Term Definitions | Linen | Cotton | Polyester | Combinations | Paper | Plastic

I am traditional in that I love a table with all the “trimmings”.  A fine tablecloth and napkins add to your entertaining like fine wine.  In today’s fast paced world our entertaining at home is usually limited to a holiday.  Holidays, like Thanksgiving, are so important in our lives.  We look forward to them.  We get to see family and friends that we have not seen for a long time.  In many cases children and grand-children come home.  The joy, the conversation is all focused around the table.  You work hard cooking, guests bring special things that they made or bought just for the occasion.  The day finally comes; the doorbell rings and your guests arrive to see the table beautifully set with a fine tablecloth, napkins, your best china and crystal.  The beautiful set of sterling handed down from Grandma and Grandpa and of course, center stage is the turkey.  I get hungry and nostalgic just thinking about it.

Fine tablecloths, like fine bed linens, can be solid color or printed, hemstitched or scalloped, damask/jacquard or embroidered or appliquéd.  It’s all a matter of your preference.  If you have a magnificent set of china and you want to show it off you may want to use a traditional white or ivory Hemstitch cloth.  A less formal table might demand a bold print.  If you have a magnificent table, glass, antique, etc. and want to show it off we have placemat sets in elegant linen hemstitch or beautiful prints.  It’s all a matter of your personal preference based on the room furnishings, the occasion and the guests.

Let's Define a Few Terms

Hemstitch: Hemstitch is a type of open stitch used primarily as a trim or boarder. Scallop: Also used as a trim or boarder Scalloping is a raised stitch which looks like a repeating half circle. Damask or Jacquard: is a pattern which is woven or loomed into a fabric. Embroidery: is any stitching, raised or flat, which is sewn onto the fabric to embellish it. Applique:  An appliqué is any decoration sewn onto fabric.

Now let’s take a moment to talk about content.  Most tablecloths are made from linen, cotton, polyester or a combination.

Return to top

Linen:

The term linen is somewhat confusing because it is used to describe a whole host of bed, bath and table textiles.  Commonly when we say “linens” we are referring to an item and not necessarily the content.  The term “linens” became the generic term for bed,bath and table textiles because traditionally these items were made exclusively of linen. Today relatively few things are made exclusively from linen.  Linen is a fiber that is made from the flax plant.  Flax fibers tend to have a natural luster and are long, usually longer than cotton.  The fibers are spun together to form yarn.  The flax yarn is then woven into fabric.  This linen fabric has a “crisp” or somewhat stiff characteristic which softens with time and laundering.  Linen is very durable and strong and It very readily absorbs moisture.  Linen is naturally tan or grey in color.  (To make linen bright white it must be bleached which weakens the fabric to some degree.)  We carry the finest linen from around the world including Ireland, Italy, Madera and Portugal.  Farmers and craftsmen come together to grow the finest flax and weave the linen into tablecloths, napkins, placemats, guest towels, cocktail napkins and kitchen towels.

As far as care is concerned it’s always best to follow the manufacturer’s suggestions for cleaning.  Typically most linen is machine washable.  We recommend washing in cold water with Linen Wash.  Be very cautious when drying fine linen as it is susceptible to shrinking.  Hang drying is best as linen will dry fast.  If necessary iron while still a little damp.

Return to top

Cotton

Cotton, like linen, is made up of plant fibers spun together.  Cotton lacks the stiffness that is typical of linen and as such has a less starched or formal look on the table.  Many people feel that cotton is easier to care for as in most cases it is machine washable and dryable.  We recommend cool water washing and drying on a warm or cool setting.  If removed from the dryer when just dry or even slightly damp your cotton tablecloth will require just a little touch up with an iron.  We carry a large selection of fine cotton tablecloths, napkins, placemats, tea towels, and kitchen towels.

Return to top

Polyester

Tablecloths made from polyester or any number of other synthetic materials are used primarily because they are easy to care for.  Synthetic fibers are loomed to produce a tablecloth that is basically “wash and wear”.  Machine wash, machine dry and back on the table.  Today more and more people appreciate natural fibers, even with the extra care that they require.  As in bed linens we are finding less and less fine quality polyester tablecloths available.  One that I do recommend is the Orchard.  It is made of Ringspun Polester so it will wash like a dream and look great on your table.

Return to top

Combinations

Some manufacturers combine cotton with polyester in order to try to produce a tablecloth with the best attributes of both.

Return to top

Paper

The combination of our fast paced society and the advent of very fine paper printing has lead to a dramatic increase in the use of paper products, especially for the table.  Sometimes I have to do a double take when I look at our paper goods they look so much like fabric.  Many of the designs are adapted from works of art.  Be sure to browse our huge selection of paper goods.

Return to top

Plastic

We carry a very large selection of plastic placemats.  They look beautiful on any table and are a snap to clean up.  Many are reproductions of museum designs.  A lot of them have matching coasters and trays.  Be sure to look at our selection of placemats.

Return to top

A Few Other Items Our Customers Love

Table Pads:We carry two types of pads.  The first is made of heavy 6 gauge vinyl with a felt back.  It is liquid proof and wipes clean with a damp cloth.  It is available in standard sizes and you can even cut it with a pair of scissors for a custom fit.  Not only is it great to protect your table when eating but it also is useful to protect the table from the kid’s while working on art projects.  To protect a really fine table we recommend the old fashion heavy table pads.  These heavy pads can even interlock together and fold up for storage.  The pads are custom made to fit your table exactly.  We have also made them for desks, cocktail tables, any fine furniture.

Trays:  You can never have enough trays.  Whether it’s serving cocktails on the patio or breakfast in bed trays are a necessity. 

Lazy Susan:  We import a beautiful Lazy Susan from Italy.  It is magnificent, made of Lucite with ball bearing mechanics and so heavy!

Whether it’s a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings or just serving drinks on the porch we’ve got all the accessories to make the most of all your special occasions.

Return to top