Table Cloths - old fashioned?

I have a table cloth on permanently in the dining room, the table is highly polished and would mark badly if I did not, I also have a plastic, heat resistant cover under the table cloth, I would hate to get the table stained.
Mind you no one ever sees the lovely table, due to the cloth. LOL

I love linen and cotton tablecloths and napkins and have quite a selection. My daughters and daughter in law borrow them for special occasions. Only I, apparently, can launder them....

We only have one table cloth - I acquired it as part of the package when I married my husband a few years ago now. I hate it and never put it on the table, but he still has an affection for it.

I have used a PVC/oilcloth since my kids started painting and crafting and still use one now (a new one) for the grandchildren, maybe when they are grown I can ditch it and admire the lovely wood of the table that has been protected for all these years.

I like a tablecloth in a restaurant but don't use one at home. I recently cut up a white tablecloth (it had a big yellow stain on it) to make a doctor's outfit for my DGD - it turned out really well.

We have a Scandinavian dining table (beech) which I polish every day after clearing the breakfast. It would be a shame to cover it with a cloth. And no one in the family would understand what it was for.

My mother used to say that you ironed a tablecloth to an "M" and napkins to an "N" shape. Has anyone else heard that?

And I have some plain sheets which I once bought to cover a wallpapering table for when I had a large sit-down dinner party with about 12-14 guests. Much cheaper and no pattern, so you are free to decorate the table in any style or colour. On that occasion, it was a "Thanksgiving" style dinner and I had red sheets and decorated the table in red white and blue.

I remember dying a sheet in light blue for my DS1's Christening,40 years ago, and decorating the table with blue hyacinths.

Table cloths 99% of the time. I love the look of them. We have a few modern ones but most often use the ones embroidered by my ma in law, some are over 60 years old and all seem to be bomb proof. The linen is remarkably easy to iron, easier than many of the modern cloths. The table currently has a cloth embroidered in pinks and mauves with a vase of pink roses on it. Old fashioned? Maybe, but we enjoy seeing the cloths in use.

I have always used a tablecloth to protect the table. I bought some lovely floral material and had tablecloth curtains and napkins made. They look so pretty to match the old fashioned dinner service I got from charity shops. The pink champagne glasses candle holders add to the look.
My family say I’m like Mrs Bouquet but I like it especially for a special meal. The dining room is my favourite a lovely meal candlelight sparkling wine lots of chatter makes for a lovely evening.

My daughter uses tablecloths, she has got my Mothers beautiful linen ones with deep crocheted edging plus some embroidered ones that are all at least 50 years old, probably older.
She also has my Mum's old china cups and saucers that are probably 80 years old. It's lovely to see them being used and her Granny would be so pleased to see her enjoying them. I'm afraid I was a distinct disappointment in that area!

Each to their iwn but I really dislike oilcloth type table cloths and just use one when the dgc are doing craft.

DH and I always use cotton serviettes when we are on our own or for guests but appropriate paper ones when the family is here.

We always make tea with leaves and I drink mine from a white China mug.

I am turning into my mother, obviously.

We've got an oak dining table which we bought a few years ago, having given our old Habitat pine table and chairs (bought in 1974) to our daughter. I found a 2mm thick transparent table cover on Ebay that I cut to size to fit the top. It's bombproof! Even the GC's acrylic paints wipe off and the nice thing is you can still see the beautiful wood underneath. Still use table mats for anything hot though.

I have a PVC one for everyday - from Dunelm and a pattern that goes well with the the kitchen. I like it because otherwise dishes and plates make a lot of noise on the stone table.

Pretty ones for Christmas. birthdays and Easter to go with the theme. If GCn are here with friends then a paper one is handy!

I don't feel they are old-fashioned. They add an extra layer of interest and care to the meal.

Napkins however are always paper!

We usually eat in the kitchen and don't use a cloth in there.

We have a lovely Danish, teak table that seats 8 in the dining room which I cover with a protector and a cream cloth when we eat in there. At Christmas I cover it with a red sheet.

I have lots of beautifully embroidered ones from my nan and mil but daren't use them and can't bear to through them away.

I love them and use them daily have done since we were married in 1977. My mil did use them and I think a meal well cooked deserves a table well set.

JaneJudge

matalan do seersucker duvet sets and unfortunately I have bought many

I have had seersucker duvet sets from M&S and John Lewis over the years, DH claims the pillowcases are rough so he gets a plain one. I'll look in Matalan. Thank you.

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.

Jaxjacky

You can get a white seersucker sheet GSM.

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

matalan do seersucker duvet sets and unfortunately I have bought many

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.

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

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

You can get a white seersucker sheet GSM.

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

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 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.