With the holidays approaching, our thoughts naturally turn to entertaining and that means one thing: gathering around a welcoming table to celebrate with family and friends. The table is at the heart of the holiday, and reflects our personal styles and traditions. We may set out heirloom china, stemware and silver, or opt for a minimalist, modern table scape.
No matter the style, all well-set tables have one thing in common: a properly fitting tablecloth. A tablecloth that runs too small looks strange. Alternatively, a table cloth that’s too large may appear fine, but will quickly get awkward by bunching in your guests’ laps when they sit down.
The good news is you can size your tablecloths perfectly every time by remembering one simple term: drop. Drop is the amount of fabric that hangs from the top of your table to the hem. No matter the size or shape your table, the magic number for tablecloth drop is somewhere between 10 and 12 inches. Drop is universal!
How-To Measuring a Square Tablecloth, an Oblong Tablecloth or and an Oval Tablecloth
Easy to follow steps to measure your square, oblong, and oval table
1. Measure the length and width of the table.
2. Decide what length of a drop you would like.
The drop is the amount of fabric that hangs down from the top of the table. Typical drop ranges are between 10 - 12" (inches)
3. Take your desired amount of drop and multiply it by two (for each end of the table).
3. Add that amount of drop (drop length times two) to the length and width of the table.
Oval Table Measuring Example:
- If the table measures 42" wide x 62" long and you want a 12" drop.
- The oblong tablecloth should measure: 66" (42" width + 24" total drop) x 86" (62" length + 24" total drop)
How-To Measuring a Measuring Circular / Round Table
Easy to follow steps to measure your round table
1. Measure the diameter of the table (the length across the table).
2. Decide what length of a drop you would like.
The drop is the amount of fabric that hangs down from the top of the table. Typical drop ranges are between 10 - 12" (inches)
3. Take your desired amount of drop and multiply it by two (for each end of the table)
4. Add that amount of drop (drop length x two) to the diameter of the table
Round Table Measuring Example:
- If the table has a 66" long diameter and you want a 12" drop.
- The circular tablecloth should measure: 90" (66" diameter + 24" total drop)
Table Cloth Measuring Made Easy
Measuring your table cloth is that easy! And remember, with proper care, your table linens will retain their beauty for a long time. That’s why we recommend Heritage Park Fine Fabric wash, which is specially formulated to gently -- yet effectively -- clean your fine lines.
Our client Barbara C. sums it up best: “This washing detergent is fabulous for the toughest stains on linens, sheets and delicate items from red wine, tomato sauce, gravy and even beet juice.”
