Table covers for markets - what do you use?

[The Tartan Trout]

Well I for one use bed sheets and am not ashamed They have never been slept on and are ironed within an inch of their lives. Having done a variety of different fairs for several years now I have tried various colours and fabrics, but I have to say that the white I use now with a strip of colour to tie in with my Tartan Trout logo is by far the best for showing off my pieces and letting people see the true colour of the glass. I have many bug bears at fairs, but wrinkled or dog haired display cloths ( yes I have seen this on more than one occasion) is by far one of my biggest.

[aercraft]

Must stop reading this thread as 'Table Covers for Meerkats'....

[Lotti]

Must stop reading this thread as 'Table Covers for Meerkats'....

[jammie]

Mine is darb brown faux suede bought on ebay, doesn't need  ironing, then my display is mostly cream coloured boards and busts etc  as these are my colours for the website cards etc. 

[Lotti]

So interesting hearing the variations.    Thanks Jennie, will have a look, shame I was in sunny Barny yesterday (it wasn't sunny your way though was it!).  Sarah, you are just a domestic goddesss, ironing to me is the work of the devil and I don't do it if I can't help it.  With two markets a week and one with two tables I just can't do that much washing and ironing to keep the sheets looking pristine    Think it is going to have to be a blue base (of some shade/kind) with the small embroidered white table clothes on top (need a bit of colour methinks).  Just got to find the base now.  Thanks for all your thoughts and sharing what you have. 

[Blue Box Studio]

What's ironing?  I only do indoor fairs but, subject to us not pouring coffee over things, they get spruced up once a year, the rest of the time I glare at creases and they drop out

[SRJ]

I glare at creases and they drop out

Scarey lady - pity it doesn't work on seagulls! 

[Lush!]

Can I revive this thread please?

I need to dump my combination of white bed sheets and white table cloth (okay, I might keep the cloth on top of the new floor length cover) for something quick to throw on, non-crease, no-messing.

Reading back, I can't decide whether to go for white velvet, white crushed velvet, white lining material (would that be "pongee", whatever that is?) or white jersey.

I have a 10ft x 4ft stall to cover, and it needs to come to the floor on the front and both ends.  My brain is hurting trying to do the maths ... help! 

[Blue Box Studio]

white lining material (would that be "pongee", whatever that is?)

pongee is lightweight silk.  My lining material is the polyester stuff you get to line coats and jackets.  Being man made the creases drop out.  Mine's quite wide, I think it normally is anyway, and easily reaches the floor and sides and just covers the top of the table.  It is slippy, so I fight back with those picnic table clips you can anywhere now
(like these http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tala-Table-Cloth-Clips-Set/dp/B004VQTHTE/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1333235290&sr=8-9)

[Shirley]

Colette and I got crushed velvet from Minerva fabrics. Used it for the first time at Harrogate and it was spot on. £4 per m and no p+p. We'll have it at Flame Off, Julie.

[Scottie]

If you have a Fabric Land where you live I would recommended that you pay them a visit - I have a chocolate crushed velvet which is lightweight to carry and crease free when on the table. The width is fine for all tables, reaching the floor at the front and draping over my side of the table by about 12 inches. I think I paid about £3.50 a metre as well so it's not overly expensive and goes in the washing machine / dryer too. The range of colours was vast also.

I have brought my tables to life with some table runners that I bought from Homebase in cream.

Interesting thread to see what all you guys use.

Good luck at your market...

[Lush!]

Picnic table clips are a great idea, thanks for that Sue.

Shirley, I will come n cop a feel at FO, thanks!

Karen, no big fabric places round here so I'd shop on Ebay. 

A regular craft fair/bead fair table is about 6ft by 3ft max, the market stall I need to cover is 10ft by 4ft, huuuuuuuuge!  And I have to cover to the floor on the front and at least one side, so a single width of 150cm isn't enough. 

I think I need 8m x 150cm, if I've worked it out right 

[JKC]

I bought a black exhibition cloth, which is really nice and a giant white jacquard table cloth 7' 6" by 4' 4".  I got the table cloth from ebay, someone had made some huge ones for a wedding, they were used once.

[Lotti]

I was given some nice light blue fabric from a friend and made fitted table cloths in the end, and they do in the wash and don't need ironing, it's actually curtain fabric, but works a treat.

[JKC]

Sounds lovely Lotti, I couldn't buy a fitted one until I actually manage to get a table delivered