Here is a easy project that I did a while ago and for some reason never posted…hmmm, what’s up with that!?! It’s an inexpensive and fast way to get a vinyl table cloth to fit your outdoor dining table perfectly so that it won’t blow away with the wind. We eat outside almost everyday in the summer so this project was a must-do for our family!
The Perfect Fit Tablecloth
1 vinyl table cloth, close to the measurements of your table (you can go by the size chart on the back of the tablecloth package)
scissors
sewing machine and coordinating thread
Here is what my outdoor dining table looks like:
We love the style but the slat-type look is just no good for clean-up. All last summer we went without a tablecloth and let me tell you it was really pretty grody cleaning up all the little pieces of food that get wedged in between the slats…can we say SUPER yuk!
My vinyl table cloth was on clearance for $4.99, a total bargain that I just couldn’t pass up…could you, I think not!?! The only downfall…and there’s always one, isn’t there…was that my table is a rectangle that seats 6-8 and this tablecloth had dimensions for a rectangle that seats 8-10, basically it was WAAAAY big. I bought it anyways and just cut it to the dimensions I needed. Here’s what I did (please follow my insanity below):
Measure your table first, including the depth. Mine was 59 inches long by 31.5 inches wide with a depth of 4 inches on all sides. So I cut my table cloth to 67 inches (59 + 8 inches for each side’s depth) in length and 39.5 inches (31.5 + 8 inches for each side’s depth) in width. Comprendo? Bueno!I serged the raw edges but really the vinyl and the soft backing are pretty much fused together so you could just leave it alone. I just really wanted to serge something that day 🙂
Ok, next put your tablecloth on your table all centered and such and pull the corners out into a triangle, like the picture above. Then, just cut the triangles off with a pair of scissors leaving yourself a little wiggle room to sew a seam. You will be left with 4 squares of vinyl tablecloth scraps at the end of this…save them for another fun project!
Then, take your tablecloth over to your sewing machine and match up the raw edges from each corner, making sure your tablecloth is inside out! 
Sew a straight stitch with a 1/4 inch seam allowance. Go ahead and trim your seam allowance being careful not to cut your newly sewn seam!!
Then, flip your table cloth right-side out and push out the corner seams so they are nice and pretty. Now go ahead and take a bow and get ready for the round of applause that’s coming your way cause you are finished!!
Woo Hoo!
A perfectly fitting table cloth, all nice and snug, that won’t blow away with the wind!!
Ahhh, pretty!
And, since I had so much extra vinyl tablecloth I made a matching one for the kiddie table too!
It just makes me smile 🙂
That’s all!
cute! I liked that we go to see the pattern on it when you did your close up shots. It’s a really pretty pattern!
love it!! great idea…im just learning who to sew:)
Great job!! (Now if I just had an outdoor table set…hmmmmm….) 🙂
Wonderful! I’m going to do that with my coffee table and a dollar store flannel-backed tablecloth for when my kids play with the Play Doh! Thanks.
Love it! I could have used that triangle tip back in December when I was working on a sewing project. Now I know! I’m such an amature!
another “why didn’t I think of that??” moment:) THanks for sharing!
That is brilliant! I am going to feature this post tomorrow!
very smart! can’t wait to give it a try.
So smart, and so simple!
great idea, as always!!! You are oh-so-smart!
Ok, You are a GENIUS!!!!
Clever. I like it. 🙂
This is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing!
Love it, brilliant!
This is such a fabulous idea! Especially when the wind starts a blowin’…and your tablecloth stays perfectly in place. To dress up serving tables for an outdoor party. To cover picnic tables at the park. So many practical uses! Thanks for sharing!
If only I had a table outside…
Ca-le-ver. (Clever) Thanks for sharing. Now I just need a table.
How awesome is that?!?!
I linked to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-sew-a-perfect-fit-tablecloth/2010/05/23/
–Anne
Well done! Thanks for sharing … I’ve posted a link.
this is great! I’ve made sheets that way, it’s fun because you don’t have to strain too hard to figure out measurements,etc.! Yay for that! Can I ask where you got the table/benches from? I love them.
So flippin’ GENIUS!!
Little secret: We NEVER use tablecloths in my home. Even more secret: I don’t own a single tablecloth. (Please, PLEASE don’t tell any of my grandmothers!! They would be absolutely APPALLED!)
The reason we don’t is that the kids yank at them. But I think with this idea, we could get away with it — it would be difficult for them to yank one of those babies off!
TOTALLY gonna do it! Thanks!!
Cotton table cloth is ideal for daily use as well as for special occasions. Easy to wash and clean, these attractive tablecloths are made from best quality cotton.
Cotton table cloth is ideal for daily use as well as for special occasions. Easy to wash and clean, these attractive tablecloths are made from best quality cotton.
Thanks for the great idea and tutorial!
I love it. Sew neat!
I followed your tutorial and just re-did four tables! WOO HOO! Thanks for the great idea. I linked to your blog on my post, too…
http://mudpiestudio.blogspot.com/2010/07/tablecloth-do-over.html
That’s really pretty. I adore the blue jar, too.I think that would be perfect in my sala. Thanks for sharing this to us. More power to you and to your site!
I Googled for a fitted table cloth for our picnic table and came across your post. Such a neat idea! I LOVE the looks of your outdoor table and bench! But I know exactly what you mean about the food getting stuck between the slats. Same thing happens with a picnic table. I’ll be keeping my eyes open for cheap material to turn into a quick fitted cover for our table. Thanks for sharing your idea. 🙂
Thanks for the fantastic idea. I finished mine this weekend and already used it.
Thank you for sharing!!! I am so looking forward to being able to keep a tablecloth on my kitchen table! My crazy cats launch off the table and any regular table cloths slide right off into the floor! I try to keep them off the tables…but when Mom’s away…the kids will play.
This was awesomely easy! I’m a beginner sewer and I made this for our kitchen table the day I found the tutorial! LOVE IT! So quick and easy. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for sharing this clever idea!! How many times have we all had a picnic, and had to “weigh down” the tablecloth to keep it from blowing in the wind!
What do you think, could you make one of these for an oblong table with rounded corners?
Hmm, you could you just may have to finagle it onto the table corners a smidge!
I think this is a great way to make a table cloth. I would really like to make one for my round table. Do you have any helpful ways to make one round?
What a Great simple idea.
Now i just have to wait till summer comes 🙂
What a great simple idea!
Now I just have to wait for summer 🙂
I am so going to do this for my dining room table! I have been struggling because although I love the look of a tablecloth, I HATE it when someone gets up and accidentally takes the tablecloth (and everything on the table) with them! We have concrete floors, so that is a REAL problem. I also have several cloths that do not fit exactly right, and this is a super smart idea on how to solve that problem. I had already made a table protector for my table, using a vinyl table cloth, but I only held it together with duct tape, instead of sewing it. I will be starting on this VERY soon!!!
How would you make it for a round table.
elastic:)
Thanks so much for this SIMPLE tablecloth. I have a small table in our trailer that gets stains on it from hot items. I followed the perfect instructions and bought some Insul-Bright which I attached to the underside with fusible web tape. I had enough to make two tablecloths, one for the small table and one with the leaf in it. Perfect and brightens up the trailer. Thanks again
Rose
This caught my attention….really! I spotted it and practically broke my neck in the looking.
Probably nothing I could add in way of complimenting you on your creativity but ….compliment you I will. I hate those wings on tablecloths that whack me when I approach the table. So I am fixing that problem right now! Thank you so much for the wonderful idea.!
I’m going to use that idea to “fit” the foot end of our top bedsheets. I can’t stand how messed up the bedding gets when the bottom end of the top sheet gets completely pulled out. The bed would be so much easier to make in the morning.
What a great idea!! I know just how annoying that is too, unfortunately!!! 🙂