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Design your own tablecloth: DIY tablecloth for the dining room

A large, beautiful dining table is the centerpiece of many families. This is where we gather with the whole household to eat, chat or simply laugh together. A tablecloth is particularly important when eating to protect the beautiful table from stains. But are you getting a little bored with your tablecloth? Then why not sew one yourself! We'll show you how to design your own tablecloth!

Make your own tablecloth: here's how

At some point, you've had enough of the standard tablecloths, haven't you? Time to design your own tablecloth. Don't worry, it's not rocket science and doesn't take much time either. All you need is:

  • cotton fabric
  • scissors
  • iron
  • needle & thread or sewing machine
  • paintbrush
  • folding rule or tape measure

And this is how you can make your own tablecloth:

  1. The first step is to measure. Grab a tape measure or folding rule and measure the table for which you want to make your own tablecloth. It is best to write down the measurements and add 30 cm to these values for both the width and the length.
  2. Now take the cotton fabric and transfer the measurements to the fabric sheet. Cut the fabric to size. Make sure you cut it straight.
  3. After the iron has heated up, iron the fabric straight. Now fold each edge approximately one centimeter wide and iron over it briefly. Now fold over the long and short edges by another one to two centimetres.
  4. Now it's time to sew: if you have a sewing machine, you can easily sew the edges in place using the machine. Choose a stitch width of 3-4 to go all the way around the blanket and sew the edges.
  5. That's it! You have made your own tablecloth. Check again that all the edges are firmly sewn together. If so, you are finished and can paint your tablecloth yourself if you wish.

Paint your own tablecloth: embellish your tablecloth after sewing

Once you have sewn your tablecloth yourself following our step-by-step instructions, you can embellish it afterwards. An easy way to paint your tablecloth yourself is with acrylic or textile paints. First, think of a beautiful pattern or motif that you would like to have on your self-sewn tablecloth. Alternatively, you can dye the fabric you want. The choice is entirely up to you!

Once you have a motif, it's best to take a pencil and draw it onto the tablecloth. Try not to press too hard, as depending on the fabric and color, you might be able to see through the pencil later. Now take some acrylic paints. Normal paints are sufficient for painting, but there are special textile paints that are also suitable for washing at high temperatures. Dilute the paint a little with water and smooth it out. And you have already created the basis for painting your tablecloth yourself. Leave it to dry for as long as possible and then iron over the tablecloth again. And now you have created your own tablecloth.

Tip: Tablecloths that you have painted yourself are best washed in the washing machine with mild detergent. Our tip: Perwoll Renew Wool cleans freshly dyed and painted fabrics quickly and gently. This not only strengthens the fibres, but also preserves the colors. 

Rethinkfashion: Sew your own patchwork tablecloth

Patchwork tablecloths are a super sustainable idea for creating your own tablecloth. Here you sew together various leftover scraps of fabric and create a large new whole from them. To sew your own patchwork tablecloth, simply gather together some old fabrics and cut out squares. Now lay them next to each other and measure whether the fabric scraps reach the size of your table and how much blanket will hang over the table.

Are you happy with the pattern? Then take your sewing machine and sew the scraps of fabric together. Go over the blanket again with the hot iron and smooth it out. And now you've sewn your own patchwork tablecloth.

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