Tablecloth Magic

 I would love to be able to pull a tablecloth out from under a full setting of dishes but I'm no magician. Instead, I've been busy with vintage tablecloths and finding new life for them as pillows. When I could no longer contain my personal collection of tablecloths, napkins, and placemats in the four large containers, I knew it was time for a clean out. Those I knew I was not going to use I sold in my Etsy shop but I had even more vintage linen in a huge Rubbermaid container. I dug down into that box and pulled out most of the tablecloths and then started to evaluate their worth. Only a few were worthy to sell and the rest were in various stages of disrepair. What can you do with stains that do not come out and holes worn through the fabric in others? I got busy and started to figure out which pieces were of usable size and what to make of them. First up was a rosy red tablecloth with four good corners so I pieced them together, added piping border

Four corners red and teal tablecloth into pillow

and pieced the rest of the salvageable tablecloth for the back.

It's even pretty on the backside!

I got fancy and added an invisible zipper so it can be removed for washing. This one got a new pillow insert with the very last of the poly filling I had, encasing it in a new white cotton case. Could I do this with each one? Probably not.

Next up was a lovely green scalloped edged tablecloth that had no flaws except for some of the stitching coming undone on the scalloping. Thinking I had good luck with the four corners idea, I did the same

Green scalloped edge with delicate flowers

for this pillow. Instead of the zipper insertion, I made an envelope pocket style of closing where one side of the back overlaps the other by at least six inches to allow the inserted pillow to be removed. I really liked this one but now I'm wondering where I'm going to put these two pillows.

The next two pillows just cried out for lace edging and did I ever have a stash of it to use up:

Faced roses and lullaby land pillows

The print was so delicate, maybe faded, on the teal and green tablecloth but there was enough to capture two sections for a pillow with a zipper for easy removal for washing. That little lavender gem was a tablecloth made out of what seems to be hankie linen so maybe it was not a tablecloth. Looking closely it appears to be a sailboat and looks like it belongs in the nursery. The front and back are the same on both of these lace trimmed pillows and by now I've exhausted my stash of pillow forms. What is left is a very large tablecloth and a couple bed pillows so that is what I made up:

Full sized bed pillow with new blue and white casing

For this one I found some thicker piping and there was enough fabric to make up my own matching piping. I used the envelope style of closing but added vintage buttons to keep it closed:

Last section of this tablecloth on the back, buttons on right side

I had already used a large piece of this tablecloth to cover my BIG iron board having read that tablecloths can make the best ironing board covers. I'll give it a try!

Now I have this great collection of vintage tablecloth pillows but where am I going to use them? Some would look nice in the porch for summer and others really wouldn't but I get another brainstorm. How about taking the dark quilt and pillows from the guest bedroom

and replacing them with the bright quilt my aunt made for me? Here's how it turned out:

It looks quite old fashioned with the metal trundle bed but I like the brighter look for the coming spring. The pillows look great with all of their colors, finding some of those shades in the quilt. My aunt hand quilted the whole thing! I've had it for 40 years so there's no sense in keeping it stored. although I did use it for several years as a bedspread when I first received it.

There are still more tablecloths left, some to be used for clothing, some for the remaining bed pillow in that bedroom, but I feel like I've made good use out of these worn out beauties. Their best parts are now on display and the rest is cut up for rags. I really hate to use paper towels so now I have a good stash of rags that might be used once, might be used and wash up but at least they are getting used.

Which sewing machine did I use? My Husqvarna Viking Designer 1, of course. I managed to repair the broken bobbin winder but in the process now the LCD display if a bit off so I'll have to investigate and see which part I jiggled lose but my bobbin winder is back! Sewing machine sales are still going on with another Bernina leaving midweek and a Viking Freesia 415 finding a new home yesterday. There are many happy sewers out there and I love to hear from them. How about you?