DIY Table linens?

[rockchalkchick]

Anyone else make their own tablecloths? We have a park lodge rented with 30 8-foot banquet tables (the long rectangular guys) and brown folding chairs. I've been trying to find moderately priced (aka cheap) table linens for rent or purchase, and REALLY want to avoid plastic if I possibly can.

Unfortunately, this just isn't happening - I've found decent plain white cloths for about $8 each, but that still adds up to about $250 by the time I have 30 of them, and I only have about $500 budgeted for "decor." It just seems really futile to pay $8 for a 9-foot stretch of cloth when I can buy fabric by the bolt at $2/yard or less and spend some time hemming (I'm pretty efficient at the sewing machine).

So, the question is - has anyone done this? Any tips or warnings I should know about? Any advice, even if you haven't tried it?

I'm struggling to balance saving money and not looking "cheap" - I've been to low-budget weddings that look great and some that just look "low-budget" (one had M&Ms dumped on a paper plate for a "centerpiece/favors"). Because the lodge (which is gorgeous) coupled with the long tables has a risk of looking too Boy-Scout-banquet, I'm trying to do what I can to play it up a bit.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

[StarCoveter]

I'm going to be making my own tablecloths also. I've already made about 40 cloth napkins, and the only thing I can say is take breaks in between! It gets long and boring doing so much straight stitching, you know what I mean?

As long as you make sure you buy fabric at the correct width, so you have a little bit hanging down, then it will look fine. And the plus side is, if you want, you can hem it with a color thread that matches your other wedding colors! I did that for my napkins - hemmed them with a teal thread, and it's a nice little touch, I think. Look here to see: http://forums.onewed.com/showthread.php?t=15376

I haven't made the tablecloths yet, because we still don't know how many people are coming, and I don't want to make too many, and buy too much fabric, but I think it'll be fairly easy. And they can be used over and over again, or I can end up using the fabric for something else!

[Kfancii]

Do you have a Sam's Club or Costco near you? I bought white linen restaurant table clothes for 3 for $20 not too long ago. They are long rectangular clothes and have held up quite nicely.

[LILBOBO1980]

I rented table covers and chair covers for all the reception tables. However, we made all of the table clothes for the buffet tables etc....

We made some and all we did was sew in elastic so that we could just have the skirting stretch around the tables...... we ended up running out of time so many of the tables just had the skirting taped to the table :D No one ever knew. I decided only to make the skirting and then use fabric to put on top of the table. This was a much easier choice for us and worked out great. I bought all my fabric for 1.00 a yard at Walmart.... I just always keep my eye open when visiting.

Here are some pictures.... don't have many at this point...but it will give you an idea. I also tried to work really hard at having a cheap but not cheap looking wedding... I think I succeeded for the most part.

The table skirts that we made with the elastic we were able to scrunch together.

The cloth was not supposed to be hanging over so much but I did not have time to take control of that : )


http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL82/6411734/19672671/317176759.jpg





http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL82/6411734/19672671/317176764.jpg

[LILBOBO1980]

If you look to the right in the first picture you will see part of the candy buffet. I made a pink table skirt and then added a very sheer and shimmery material over it.

[LILBOBO1980]

I found a couple more of the tables I did myself... All with 1.00 a yard fabric!


Head table
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL82/6411734/19672671/317217176.jpg





This was my candy buffet....sorry this is the only picture I have and allot of the candy was covered with plastic and the green tulle was just laying on top... but you can see the skirting... I left the sheer white skirting long... I thought it looked nicer that way.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL82/6411734/19672671/317217174.jpg

[LILBOBO1980]

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL82/6411734/19672671/317220044.jpg


http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL82/6411734/19672671/317220135.jpg

[peppercrane]

Kudos to the fact that you're so organized and the manner you designed these banquet tables & chairs is just amazing!