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Tablecloth upgrade!
28 October 2025 07:18 amThe scene:
I have a medieval tablecloth bought many years ago, rather expensively, when I was new to re-enactment and doing late 14th century. This, and I cannot stress this enough, was an expensive purchase.
It was part of a set which also a smaller tablecloth made to a custom size. Also expensive, but I had thought it was to be woven to measure, so was not too upset about it. When the towels arrived, I was dismayed to discover that it was a bigger cloth cut down one side and hemmed. I could have paid less for it and cut it down myself had I wanted to do that. Another hand woven towel a friend had bought was a plain one with hand woven narrow ware stitched on for the stripes, which is also something we could have done ourselves for less outlay. Anyway, these were still hand woven and expensive.
The current situation:
I'm focussing on earlier 14th century now, and the striped table cloths I see are just that:striped. No griffins or chained cats which are on my big, fancy tablecloth. I've continued to use it out of public eye, but what I really need is another striped tablecloth.
The expensive tablecloth has stripes on it also. You may see where I'm heading with this.
If I carefully cut the chained cats and griffons off, I could also extract the stripes and sew them on in the right places. Of course, cutting into a magnificent table cloth is horrifying. I have numerous friends who would happily buy it from me (at a second hand price, of course.) This preserves a table cloth however it means that I do not have a large table cloth. Having a new one woven and posted to my country is an expensive exercise, and I sure don't have the extra for frivolous purchases.
So.
I've started cutting and stitching and am delighted with how it's going thus far. I can potentially add the 15th century strips I'm removing to a plain tablecloth to make a whole separate one, so nothing is wasted. I've made a start.
I can sell the strips of dragons and griffins and someone else can do it themselves.
I have a medieval tablecloth bought many years ago, rather expensively, when I was new to re-enactment and doing late 14th century. This, and I cannot stress this enough, was an expensive purchase.
It was part of a set which also a smaller tablecloth made to a custom size. Also expensive, but I had thought it was to be woven to measure, so was not too upset about it. When the towels arrived, I was dismayed to discover that it was a bigger cloth cut down one side and hemmed. I could have paid less for it and cut it down myself had I wanted to do that. Another hand woven towel a friend had bought was a plain one with hand woven narrow ware stitched on for the stripes, which is also something we could have done ourselves for less outlay. Anyway, these were still hand woven and expensive.
The current situation:
I'm focussing on earlier 14th century now, and the striped table cloths I see are just that:striped. No griffins or chained cats which are on my big, fancy tablecloth. I've continued to use it out of public eye, but what I really need is another striped tablecloth.
The expensive tablecloth has stripes on it also. You may see where I'm heading with this.
If I carefully cut the chained cats and griffons off, I could also extract the stripes and sew them on in the right places. Of course, cutting into a magnificent table cloth is horrifying. I have numerous friends who would happily buy it from me (at a second hand price, of course.) This preserves a table cloth however it means that I do not have a large table cloth. Having a new one woven and posted to my country is an expensive exercise, and I sure don't have the extra for frivolous purchases.
So.
I've started cutting and stitching and am delighted with how it's going thus far. I can potentially add the 15th century strips I'm removing to a plain tablecloth to make a whole separate one, so nothing is wasted. I've made a start.
I can sell the strips of dragons and griffins and someone else can do it themselves.
A Waiting-for-pizza-to-arrive job. What’s on the menu? Spicy veg with jalapinos for me and bbq meatlovers for Gummibear. (Okay, it's for me, but she gets a lot of the ham and sausage and her little kitty heart would break if I didn't get pizza I can share with her.) This is the blue cloak which is hastily replacing the leaf green one; it of the nine holes. The neckline is cut and pinned and now just the hand-stitching while we watch a movie and eat pizza. Not a bad way to spend an evening.
I've finished the grey hood except the buttons and buttonholes, but since they can be worn open anyway, that's it for now. 
I know I should be doing a multitude of other things, but while I was sorting out some clothing for my sister's kids to wear to the big medieval event of the year, I thought that it might be nice to adjust some things I bought earlier in the year- a green wool, hedeby style hood and a generic leaf green cloak.
