It weirds me out when people lay the tablecloth on the dining table then cover it with a glass top. It’s like a policy in redundancy and a misunderstanding about the function of a tablecloth. It weirds me out even more why a dining table has to be topped with glass. When we bought our dining room furniture, I said I didn’t want the glass top but the furniture people insisted it would protect the wood surface from hot pans. Since the glass top was included in the price anyway, I took it. Still, I hate the feel of glass on my arms and I hate even more how cold it is both literally and figuratively.
I like tablecloths. We always had tablecloths when we were living in the city. They give a homey feeling in the dining room as against the cold, sterile and impersonal feeling that glass imparts. I’ve kept most of the old tablecloths but since they’re meant for a rectangular dining table, we can’t really use them on our now round dining table. It’s been hell finding new tablecloths that would fit the round table. Rectangular tables are more popular and, ergo, there are a lot more tablecloths for them than for round ones. And the few ones that fit our table were either too garish or too expensive. Just a couple of weeks ago, I checked out the prices at Kultura Filipina (Mall of Asia) and the least expensive was P3,200.00. Of course, I backed off.
Yesterday, we were in Greenhills to buy tees for Sam. Even before she could buy her first piece, I snagged two tablecloths at such great prices.
The first one is cotton with ribbon inserts and a smattering of embroidery. The edges are trimmed with cotton lace.
Below, how it looks from the tabletop.
Above, the details of the design.
I bought a second piece, this time in polyester linen.
Made in Thailand. Got them for P1000 each (at today’s exchange rate, that would be around US$21). The unang turing (first price) was P1500 but I managed to get it down to P1000. Sam said I made all the tindera (sales women) cry with the way I haggled. That’s life. You’re either a smart shopper or a total pushover.
Where in Greenhills? Near the fountain area at the ground floor tiangge in Shoppesville.
ang ganda ng design! very homey and very Filipino.
ha ha, i can imagine you haggling with the tinderas! when shopping with my husband, he would leave me when i start to haggle. nahihiya daw sya.
Ooooh, those are gorgeous. The embroidery is exquisite. Great job in haggling
nice job ms. connie. both tablecloths are so pretty! ma’am, i was wondering, do they only sell tablecloths? again, job well done on the haggling!
Beauuuutiful!!! I love it…you got great taste
maganda yung una, parang scrapbook yung floral design
Thank you!
Cheann, they also have placemats, table runners and coasters.
i think it’s time to save so that when i go to greenhills, i can buy matching sets. hehe. i know i will grow crazy there. hehe. thanks for sharing this ms. connie.
Congratulations on the great buys! fulfilling di’ba? Part of being a woman yata yan!
“Part of being a woman”
Yah, I think so too. Speedy couldn’t care less if we had a tablecloth or not. In fact, he couldn’t care less about place mats either. Sometimes, he doesn’t even care for plates. LOL
Ms. Connie, these are precious and it reminds me of my mama. She used to make such beautiful embroidered things. Sadly, I cannot even sew one clean stitch to save my life.
I hope the store has cloths for oblong tables.And I agree, glass on tabletops is garish, the glass edges makes indentations on the forearms.
“I hope the store has cloths for oblong tables.”
They do. Lots.
I agree with kotsengkuba, the first one is the best. Parang tunay na bulaklak, then was ( flattened & dried) preserved, then glued or (?) to the cotton cloth. Great buy.
Don’t they make this in the Philippines too? Don’t they need the money? Maybe, it is much easier to just wait for that monthly allowance from a relative abroad.
I used to buy table linen from Taal, Batangas where the creation of similar (embroidered) items has become an industry. Prices were really good. Haven’t been there in years; don’t know if it’s still a thriving industry there.
Very sharp photography!
I’m a man but I can appreciate the use of these embroidered tablecloth in my own dining table.
Reminds me of when I was growing up. My mother used these type of tablecloth, especially during special occasions – Christmas, New Year and town fiestas.
So homey, isn’t it? Nostalgic. Something akin to comfort food.
nice! naimagine ko lang connie that the space in the middle is for a lazy susan. remember? my memories from my lola’s house …
Speedy’s been hunting for one. LOL But a good solid wood Lazy Susan costs around P8000. Aray!
did you try asking from that “Antique” garage type place along the Ortigas Zigzag? It is in front of Fairmount Subdivision. You might find one and have it refurbished or something.
Really nice tablecloths Connie! My mom has a couple of embroidered tablecloths as well. We’ve had them for years and they still look good. A couple of years ago i was able to buy an embroidered bedsheet in Divisoria for a relative in the US. I never tried looking for tablecloths, but if they have bedsheets, it’s probable they have tablecloths as well.
how do you wash these tablecloths? i doubt if these can be thrown into the washing machine. and what do you do when food spills on the cloth? wash them at once? i also like tablecloths but then nanghihinayang ako when they get stained by food.
Inside a net bag. Setting delicate. Stains: spot wash by hand.
Nice! Just one look at this stuff and I know it’s Made in Thailand. Local makers won’t be able to compete if they’re not priced as competitively
Local counterparts are expensive, naku. Even the most determined of Filipino First evangelists will think twice.
Ganda!
I’m a pushover… I can’t haggle. I try bluffing pero walang kwenta. Mga twice in my life pa lang ako naka-tawad at successful.
There should be a crash course for this skill!
LOL Find fault (even if imagined only) with the product or look disgusted. hehehehe
Subukan ko yan next time na mag-carboot sale kami. Siguro mukha akong excited kaya di ako nakakatawad.
Nako naaamoy ng tindera yang excitement ng customer hehehe
Those tablecloths are really wonderful, Ms. Connie. I admit it didn’t cross my mind on investing in something like that because I usually buy those cheap ones which I throw when they are too old but after seeing those I’m having second thoughts.
I also have a glass on top of my tablecloth because mother-in-law said so. I want to take it out. Question: how do you keep your tablecloth from slipping off the table?
Tape. hehehe between the cloth and the table. Invisible but effective.
Beautiful tablecloths, Connie, but it makes me sad whenever we can’t buy Philippine made products. Talong talo na tayo ng Thailand. Here in Virginia, Taste of Thai makes the best canned gata. They have even surpassed our canned langka in color and texture. Yesterday, I was admiring one of their siopao steamers. Ganda! Parang U.S. made. Of course, no country beats our Rufina Patis and Kamayan Bagoong!
I would like to believe that somewhere in the provinces, a little old lady is stitching, crocheting or appliqueing tablecloths and pillow cases for me.
I’ve been meaning to go to Taal to see if the embroidery industry is still alive there. I just don’t see their products in shops in the city anymore.
Ganoon din dito, Connie. Finding anything ‘made in the U.S.A.’ is like finding a treasure. I thought the trade deficit was with China only. But Canadian, Mexican, So. American and even Middle Eastern products are all over the place. Happy to note, though, that fine, embroidered children’s clothing are usually made in the Philippines!
Masakit nyan, made in the Philippines items are sold here after they have gone around the world first, like a round-around route. And by the time they reach us consumers, we pay American/European prices.
Hi!
It’s me again, the late reader. like what the other posters before me said, your table cloth is really beautiful.
Anyway, to one reader who asked how to secure a tablecloth, well just make sure it’s of the right length. Usually the drape/drop of a tablecloth should be at least one and one-half feet from the edge of the table top. Tape is also good but could damage the fabric. Some fabrics slip because the tabletop is slippery, so to avoid such, use a shorter tablecloth under, preferably made of vinyl. There are also some tablecloths that come with a flannel backing which prevents slipping.
Have you tried Landmark? They have really nice home decor and housewares but are priced lower than SM and other stores, medyo malayo nga lang yata from where you live (Landmark has branches @ Trinoma and makati). I’m into decorating (specially table-setting and food presentation) which is why I’ve scouted almost every decent store to find the lowest priced stuff.
Anyway, keep up the brilliant blog, I really love reading short but well-written articles with a sense of humor. Madami-dami pa akong babasahin eh.
Trinoma is not that far (we occasionally do supermarket shopping there) though I haven’t checked the houseware section EXCEPT for the kitchenware. Thanks for the tip.