Make a Tablecloth
Follow these steps to make a quick and easy tablecloth for a square or rectangular table.
Instructions
1. Measure the tabletop with a yardstick or tape measure, and write the dimensions down on a piece of paper.
2. Determine the desired "drop" of your tablecloth, or the amount of overhang, and add this number plus 1 inch to each of the tabletop dimensions. A standard drop is 8 to 10 inches.
3. Choose home decorating fabric that's at least 54 inches wide, in cotton or a cotton-polyester blend. Purchase yardage according to the dimensions you determined in steps 1 and 2.
4. Prewash and press the fabric.
5. Lay the fabric out on top of a fabric cutting board, wrong side up. Use the printed guidelines on the board to mark and cut the fabric to the dimensions you determined in steps 1 and 2.
6. Press each raw fabric edge under 1/2 inch. Press that edge under once more.
7. Pin the tablecloth hem into place so that the pins are perpendicular to the edges of the fabric.
8. Use a sewing machine to stitch the tablecloth hem. When you reach a corner, lift the presser foot of the sewing machine and swivel the fabric so that your stitching line remains straight. Keep the needle inserted in the fabric as you reposition it.
9. Hand sew the tablecloth hem in place with a backstitch if you do not have access to a sewing machine.
10. Add a decorative touch to the finished tablecloth by sewing a decorative hand or machine stitch on the right side of the fabric along the edge of the tablecloth.
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