This is a guide Describing Dining Table Linen and its uses.

If you have ever wondered where the phrase material wealth came from. Just think of all the different material items that are required to be placed in and around the formal dining table. A well set dining table is very much a display of culture, class, taste and material wealth.

 

A Tablecloth -a cloth for covering the dining table before the dishes are placed for a meal. Its main function is to protect the table from food or drink spilled during a meal. The size and shape of the cloth should match the table and be long enough to hang about 2 to 3 inches below the table's edge

An Informal or Kitchen Tablecloth is of a sturdy but inexpensive material like gingham and may have a countrified theme like chickens or daisies. Unlike the formal tablecloth which should always be neat and clean, informal tablecloths are often left on the table unwashed for a week at a time (see place mats).

A Formal tablecloth is of expensive linen, designed in some manner to show off the good taste and wealth of the family. Any embellishment or decoration on the cloth should reflect refinement and sophistication. The colors and designs of a formal table cloth should not clash with the walls of the dining room and should complement the dining china and the centerpiece .

A Lunch Cloth - is a tablecloth that covers Refreshment tables or Card tables or any small table at which no more than four people can sit. Lunch cloths are often embellished with some theme. A cloth used for a refreshment table may be embroidered with grapes or tea pots. A cloth for a card table may depict hearts, spades, diamonds and clubs. The main purpose of the lunch cloth is to hide or disguise the table or item being used. Please note that Lunch cloths are used in informal luncheons only. They are meant to hide poor quality of a temporary card table or disguise the fact that the refreshment table is in reality a desk pressed into service. (See lunch sets)

A Silence Cloth - a padded cloth or a knitted pad that is made in the exact shape and size of the table top. It is placed on the bare table top and a linen tablecloth is laid over it. This quiets the rattle of cutlery and dishes as they are changed or removed during the different courses of a formal meal or banquet. A silence cloth is not needed if the tablecloth is of a sufficient thickness to mute the sound of a dropped spoon.

 

A Napkin - a small cloth that is used for wiping fingers or mouth during a meal. Napkins are sparse in decoration so that they won't accidently catch or snag on the user's fingernails or rings and because they need to be washed and ironed after every use.

There are currently three types of cloth Napkins;

    * 1) Plain napkins which are of a sturdy, easily washed material, generally white in color square in shape and about six or seven inches in size.

    * 2) Tea napkins, which are about the same small size of a plain napkin but are of a lighter fabric and of a fancier nature.
Tea napkins frequently come in colors other than white. Tea napkins are not always square as some have scalloped edges or rounded corners.
Tea napkins often are emblished with a design or embroidery in one corner. They are mostly used when serving dainty items (as in tea and cookies) to guests. (See also Lunch sets)
Cocktail napkins are a Tea napkin but with a more masculine theme

    * 3) Dinner napkins, which are about ten or twelve inches in size and are made to cover the diner's lap. The material of a dinner napkin is sturdy but of a much higher quality and sophistication than the other types of napkins. Dinner napkins may be embellished like a tea napkin or may have a monogrammed initial or a family crest embroidered in a corner.

Napkin rings - as dining linens are small short tubes of cloth used to keep napkins neatly in place until used. Their original purpose was to make a reduction in the laundering of napkins. If after a meal a napkin is found still neatly folded in its ring it can be assumed no one used it and the napkin can be put away still in its ring without laundering. Today most napkin rings are made of metal or resin.

 

A Doily (Doyley) - Doilies are used wherever a napkin like cloth is needed. Doilies can be square, round, oblong or even octagonal. Doilies range between three inches and twelve inches in size.

Doilies mainly have only two uses;

    * 1) a small cloth to place under cups or dishes to protect desks or any small table whose main purpose is to hold non food items.

    * 2) a larger cloth which is used for such things as covering hot rolls to keep them warm, or for putting under such messy items as cheese, cakes or finger foods.

Fancier than a tea napkin, a Doily may have a lace or fringe edge and may have an embroidered design scattered all over its surface. (See also lunch sets)

Center Cloth - a center cloth is the cloth placed under the artistic dish known as a Centerpiece. A centerpiece is an esthetic arrangement or decorative display. It may be fruit, flowers or even an Ice sculpture. Center Cloths are mostly used on formal occasions and so tend to be highly ornamental in nature. In size a center cloth ranges from between 15 inches and 45 inches. Placed in the center of a table, the center cloth should extend beyond the centerpiece by 2 to 3 inches but should be no nearer than 2 inches from any other table setting. (See also Lunch sets and Table Runner)

Table Runner - a long scarf or linens piece that fits the length of a rectangular table. The ends or sides of a runner are often decorated with needlework. It is meant to be placed down the center of the table and should end about 8 to 10 inches from the table's edge. Its width should depend on the table's width as it should be no closer than 2 inches to the place settings but 25 inches in width is an average size. Table runners are used instead of such items as center cloths and cruet mats to reduce the clutter of items upon the table. Most often table runners are used if the table contains 2 or more centerpieces as with a formal banquet table.

Tray Cloth - a linen placed under a punch bowl, tea set or coffee service. The average Tray cloth measures about 18x27 inches and any decoration upon it is of a simple make as it is expected the cloth will be washed often. Tray cloths are often of an ivory or tan material or a material that will disguise beverage stains. Towels are sometimes used in place of tray cloths but are strongly discouraged in formal settings as they reflect a certain lack of class on the part of the host or hostess.

Tea Cosy - a cloth placed over a tea or coffee pot to keep the contents warm and to prevent the aroma from escaping. It is cut and sewn to fit the individual item it covers and in some manner should match the tray cloth. In storage its purpose is to keep dust or dirt out of the pot. It is suggested to have a plain cosy for storage and a nicer one for meals.

Carving Cloth - a linen placed under a platter that contains meat or fish or any dish that will be carved at the table before serving. The size of the cloth depends on the size of the platter that it will sit under. The cloth should extend beyond the platter's rim by three to four inches. The purpose is to protect the tablecloth from any splatter caused by the carving of food. The cloth may be designed to match that of the tablecloth and napkins or it may have some theme relating to the food on the platter above. As an example a platter of trout may be placed upon a carving cloth embroidered with fish or sea shells. The Carving cloth is placed on the table just prior to the arrival of the meat course and is removed while the meat is being served.

Pot Holder - a plain hand sized cloth or napkin used to lift hot items such as the lid of a soup tureen. Pot holders are of a thick or padded material to protect the hand from being burnt. Pot holders are also unembellished so that they do not accidently snag on rings or bracelets while in use. A pot holder should be placed to the right of any hot dish.

Sideboard Scarf - a scarf or linen cloth that is placed on the sideboard. Its width should match the edges of the sideboard but its length may end at the sideboards edge or drape down another 5 to 10 inches. A sideboard is a piece of furniture designed to hold side dishes, appetizers, desert, extra wine bottles et cetera. A sideboard often has cupboards and drawers containing extra plates and silverware.

Mats - Mats are used to help protect the tablecloth from greasy hard to clean food items or some warm dish that might scorch the tablecloth. They are made from a thicker cloth than the linen used for doilies. A small mat may be used instead of a doily under the butter dish, gravy boat or the soup tureen.

a Cruet mat is small mat placed under oil and vinegar cruets and are generally made in the shape of a flower, leaf or shell. Cruet mats, etc. are removed with the removal of the salad course.

Vegetable and water service mats are placed under such items as might unpleasantly dampen the tablecloth by condensation. The vegetable mat like the carving cloth may be decorated to match the other table linens or it may have some theme relating to the food on the dish above.

In formal dining Vegetable mats are removed with the removal of the vegetable course

Place mat - a Place mat is placed under the diner's plate and silverware. Place mats are almost exclusively used in informal dining. The place mats purpose is to protect an informal tablecloth because informal tablecloths are in constant use and may go several days between washes. Place mats may also be used on a table instead of a table cloth. Place mats should be of a size to hold the plate, silverware and glass

Lunch set - a lunch set is a number of cup and plate doilies, napkins, mats and center cloths, designed and embellished in a matching pattern. The design or pattern is in full on the Center Cloth. The plate doilies have a design which is similar but smaller than that on the Center Cloth. The cup doilies are made from a portion of the design on the center cloth. The napkins are either edged in a matching design or have some element of the design in one corner. As an example if the Center cloth was embroidered with a wreath made of a dozen roses , the plate doily would have a wreath made of three or four roses and the cup doily would be embroidered with perhaps a quarter of the wreaths design and the napkin would have a single rose embroidered in the corner.

In a formal Luncheon the lunch set should be used on a bare polished table (or if the hostess fears damage to her table with a Formal Table cloth.) In an informal Luncheon such as a card party a lunch cloth may be used.

A large luncheon set may include the tea cosy, tray cloth and sideboard scarf as well as doilies for under salad or desert plates. You should have as many doilies as dishes being used and perhaps as many as five to ten more napkins then there are people present.

A few notes about Formal dining.

A server is a waiter or waitress , the person who brings out the various courses of the meal to the table. To Serve , means to put food on the guest's plate and pour drink into the guest's cup.

If a spoon dropped on the tablecloth clatters you may wish to use a silence cloth

under the tablecloth.

When placed on the table the tablecloth should have few if any folds

but if it has been folded, then the center fold should be accurate in following the center line of the table.

A center cloth of is placed in the center of the Table and the centerpiece is placed on it.

 A long table may use a table runner in place of two or more center cloths

the Places are then set with the plates , glasses and silver that will be use during the meal

The Napkin is placed to the left of the fork.

  (Some settings will have the napkin in a fancy fold across the plate or in the water glass)

Doilies or mats are put out under the butter plate , salad dressings and if soup (or stew) is being served from the table, put a doily or mat under the soup tureen.

A doily or mat should also be under any pitcher or carafe of liquid that is placed upon the table.

(In other words under the water or ice tea pitcher or coffee pot)

If a dish of meat or fish is to be carved at the table

the Carving cloth is placed in front of the person who is to carve just before the meat course is brought to the table.

once the item is carved and the sliced meat is transferred to a serving platter. The Carving cloth, knife and carving plate are removed to the kitchen or sideboard, then the proper plate setting is brought to the carver and then the meat is served