A Haven for Vee

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Vintage Tablecloth Reconstruction After a Fashion

It all began like this with a cutting away of the damaged center and a failed attempt to preserve every little bit of fabric. Either that or I was creating a new continent. Take your pick.



It nearly ended this way as the second tablecloth you see above was much too thin and fragile to do the job. You may remember that my original intent was to have a reversible something or other.


I had to make a uniform center. I found all matching posies in the corners and pinned them together, squared up my fabric, folded it into quarters and hacked away at it. Seemed to work pretty well.


Next I added yet another vintage linen tablecloth. This white number had been left behind when I bought my first home back in 1980. The sellers had run a restaurant at one time and they had oodles of these. (It was also badly stained with lots of holes.)


Yards of homemade bias tape later...


I have something that looks like this. It will be suitable for picnic tables at least! The white tablecloth on top looks like a big table topper, but it is stitched to what remains of the flowered tablecloth.


This was my lovely break midday to receive packages from my Boston niece. She works in an art museum and I think you'll be able to tell when you see what she sent.


Two Mary Cassatts — Caresse Maternelle painted around 1902 and Mrs. Duffee Seated on a Striped Sofa Reading painted around 1876. My refrigerator is going to be so well dressed! (Thank you, Kea, love you!!)

As for the "Shalom" pillow...some day. Yes, Someday is coming.

15 comments:

  1. well done on the table cloth! i had no
    idea what you were talking about, but
    like the new continent idea.

    what lovely mary cassatt pictures!

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  2. great job repurposing the tablecloth! I would hate to see it tossed as well since the graphics are so beautiful :)

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  3. (smile) I wondered what you were going to do with the Shalom pillow???

    Great job on the tablecloth, Vee - that's the way to re-purpose!

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  4. Wow! You did a lot of work on that tablecloth, but it works.

    My sister-in-law works in a museum and sometimes Christmas is interesting as she finds the coolest stuff in the gift shop.

    Becky K.

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  5. I love vintage tablecloths. I like your clever restoration!

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  6. That was very clever! I bought a vintage table cloth once and tried to "fix it up" I think I ended up using it for the dog to lay on.
    Thanks for the visit and comment!

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  7. That's a good idea and looks nice! Love your sweet gifts, too. ♥

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  8. Man you did do a good job. I have a few I don't even want to attempt, but I had the wrong idea. I am going to do something similar instead of my original plain old repairing. Thanks
    QMM

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  9. Hello Vee,
    Great job!!! I am always in awe at the gift God has given some people to be able to do what you did with this tablecloth. So pretty, I love vintage! This tablecloth reminds me of one my grandmothers.(sweet memories)

    I also enjoyed catching up on your previous posts, as we have been out visiting our daughter and her family in Texas.

    Thank you for coming by and for taking the time to leave me such a sweet comment.
    Enjoy your week,
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  10. The tablecloth is beautiful! You do great work!! I love those vintage things.

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  11. Love the old linnens..read on Just Something I Made's bold that Tilex can sometimes take out long-ago stains! Haven't tried it yet, but even if it didn;t work one the stain, I can now "copy" (read-steal) your idea!

    Oh, what's your continent's name??

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  12. You are soooooooooooooooo creative! -le sigh- I haven't even gotten my sewing machine working. -le sigh-

    I know. What's stopping me? Maybe if I got it up/and/running, I'd have to do some to the ideas I go get?

    Yeah, that's it!

    I'd have to try to put my ideas, to the test of possibility.

    And I'm scared. Or I'm lazy. Or something.

    I'm glad you are so far ahead of me!!!!! You can thus, give me inspiration. Needed inspiration.

    Gentle hugs...

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  13. Hi Vee!

    I'm back from my whirlwnd trip ..it seems like a fabulous dream now.

    I like your patchwork tablecloth very much! It now looks like it was made that way originally and you saved those nice soft fabrics from being wasted. Good job!

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  14. You are really good at re-purposing!

    Your packages were certainly worth taking a break for! Lucky for you...having a niece that works in an art gallery...and being so generous.

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  15. You crafty lady! Good job on repurposing those tablecloths. I think it looks cute!

    Manuela

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