Table Cloths - old fashioned?

I don’t use them for every meal and (usually) take them off after use but we have a circular table and l like to use them for dinner. Most of mine are vintage M and S.

We only use a red one at Christmas, for a festive touch.

Christmas and special occasions. Our dining room table is highly polished - we just use table mats etc when it’s just DH and I day to day.

The best place for vintage table cloths is ebay. I’ve bought hand embroidered ones in fantastic condition for small costs.

When it is just me I use placemats, but I use tablecloths for gatherings, usually Sunday lunch, and was thinking of sending some to the charity shop because they don't get used.
I intend to use the tray cloth, (remember them) that my mother embroidered for the coronation in the coming months.

I have a collection of table cloths, some lovely inherited ones. I do like to see a table set with cloth and napkins.
When we have a large gathering I use a table protector under the cloth, then hot dishes etc can go straight onto the table, no need for mats.
For every day there’s a runner, placemats and heat mats.

Like others here, I use tablecloths bought from charity shops. Most are "easy care", and if hung up carefully after washing, they don't need ironing. (I find this works for cotton seersucker tablecloths, as well as polyester-type fabrics.) Some of my cloths are colourful and cheery, while others are in more neutral colours. I use a "protector" tablecloth underneath, in case of spills. Sometimes I use a smaller colourful tablecloth which is placed "at an angle" over a larger, plain one. (Then only the smaller one needs washing, and it can be changed easily.) IMO a tablecloth can brighten up the dining area; but I know that's not everyone's choice!

Traycloths have also disappeared out of fashion. There would always be an embroidered traycloth when serving tea to guests. I would love to embroider another one but fail to see when it would ever get used. Lazy daisy stitch, stem stitch, french knots etc etc !

I have a long mahogany table in our dinning room - very old fashioned as "no one does brown furniture these days" but I love it. I have a couple of linen cloths inherited from my mother, a long damask cloth DH's aunt wanted to be buried in but I ended up with it plus a gorgeous openwork embroidered cloth with napkins I bought years ago in Malta. I also have a padded, heat resistant cover to go under the cloths. We only use the table when we have visitor and I do think it looks lovely when it's all set especially at Christmas.

I use tablecloths all the time and have some nice Christmas ones as well. I don't like the wipe down variety at all and have no young children visiting so no problems. Think there is more of a problem with red wine getting spilled. I love to see a table nicely set out with linens and glasses etc. I remember my mother embroidering table cloths and tray cloths wildswan I still have a couple of them.

I have a lovely danish teak dining table circa 1964, its gorgeous but easily damaged with heat or scratches. I keep it covered up with a pvc cloth for everyday but if we have guests I use mats or a table runner.

I have a big unvarnished square pine table always covered with an Indian bedspread bought in a French market. I work at the table and the cloth is very forgiving - doesn’t show any marks or spills! A smaller pine table in the conservatory has a red/cream checked cloth also bought in France. They dry quickly, finished off in the drier so no ironing required. I have a drawer full of inherited cloths all shapes & sizes, never used, which I can’t bear to get rid of.

I would only use a tablecloth if I needed to cover an ugly table. I much prefer lovely placemats.

We have a glass dining table now which would be really easy if DH hadn’t put a couple of scratchy items on it over the last couple of years, and the fingerprints!
I only use a proper tablecloth at Christmas.

I usually use wipeable cloth tablecloth’s to protect our wood table from heat or wet marks. Habitat in Sainsburys had some nice ones before Christmas. Our kitchen is fairly plain so the tablecloth can add a bit of colour. Guests may get a posher linen cloth, or young guests ( for instance at Christmas) a decorative paper cloth. My grandmother used to use a table protector under her cloth and I keep meaning to buy something similar.

I used to have a runner and placemats, it looked good to me but our table is long and quite narrow and some placemats were quarter on the runner. So I went back to PVC Monday to Friday and a cloth on Saturdays and Sundays. I buy seersucker plaids,no ironing with matching napkins off Amazon. I have special ones for Christmas that need ironing and an embroidered Willow patterned one with a crochet border my gran left me that I never dare use,

I would love a plain white seersucker tablecloth to save the dreaded ironing (I am such a lazy baggage) but have never found one.

You can get a white seersucker sheet GSM.

I have two of my mother’s table cloths, late fifties/early sixties. My daughter was thrilled to choose one! Really made me laugh.

I have loads of tablecloths including half a dozen Christmas ones. John Lewis sell them as do Not on the High Street.

I’ve not used a tablecloth since I moved here ten years ago, I bought a new light ash table for the dining area and use glass mats with leaves etched in them to put plates or serving dishes on. I do still have a couple of wipe clean cloths from when we had our caravan which I might use if serving a buffet as they cover the whole table.

I only have a small kitchen table where I sit if on my own and do not have a cloth for it.

I would not go back to ironing table cloths again or constantly washing them after each meal! But then I like a minimalist look so don’t have many ornaments or dust attracting things around the house! I spend as little time doing housework as I can get away with.

I use mostly placemats, but will use a tablecloth for dinner with company, or larger family dinners. I've never seen seersucker ones, that would save ironing.

This reminds me I need to buy a nice quality vinyl one. If the DH is shucking crab, or GC are playing play-dough I like to have a plastic one down.

matalan do seersucker duvet sets and unfortunately I have bought many

Jaxjacky

You can get a white seersucker sheet GSM.

Ooh, there's an idea! Thanks! Why didn't I think of that? Doh.

I'll look at the site I use and see if they have white. I have red, , pale cream and just got pale green for easter visitors. If you can't you could do what Jaxjacky has said get a big sheet and cut the extra off for napkins.
I did that with a red linen snowflake Christmas one that I could not resist. With the napkins, I frayed the borders instead of sewing. Anything to make life easier.