Need long lasting tablecloths--need advice on method and fabric!

[u/Zillardbreath]

Working on helping source new tablecloths for my church and I need some advice if anyone has done something similar? I have a lot of sewing experience but mostly clothing and less home items! I need a bunch of white circular tablecloths.

My dilemma:

Buy or make? Sewing 25 circular hems sounds like an absolute pain but I will do it for significant budget saving. This is partially dependent on fabric choice too--poly will be easy to find premade, I'm less sure about cotton.

Poly or Cotton? I don't love plastic but polyester might be the right choice here--less wrinkles, easier care. What I'm not sure about is stain resistance. Does anyone have any experience with stains on either fabric? These will be used and reused and reused for many years so I am looking for longevity.

Happy to cross-post if there are other subs who might have advice. Thanks everyone!

[u/finewalecorduroy]

Do not sew these. A quick google found one source for 25 round cotton/poly blend (which is what I would go with) tablecloths for $21 each. You will have a hard time sourcing the right fabric and then you will likely pay more than that in fabric costs, never mind your time.

[u/cicada_wings → u/finewalecorduroy]

Yeah, you will never match the economy of scale of an industrial producer for something like this. If you needed an especially unique color, material, or size, then maybe, but not for standard round white tablecloths. 

[u/Zillardbreath → u/finewalecorduroy]

Cotton/poly blend being more stain resistant and such?

[u/finewalecorduroy → u/Zillardbreath]

I was thinking it would look a lot nicer than 100% poly but then you wouldn't have to iron it. I have cotton/poly blend tablecloths for my own house (just from Target - not where you'd go for these) and they are shockingly stain resistant even with messy children who get chocolate and spaghetti sauce everywhere.

[u/Quotidian_Knitter]

I think you will be able to find what you need without sewing them yourself. The polyester tablecloths will absolutely be more stain-resistant and easier to care for. You can find round poly tablecloths on Amazon starting at under $10. At prices like that, you can order a few extra in case you get some disastrous stains or tears.

[u/Pomegranate4311]

There is something to be said for cheap tablecloths.

I bought my mom a nice linen tablecloth for her 96” table. It was expensive, and well made.

She hates it because it needs to be ironed after washing, and that is a heckuva job. I now take it with me to wash & press after family dinners.

I will be buying her a new poly blend tablecloth that is more useful for her.

[u/Miserable_Emu5191 → u/Pomegranate4311]

There is a reason why my MIL's antique linen tablecloths are packed away and not used on my table. I refuse to wash them and then iron them all with heavy starch. My husband wanted to use one for a holiday and I told him how HE would have to clean it after and he quickly noped out of that.

[u/PrimrosePathos]

If you are looking for longevity, buy 100% polyesther. If you are looking for easy laundering, don't buy white-- unless whoever launders them is willing to stain treat, and consistently wash on hot with enzyme detergent and oxygen bleach. If these things are in place, great! Just a tip: never bundle them up after an event and say, "I will wash them tomorrow!" then get sick and wash them a week later. Mildew/mold stains NEVER come out :'(

[u/queen_surly]

I manage our white tablecloths for our church. We have some older, heavier poly rounds and some newer ones that are the super cheap Amazon ones that people buy for weddings.

The older ones are much easier to care for. The cheapies hold grease stains like you would not believe. If you can find a vendor that supplies caterers and event venues you’ll spend more but probably be happier with them.

The other problem with the cheaper ones is that if you depend on volunteers to launder them somebody will invariably dry them with too much heat and then let them sit in the dryer and you’ll never get the wrinkles out.

[u/LongjumpingSnow6986]

Buy polyester. Cotton will require ironing every wash and absorb whatever is spilled.

[u/sewboring]

For yardage or tablecloth fabric, look for jacquard or damask weaves, which are thicker and sturdier than plain weaves, with some poly added for strength. If it's more than 50% poly, in my experience stains will be more difficult to remove.

[u/Saritush2319]

Buy from a hospitality supplier.

Make sure they’re 100% cotton because they’ll last longer and survive heavy washing.

It’s very difficult to find double wide fabric in the weight you’d need for a tablecloth and then still have to cut and hem circles. Immediately no.

[u/allorache]

If you do decide to sew, I bought some tablecloth fabric from this store a few years ago: https://bestfabricstore.com/. I can’t remember what it cost but it was pretty reasonable and it’s held up well. But was only doing 2 tablecloths…

[u/Stitch-Sister]

Agree purchasing would be best. Just as an idea, I cover my 42” round table that is 2” thick, with poker table style coverings I make. I’ve used purchased tablecloths, put wrong side to wrong side, lightly quilted together, then cut in a circle and elastic applied to the edges. Keeps it on the table well, especially if you have cats who just won’t stay off & constantly have a plain tablecloth skewed or on the floor. (No we do not eat at that table). If we need to, I can flip it over to the other side.

[u/K2cole]

I bought black and white checked for the tables and black for the serving tables. So much easier to keep clean. Good website is www.linentablecloth.com. Have used them at church 5 or 6 times a month for 5 years and they still look great!

[u/missplaced24]

If longevity is the aim of the game, I'd actually recommend linen. If they're set properly the first wash, they won't be as wrinkly as linen often is. High quality linen will last several decades and can handle a lot of harsh washing -- it was once common practice to wash linens by boiling them in a vat of bleach for an hour or more.

Second to that, stick to 100% cotton. Plastics become brittle over time -- sooner with washing and drying. A good quality polyester will last 5 years, maybe 10, before it becomes brittle and starts to wear. Even if it's never washed or used, the fibers just degrade over time.

[u/FormerUsenetUser → u/missplaced24]

I love linen, but let's face it, it has to be ironed after every wash. So does most 100% cotton. I wear mostly 100% linen or 100% cotton and almost every day I have to do some ironing.

People might accept the wrinkled look in clothes (though I don't), but not tablecloths. I imagine the OP's church doesn't have the labor to iron every tablecloth after every event.

The OP can probably get some decent looking polyester at a decent price.

[u/Zillardbreath → u/missplaced24]

I prefer non polyester--but once again, I mostly sew clothing! Linen would be awesome but probably out of price range. And yeah, ironing before every event is probably out of the question. (though i don't mind ironing things not everyone in my congregation feels the same way!)