Inspiring Table Settings: Part 2 – A Look at What I Am Doing

A newly discovered passion is making table linens. My most recent venture combines an interest in printmaking with an inspiration from Fortuny.

In this post, we’ll go inside the process of creating block printed fabric for place mats and setting a table with a collection of vintage table wares.

Begin by creating the drawing on tissue and transferring the drawing to the linoleum block. Three blocks were used for the printed design on the place mats; a flower stem curving to the left, one curving to the right, and several leaves on a stem without a flower.

Next, use the linoleum carving tool to chip away all but the area you want to print the image. The wooden stand keeps the block from slipping as you work.

The glass top iron table from my childhood home is an excellent place to roll out the Speedball fabric ink.

A nearby table is covered with an old paint tarp. A piece of plywood is placed on top of this and the fabric to be printed laid on top of the plywood. The fabric is painter’s drop cloth which, when washed, resembles rough linen.

Gently tap on the back of the linoleum block with a rubber mallet to ensure contact between the block and the fabric. My image is somewhat faint and not fully filled; to me this adds to the worn, antique look.

The edges of the plywood underneath the fabric enable me to loosely register the linoleum block and keep my images somewhat parallel. After each block is printed it is set aside and the next block is inked.

A view of a fully printed piece of fabric. Eight pieces of fabric will be printed.

I cut eight pieces of plain fabric to back the printed pieces. After sewing them together I stitched a border two inches from the edge and another right on the edge, stacking them as they were completed…Now, to set the table.

My over-the-counter cabinets have proven to be a joy. Behind each set of double doors is a coordinated set of dishes and accessories, many of them inherited or collected from vintage shops

The gold edged cream porcelain plates belonged to my Grandmother.  We use them almost daily.

These demitasse cups and saucers also belonged to my Grandmother. We used to have coffee milk in them when we played as little girls.

The knife is from a set belonging to both my Grandmother and my Mother. They chose the same pattern called Romance of the Sea. The spoon is one of a dozen monogrammed spoons collected from vintage shops over the years. The various styles of the hand engraved letters on the handles are such fun to study.

This cup is one of nine purchased at an Antique Warehouse in Galveston, Texas. As there were no matching saucers, the cups were quite a bargain. Later, I was able to find similar saucers at Replacements Limited.

I keep a set of napkins in a bowl at the corner of the counter. The contrast of the hard metal bowl and the softness of the napkins is a pleasure. We got our first napkin ring in a little shop in Fredericksburg, Texas. This one is a favorite of mine. It is engraved inside with C.D. to A.D.L. 1900. Was it a wedding or anniversary gift?

A view of the table all set! It is truly satisfying to make something from humble materials such as a painter’s drop cloth and a linoleum block. The juxtaposition of these handmade place mats with china and cutlery that is at once exquisite and personally touching makes a table setting worthy of the best of friends and family!

Perhaps, look inside your drawers and cabinets and see what you might do with the things you’ve collected or made yourself!