sentence, but I am too tired to reread and fix).
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JennGM
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juststartn wrote:
| This is from a newbie seamstress, but what if you bought a double width....and then put another fabric down the middle? Something coordinating, but a different fabric. Then the seam would be "logical", if that makes any sense. Sort of like a runner? |
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In my mind I'm almost picturing priest's vestments, with the big wide band of embroidered design down the middle? That could either be used as a joiner or put on top to hide the seam.
If you sew the seam and steam open the seams it really lies flat. But it also depends on the fabric, thicker might be harder. My mother made a chintz cotton type of tablecloth. She has a 60 inch round table, so cloths are expensive. She found a lovely designed fabric with patterned stripes that made it easy to hide the seam.
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SuzanneG
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MichelleW wrote:
Did she back it? I've been drawing pictures all afternoon and I just can't figure this out (I have seriously NO spatial intelligence whatsoever).
Seeing the seams underneath just feels like it would be unfinished and backing it seems like it would be too bulky to put glasses of milk on without danger of them falling over. (I do believe that was a grammatically weird sentence, but I am too tired to reread and fix). |
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Her table is about 50" wide. she took a 45" width piece of fabric (lavender print) the LENGTH that she wanted and on each side sewed another piece of material (dark purple) about 15" wide. So, that gives about a 12" overhang on each side of the table.
The SEAM with the change in fabric was about 2" from the side of the table. There are no glasses or anything put this near the edge, so it didn't cause a problem. She just pressed open the seam and hemmed.
HTH,
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Suzanne in ID
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Sewing tablecloths
