Tablecloths – Tips to Choose Size, Fabric, Style
Discount & Online Shopping Reviews for Party Linens
Oct 7, 2009
Table cloths are linens used to unify a theme, cover a nasty looking table, add color to a room or prevent damage to a fine piece of furniture. However, many people are confused as to the best size, fabric choice, style and color they should select for their own use. This article will highlight the guidelines for a perfect table cloth choice, explain the benefits of certain table linen fabrics over others, and give direction for finding reputable online and discount merchants and stores for all types of table cloths and party linens.
Table Cloth Fabrics
Popular fabric choices for table cloths include linen, cotton, and polyester. Linen is a natural fiber, which is beautiful but requires some special cleaning care. Everyone is familiar with the care of cotton items, and there are a variety of cotton table linens available. Be aware that both linen and cotton party linens must be ironed to preserve the crisp look. Additionally, cotton linens can shrink with washing, creating a skimpy drop for your dinner table! Polyester table cloths are the most versatile in terms of frequent use. They machine wash easily, resist stains, and rarely need to be ironed.
Table Cloth Size
- To find the correct size cloth for your table, measure the dimensions of the table top. Add 6 – 10 inches per side for the drop (the part of the tablecloth that hangs over the side of the table), and the new dimensions should be the size that you want.
- For instance: the table measures 4 feet by 6 feet. First convert the dimensions to inches: 48 inches by 72 inches. Next, add 6 inches to each side. So 48 inches plus 6 inches (for 1st side) plus 6 inches (for 2nd side) = 60 inches. The other dimension would be 72 inches + 6 inches + 6 inches = 84 inches. Therefore, the minimum finished size for the tablecloth would be 60 inches by 84 inches. Furthermore, to have a drop of 10 inches per side, you could use a tablecloth as large as 68 inches by 92 inches.
Online Suppliers of Table Linens
HY Supplies, based in Westmont, Illinois, has a user-friendly website that offers extremely competitive pricing on a variety of table linens in more than 64 colors. Their website at hysupplies.com has color swatches of many of these shades and pricing based on the size and shape of your table linen.
Bright Settings Table Linens is another online wholesale distributor of table linens. While you could be a commercial organization purchasing hundreds of table cloths, Bright Settings also sells individuals linens to residential customers. Their website at wholesale-table-linens.com has an online linen calculator, videos with instruction on napkin folding techniques.
While Bright Settings’ prices are somewhat higher than HY supplies, this website holds much information on the differences on fabric types and the benefits of one versus the other. In addition, Bright Settings offers an interesting option for tables that get intense daily use. Their washable laminated fabric table linens combine the beautiful pattern, texture and drape of woven cloth with the easy clean up of vinyl. However the added twist is that this fabric can be machine washed, making the mess of really big food spills disappear effortlessly.
 |
