This project came about by happy accident.
We usually eat in our kitchen for breakfast. But in the evenings, we have been eating in our dining room more and more. And I am really enjoying it. One problem is that our dining table was my great grandmother's and is a treasured antique. I have a few antique lace tablecloths that fit the table perfectly. However, antique table + antique tablecloth + little boys who still spill their milk from time to time (like every meal) do not = a happy mama.
I am not a huge fan of plastic table cloths, but was willing to suck it up to spare my table. However, you see that rug peaking out from under the table. It has some pretty bold colors (red, green and yellow) in it and the table cloth needed to be a bit subdued. I was having a hard time finding a plastic table cloth without hybiscus flowers or monkeys with bananas in their hands. So, I decided to lay a piece of plastic down on my table and make a cloth that could be popped easily into the waching machine.
I have used painters drop cloths as yard goods before, purchased from the hardware store. And after looking at how much I was going to spend on fabric from the fabric store, I decided to use drop cloths again. I like how they have the "look" of linen but with a heavy canvas feel. So for less than $12, I picked up two drop cloths last time I was at the hardware store getting mulch for the garden. Anytime I can get fabric AND seeds in one stop is a good day for me.
However, this time, when I opened up the package I was almost disappointed to see that the cloth had a plastic backing.
I say almost because immediately I realized this was even MORE perfect than I had planned. I wouldn't have to lay an extra sheet of plastic down on my table afterall.
I sewed two of the cloth panels together, added a little "bird inspired" embroidery and hot-diggidy. I have a new spill proof table cloth that is stylish, it will protect my antique table and can easily be laundered.
The embroidery is finished, but after seeing Melissa's pillows, I can't help but think that a silhouette of a little bird added to the cloth with a bit of rough edged applique wouldn't make it even sweeter.
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OK, I couldn't help it...I was up early, early this morning thinking about how this table cloth needed a few fabric birds added.
But I had to wait until the sun came out to get a decent picture of it. Ahhh...that's better.