How to Size Tablecloths

After deciding on the color and pattern to match your dishes and centerpiece, measure the size of your table. Tablecloths can be sized according to the number of people that can comfortably sit around a table, but are usually sized according to the length and width of the table. Measure oval or rounded shapes along the length and width on the longest axes, usually across the center. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Use a retractable measuring tape to measure the length and width of your table. Make sure to measure parallel to the table's sides. You can hook the edge of the measuring tape over the table edge to help hold it in place, or have someone hold it steady for you.

2

Decide how long of a "drop" you want: how far you want the edge of the tablecloth to hang down over the edge of the table. A typical table setting will drop between 6 and 12 in. For formal occasions, a much longer drop may be used.

3

Multiply the desired drop by two, then add this figure to both the length and the width measurements of your table. So, if you want a 6-in. drop, you'll actually add 12 inches to each dimension of the table to account for the drop on each side. If you table is 54 in. long and 42 in. wide, and you want a 6-inch drop, your total size measurement for a tablecloth would be 54 + 12 = 66 in. long and 42 + 12 = 54 in. wide.

4

Check the packaging or specified dimensions for tablecloths as you shop, either in stores or online. Buy a tablecloth that's the same shape as your table (square, oblong, oval or round) and at least as long and as wide as the size you calculated. If you can't get the exact size you wanted, buy a tablecloth that's a little bigger, then have it hemmed to the right size.