2020-03-01_Do_It_Yourself

46 DO IT YOURSELF Summer 2020

Why is it called oilcloth?

When it was invented, oilcloth

was a cotton or linen fabric

treated with linseed oil to

make it waterproof for things

like luggage and clothing.

Today’s oilcloth is coated

in vinyl and comes in both

shiny and matte fi nishes.

In what projects should

I use oilcloth?

This waterproof fabric is

perfect for things like place

mats, baby bibs, reusable

food bags, or zipper-top

totes for makeup or pens and

pencils—anything that you

want to be able to wipe clean.

How do I care for this fabric?

Do not put a hot iron directly

on oilcloth—heat and vinyl

are not friends! Use a press

cloth, such as a kitchen

towel, between the iron and

the fabric or iron only on

the cotton side of projects

like these table linens that

have a cotton backing. Some

oilcloth can be machine-

washed, but only occasionally

and on the gentle cycle.

A MAINSTAY OF THE

EARLY 20TH CENTURY,

THIS RETRO FABRIC IS

MAKING A COMEBACK!

HERE’S A LITTLE HISTORY

AND HOW TO BEST

USE OILCLOTH.

1

2

3

OILCLOTH

TIPS

FOR RESOURCES SEE PAGE 101.

Watch and learn! See the video on how

these projects were made: BHG.com/Placemat

DO IT

BETTER

USE QUILTER’S COTTON AS THE

BACKING FOR YOUR OILCLOTH

TABLE LINENS. PAIRING THE THIN

MATERIAL WITH THICK OILCLOTH

KEEPS EACH DUO—ESPECIALLY

ONCE TRIM IS IN THE MIX—EASY TO

SEW. CHOOSE TRIM DESIGNED TO

BE SEWN INSIDE THE SEAM

OR ON TOP (LIKE THE FRINGE

WE USED HERE).

44-46_Sew_Easy.indd 46 FINAL 2/12/20 12:23 PM