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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was retired in August 2007. It is being provided by “Sew What’s Up,” which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: sbr
Date: 03-13-2007, 04:37 PM (1 of 4)
Was wondering if anyone could coach me on how to cut a band about 6" to apply around the bottom of a tablecloth. Oh, contrast band.

I know how to cut a band to apply as my faced hem by adding it to the cut and cutting it at the same time I do my tableround, but this will be for the face fabric. I am not sure how much fabric this consists of. In my mind I'm thinking I would have to buy the same amount of fabric as my tablecloth, but this seems such a waste of fabric.

Any advice or direction would be so appreciated!!!
User: sbr
Member since: 05-09-2006
Total posts: 2
From: paroper
Date: 03-13-2007, 10:29 PM (2 of 4)
If you don't want a seam in your binding, you are close...BUT it depends on where you stop your side seam and if you are going to bind this edge by folding your 6 inches in half..starting with 12 inches and a double seam allowance or simply use 6 inches plus seam allowance and hem. Personally, I would cut it 13 1/4 inches and fold it in half..but that is personal taste. In my case I would need 13.25 inches X 4 JUST FOR WIDTH which might mean that I would need extra length just to get enough for the 2 end pieces, depending upon the width of the fabric I am using. Now, what happens at the corners of each side? If you are going to lap the end piece over the corners then you could get away with equal length of your fabric (as the table cloth, depending on the width of the fabric) BUT IF you are going to miter the corners of the fabric or something like that? You'll need to have another 26.5 inches in length over the length of your table cloth doing it my way (13.25 x 2) to have it fold and meet at the corners of the side pieces. I hope that (somehow) makes sense? At any rate, even if your fabric isn't quite wide enough to get four cuts across, adding in the extra 26.5 inches for the sides might give you enough to cut your two end pieces from the same length of fabric? I depends on the size of your cloth. Remember, that you'll also have to extend the end pieces the full length of the side pieces too. The only way I know to avoid this would be if you put a square block in the corner, then each section could be cut the width of the tablecloth...you'd just have to figure out how you wanted to connect that corner piece.

I did this type of thing with my daughter's drapes because she wouldn't give me the width and length of her drapes...so I guessed and the measurment I guessed was short...I ended up adding a piece down each side and across the bottom, lining the drapes...and believe it or not, the college only had TRAVERSE rods which we could change out, if we were willing to repair the wall and put the traverse rods back at the end of the semester? Who decided to put traverse rods in college dorm/apartments????
pam

Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch)
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004
Total posts: 3775
From: sbr
Date: 03-16-2007, 07:39 AM (3 of 4)
Thanks for your reply Pam. You know, I forgot to say this was for a round tablecloth. Sorry! Any direction on that? Thanks so much.
User: sbr
Member since: 05-09-2006
Total posts: 2
From: paroper
Date: 03-16-2007, 09:10 AM (4 of 4)
Yeah, RUN AWAY!!!!!! RUN AWAY!!!!!

Well, with a round band I'd either cut two and put a seam on the bottom or I'd just put in a hemmed edge (which would probably be easier.) I'm sitting here trying to decide if you need to worry about grainline on a round table cloth. It will CERTAINLY be more stable if the grainline matches the cloth...but what a nightmare! The GOOD Thing about a round tablecloth is that you KNOW you can/will piece the pattern pieces. SO, you need to decide how many pattern parts you wil need.

As I have often told ya'll I'm very visual. The easiest way to figure how much fabric you'll need is to decide how many bands you'll use..4? 6? If your fabric is wide and your table cloth overall will be narrow, you could even do it as one band. If you cut it as two pieces, because they are wider than half the fabric, you'll have to lay them so that the round side of the edging is against the selvage...one will be higher on the fabric than the other and they will fit inside each other...so for two you'll definately need more fabric than the original cloth. In that case, you'll need to allow for the width of the banding plus the overlap of the two bands and the width on the second band (plus seam allowances for both.

Ok, so back to the part about me being visual. If I were doing this, I'm nuts enough I'd need a pattern. I would put together some newspaper or medical paper and I'd make the whole thing...the table cloth, the edging everything, allowing the outside hem on the edging...I'd make it the right size and I'd put several Straight of grain markers on it....everywhere so that when I started cutting it would be right. Then I'd fold that baby in half. I'd draw my border on the edges and I'd MARK SOME NOTCHES...on the sides single and double or triple notches...and there is a reason for that...I'll explain...I'd be sure that while the thing is together there were straight of grain markers on the end pieces of the circles piece...everywhere.

Then I'd cut that border loose from the cloth. I'd add seam allowances to the table cloth pattern and I'd use it...notches and all. The reason? So I could get the straight of grain back in place properly. If you use the straight of grain markers you shouldn't have sag later.

Ok, then I'd add inside seam allowances to my side pattern. Now, look at the border patterns. If you have a gridded mat on your cutting table or a cutting board with a grid, this is when it can REALLY come into play. When I am mapping out how much fabric I need for flags or whatever, I lay the flag "pattern" with the seam allowances out on my cutting mat and I count the cuts. If you have a grid, you can easily do the same..to see if your pattern will fit on the fold of your fabric or if you open up the fabric, if you can lay it in two pieces on the straight of grain, inside each other and how much additional fabric you will need. If you do not have a table or grid to use, cut a piece of newspaper to width and do it that way. You can lay it on the bed or table or whatever to see how your pattern will lay out. IF you decide to cut the more than two pieces to save fabric, I would use the straight of grain markers and the notches (again) to help lay out the end pieces. If you match those and use your notches to place them, you shouldn't have warping when you wash the table cloth later and it should lay prettier.
pam

Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch)
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004
Total posts: 3775
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