Easter Tablecloth

If you are planning a family dinner for the holiday, special Easter tablecloths are a perfect way to begin. Whether you choose vintage, new, homemade, or disposable there is probably a table cloth to match any need that you might have.

There are really two ways to go when choosing your Easter tablecloth.

• Use a white, cream, or pastel cloth that can be used for other events
• Use an Easter patterned cloth that is reserved just for Easter

If funds are tight getting a plain tablecloth that can be used for other things is probably a good idea, although it is nice to have a cloth just for a special holiday to hand down throughout your generations. Sometimes traditions are an important part of memories.

Pastel colors are usually representative of spring and Easter. Choose light, almost white, pinks, blues, yellows, and greens. White is always appropriate, as is cream.

Motifs and designs on printed tablecloths that are traditional at Easter are:

• Chicks
• Ducks
• Lambs
• Rabbits
• Lillies
• Baskets
• Crosses and religious symbols
• Spring flowers like daisies

Vintage Easter tablecloths are special finds and quite rare. You can sometimes find them on eBay or a local antique store. These are often made of linen or cotton, and may have Easter motifs hand embroidered on them. They may also be specially printed with Easter designs. Homemade vintage Easter cloths can be anything from a lacy crochet to a whimsical embroidered piece.

You can sometimes tell the age of the cloth by the colors used.

• 1920s-1930s Pastel colors were used with gray to create an Art Deco look
• 1940s – 1950s Pink and turquoise were popular colors, as was red.
• 1960s-1970s Earth tones and dusty colors came into vogue during these decades

Cleaning a Vintage Tablecloth

If you are lucky enough to find a vintage table cloth for your Easter table then you will want it to be at its best. If it has stains or is discolored from age you can try hand washing it in a gentle soap, rinsing well and then letting it dry flat on a clean area of grass in the sunlight. The sunlight will help to fade light stains.

If the stain still doesn't life off you can try rubbing it with a little lemon juice and letting it sit in the sun for a couple of hours. The combination of lemon juice and sun will often bleach stains right out of fabric. Be sure to wash the lemon juice out with a gentle soap or it can damage the delicate fibers in your cloth.

While a spotless tablecloth is certainly desirable, resist the urge to bleach it because you can do irreparable harm to the fabric.

Finding a Easter Cloth

If you want a new tablecloth to grace your table during your Easter feast then there are plenty of places to get them.

Etsy – carries handmade products by many different artisans.

Amazon – has hundreds of all kinds of cloths from disposable to elegant. (check out the selection on the sidebar of this article)

Miles Kimball – has lively printed Spring cloths

My Beautiful Table - provides hand woven cloths from Sweden

If you are having many children or a large party you might want to consider disposable tablecloths. These come in an assortment of designs and can be found at many party stores, hobby stores, and on the Internet.

Disposable Easter tablecloths may be made of paper, plastic, or paper with vinyl type backing. Paper is the least durable and even a small spill can reduce your beautiful table to melted mush.

Perfect Holiday Table Settings

Finding a beautiful Easter tablecloth to put on your holiday table is one of the most basic ways to give your dinner a holiday feeling as well as make it beautiful. Once you have your table cloth you can choose accessories and Easter decor to create exactly the look you want.