{"id":84361,"date":"2026-04-13T11:19:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:19:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/?p=84361"},"modified":"2026-04-05T13:42:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T17:42:07","slug":"what-to-do-with-a-vintage-tablecloth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2026\/04\/what-to-do-with-a-vintage-tablecloth.html","title":{"rendered":"what to do with… a vintage tablecloth?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you seen the supposed new Balenciaga handbag<\/a> that’s gone viral? It looks exactly like a plastic grocery bag (because it actually is<\/em> a plastic bag), and people went wild over it thinking that it was like many of the recent designs from the brand. In any case, that silly little plastic shopping bag got me thinking about this photo:<\/p>\n

\"lacey<\/a><\/p>\n

This impractical little lace shopping bag popped up in one of the many fashion newsletters that I subscribe to, and I immediately loved it. I’ll tell you why.<\/p>\n

If you’re like me, you’ve probably inherited more vintage tablecloths that you can possibly use in a lifetime. And if you visit resale stores or garage sales, you probably see a lot of these tablecloths for re-sale. Or you have a stash of them at home, waiting for you to use them or to save them for the next generation. But I’m not a big tablecloth user–I prefer a more casual style of dining, like so many other people today.<\/p>\n

So why not cut up the less precious or the already damaged styles and make them into cool bags like these photos? Maybe you wouldn’t use them as actual shopping bags they way they’re depicted in some of these photos, but they would make a fun and interesting handbag.<\/p>\n

\"lacey<\/a><\/p>\n

I’m pretty sure that a vintage crochet tablecloth wouldn’t actually support a bunch or oranges or a large grocery haul, but they would make a playful and conversational handbag. With or without a lining, the texture is great, and it contrasts nicely with clothing like the trench coat, above. You could also take a bag like this to the beach and you wouldn’t even track sand home afterwards!<\/p>\n

\"lacey<\/a><\/p>\n

I love the peekaboo quality of the lace. I use nylon shopping bags like this shape on a daily basis–they fold up into nothing inside my handbag for regular stops at the market or the supermarket. But a lacey bag like this would make my shopping trips feel special! I think that’s why the shopping bag shape and the crocheted lace feel so playful to me: they’re a funny mixture of practical and impractical.<\/p>\n

\"lacey<\/a><\/p>\n

You could also use an old crochet tablecloth or lacey shower curtain to sew simple clothing like these two tops. Aren’t they fun? After all, what are we saving them for?<\/p>\n

\"lacey<\/a><\/p>\n

Would you cut up an old tablecloth like this? What would you make with it?<\/p>\n

(Photos are all from my Sewing for Me Pinterest folder<\/a> if you’re interested in viewing them together. )<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What would you do with an old crochet tablecloth or shower curtain? What about a cute lacey shopping bag? Or even clothing?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":84367,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20687],"tags":[20701,18,20962],"class_list":["post-84361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general","tag-fabric","tag-inspiration","tag-sewing"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/table-feature.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5jZS5-lWF","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":51738,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2015\/11\/swingset-skirt-sew-along-winner.html","url_meta":{"origin":84361,"position":0},"title":"swingset skirt sew-along winner","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"November 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"We reveal the winner of the Oliver + S Swingset Skirt sew-along! Thanks to everyone who entered the competition.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/swingset1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":65152,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2018\/03\/last-chance-to-get-10-patterns-for-only-50.html","url_meta":{"origin":84361,"position":1},"title":"last chance to get 10 patterns for only $50","author":"Liesl Gibson","date":"March 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"It's almost over! Don't miss your chance to pick up 10 Oliver + S patterns for only $50. Our 10th anniversary sale ends soon.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/10for50blog.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":57395,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2016\/09\/shoe-bag.html","url_meta":{"origin":84361,"position":2},"title":"shoe bag","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"September 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"We're wrapping up our Drawstring Bag series with a shoe bag. It's the perfect size to store a pair of shoes.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/shoebagF.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":67532,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2018\/11\/introducing-new-wish-lists-in-the-shop.html","url_meta":{"origin":84361,"position":3},"title":"introducing new wish lists in the shop","author":"Todd Gibson","date":"November 26, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Just in time for holiday shopping, we've launched a new wish list feature in the Oliver + S shop. Use it to keep track of items you would like to give or receive.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/WishListHero.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":56614,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2016\/07\/pajama-storage-bag.html","url_meta":{"origin":84361,"position":4},"title":"pajama storage bag","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"July 14, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"With the leftover fabric from your pajama sewing project you can make a matching pajama storage bag using the Drawstring Bag pattern from the Little Things to Sew book.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/pajamabagF.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":56676,"url":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/blog\/2016\/07\/party-bags.html","url_meta":{"origin":84361,"position":5},"title":"party bags","author":"Rachel Le Grand","date":"July 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Next up in our Drawstring Bag series are party bags. Sew up some cute goodie bags for your next party to hand out to your party guests.","rel":"","context":"In "general post"","block_context":{"text":"general post","link":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/list\/general"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/oliverands.com\/community\/content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/partyF.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=84361"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":84378,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/84361\/revisions\/84378"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/84367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=84361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=84361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oliverands.com\/community\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=84361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}