The experts always recommend layers when dressing for winter; we felt this advice should extend to winter table top dressing as well. Our holiday tablecloth is actually two layers: a plain fringed underlay and a patterned flat overlay with pretty pairs of dangling pom-poms as corner accents. With the underlay made out of a neutral fabric in a simple fringed design, you can reuse it with a new overlay for a new season or holiday.

Our instructions and yardage are for a 97″ x 40″ table. We’ve given you measurements for how we cut our pieces to fit our table. Adjust as needed for your table.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Sewing Machine and standard presser foot

Fabric and Other Supplies

• 2¾ yards of 44-45″+ wide fabric for overlay: we originally used Lumiere de Noel by French General for Moda Fabrics in Floral Christmas Hollyvine Natural
• 3 yards of 52″+ wide fabric for underlay: we originally used Brussels Washer Linen Blend in White
• EIGHT approximately 2½” pom poms: we used a soft white
  NOTE: We made our own using a Clover Pom Pom Maker
• All purpose thread: we used deep red
• See-through ruler or yardstick
• Fabric pen, pencil or chalk
• Iron and ironing board
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Straight pins

Getting Started

1. The underlay is designed to have a 4″ drop all around, so you need a piece of fabric that is the size of your table plus 8″. For our 97″ x 40″ table that meant a piece 105″ x 48″.
2. The overlay is designed to sit flat on the table top with an approximate 1″ reveal of the underlay showing all around. Subtract 2″ from both of your table measurements (1″ for each side) to get your finished size. For our table that final measurement should be 95″ x 38″. We use a ¾” double turn hem to finish the overlay. Therefore, you need to add back 1½” to account for each hem or 3″ total to both the finished width and length. In our sample, that means 95″ + 3″ for the length and 38″ + 3″ or 98″ x 41″.
3. From the fabric for your underlay (linen in our sample), figure your dimensions and cut cut ONE rectangle. We cut one rectangle 105″ x 48″. Because we are fringing the underlay, make sure you cut on-grain and keep all your edges as straight and true as possible.
4. From the fabric for your overlay, figure your dimensions and cut ONE rectangle. We cut one rectangle 98″ x 41″.

Pom-poms

1. We made our fluffy pom poms, using a Clover Pom-Pom Maker. You can do this too with help from our easy, step-by-step tutorial. Or… you can buy some big pom poms.
2. We used a straight pom hanger for this project. On some of our other Noel Home projects, such as our Stockings and Chair Covers, we used a fancy little twisted cord technique for the pom hangers. This would certainly work for this project as well. If you are a knitter, you’ll recognize this easy technique right away. If not, there are lots of instructions online.
3. For each of our pom pom pairs, we made one pom hanger approximately 8″ and the other approximately 6″.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

Fringing the underlay

1. Pull a single thread from one edge. To start the thread, you can use a pin to pick out the fiber until you have enough to grab and pull. Pull gently.
   
2. Keep pulling one thread at a time until you have about ¾” of fringe.
3. Repeat the process to fringe all the edges. It’s a bit painstaking, but I like to think of it as patience-therapy. Breathe, pull, breathe, pull…
   
4. Once you’ve fringed all four sides, double-check and trim as needed to even up all the edges to a consistent length of ¾”.
5. Stitch along the inner edge of the fringe all the way around to secure and prevent further raveling.
   
6. Press well.

Creating the overlay

1. Because we have the underlay, this overlay does not need a lining, just a simple hem.
2. To create a simple hem, fold under each edge ¾” and press. Fold under an additional ¾” and press again and pin.
   NOTE: We made neat diagonal point corners, using our favorite tutorial on clean finished corners.
3. Place a pair of pom poms (one 8″ and one 6″) at each corner. To do this, unfold your double-turned hem to a single-turned hem, line up the pom-pom tails (each pom has two tails), and slide them into the hem. 
4. Slide one pom on one side of the corner and one pom on the other side so the tails criss-cross each other at a right angle. Refold the hem to cover the ends. Pin in place.
   
5. Topstitch close to the inner folded edge all around tablecloth hem, making sure to back tack over each of the pom-pom tails, to insure they are stitched tightly in place.

Project Concept: Alicia Thommas
Sample Creation: Gregory Dickson