How to sew oilcloth

All about OILCLOTH what to do with it and how.

How to measure your oilcloth
Care of oilcloth
Oilcloth width
How to sew oilcloth
Gloss or matt?
Delivery
Our complete range of oilcloth

People often ask 'where can I buy oilcloth by the metre?' At Norfolk Textiles we sell it by the half metre, even better!

When you are buying a new oilcloth you will need to know know the dimensions of your table and to have decided how much overhang you would like to have. Generally 20 cms on each side and end is acceptable. This would entail you measuring your table and adding 40 cms to the length and 40 cms to the width. Please check the width of the chosen oilcloth against the width of your table. If is wider, oilcloth can be trimmed accordingly. If it is too narrow, then it will not cover the table adequately.
So, armed with your measurements you know that if your table measured 2 metres by 1 metre, the amount of oilcloth you would require for your tablecloth would be approximately 2.5 metres. By following these simple steps, it will help to make sure that you are not disappointed.

Oilcloth is resistant to most stains, so great for the kitchen, but they are not completely foolproof, so do be a bit careful with curry, tomato, lipstick, newsprint and felt tipped pens! In fact, anything you suspect of having a strong dye capable of travelling.

It is not heat resistant. It is PVC coated and the PVC will start to soften at about 90°C.

There is no need to hem the edges, but if you want something really stylish, then you can of course, sew a coloured binding around the edges.

If you need to remove creases you can gently iron on the reverse side, or run a warm hairdryer over it. Alternatively leave it in the sun. Please note that if ironing a matt oilcloth it can turn shinier.

If your oilcloth has been delivered folded we recommend that it is taken out of the package and laid flat as soon as possible. Dark colours can mark if creased and we really recommend that these are delivered on a roll.

To clean your oilcloth, just wipe with a damp, soapy cloth. If really stubborn try some neat bleach, but on a place where it won't notice to begin with.

We use it in the garden, where it resists rain, protects the table, and looks good too. It will eventually fade in the sun, but we tend to have a new one for the kitchen every year, and then use the old one outside, in which case it doesn’t really matter too much.

It is available in a fabulous range of designs and colours, and with the average width being about 137 cms, is wide enough for most tables.

Another frequently asked question is 'how do I sew oilcloth'. Well, it isn't too difficult really, because it doesn't fray, but we find that a teflon foot on the sewing machine works brilliantly and stops the oilcloth gripping the foot. Alternatively, you could stick a strip of masking tape to the underside of your machine foot. Large stitches help too.

You will have seen that oilcloth is available in matt or gloss finishes and you may wonder which to choose. Your criteria could be appearance, or durability may be your biggest concern.

Generally the gloss finishes are more hard-wearing as they have a harder, less porous finish. The matt oilcloths need a little more care, but tend to have a softer drape. Please note that if you iron on the back of a matt oilcloth it could become glossier.

To keep your postage costs down we fold oilcloth orders of three metres or less. If you would like yours sent on a roll please choose the appropriate postage option.

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