Works For Me: Embroidered Tablecloth

One of the faithful readers here is Elizabeth, a high school friend of mine.  And I use the phrase "high school friend" loosely; a more accurate account would be "she was a senior when I was a 7th grader and I thought she was sophisticated and smart and pretty while I had a bad perm and braces."  But then the world aligned just right so that we grew up to live in the same city, and we are actually friends, and (saints be praised!) I no longer have a bad perm.

And this whole story has basically no point at all, except to tell you that today's WFMW tip comes straight from Elizabeth's grandmother, and I wanted you to know about whom I was speaking.  So techincally speaking, this doesn't work for me, it works for her, but it's such a cute idea I had to tell you anyway.

Where in the heck was I?

Ah yes, the tablecloth.

Elizabeth's grandmother kept a white tablecloth on her dining room table.  Whenever any guest would come over, she handed them a pen and had them sign the table cloth.  Then every so often, she would go over their signature with a needle and thread, embroidering all her guest's signatures right on to her table cloth.  Is that the most fun keepsake you've ever heard of? 

And hand-embroidering over a signature is NOT hard.  It's a simple up-and-down with the needle.  If you can play connect the dots, you can teach yourself to embroider.  This also helps. 

If you have a fun idea you'd like to share with Bloggityville, leave your link below.  WFMW guidelines can be found here.  Remember, link directly to your WFMW post, not to the front page of your blog.

Oh, and don't forget to check BloggyGiveaways.com this week--there's some really fun stuff over there!

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Comments

[diatribal]

I've read about this. It sounds like such a sweet idea!

[Pass the Torch]

THAT is cool. Someday I will do needlepoint.

[Mandy Houk]

Oh my goodness, I love this idea! I most likely wouldn't have it on the table every day, but I most certainly will do it on holidays. Maybe we could have each guest write the holiday and year, too, just to remember who was with us each Christmas and Thanksgiving and Easter ...

Thanks, Shannon, via Elizabeth!

[Smockity Frocks]

Thank you, Shannon.

I love that idea! So sweet!

[ellen b]

What a marvelous hospitable idea. Hats off to Elizabeth's grandmother!

[Mandy Houk]

Whoops. I guess I meant to say "Thanks Elizabeth, via Shannon."

Now I'm confused.

[Michelle at Scribbit]

Okay for the first time in a decade I'm sitting here at the right time on Tuesday and I'm thinking, "Hey, I'll actually get to be first--or nearly first--this week" followed by "Well, while I'm waiting for her to post I'll just mosey around a few of these archived posts.

D'oh! Twenty minutes later I'm number 16. You sucked me in.

[Anne Glamore]

I'm in awe of needlepointers and people who use tablecloths. Or placemats. Yes, we use napkins.

[WorksForMom]

That is a clever idea - now if only I was crafty. I even had problems with those hook-a-rug kits!

["Amanda"]

This would be an even better idea if my white tablecloth didn't become permanently stained with koolaid and peanut butter. Maybe a wall hanging. Or something on the ceiling?

[Alexandra]

Wow, that is a really neat idea, and so personal....like a little time capsule!

[Dawn]

I love that idea.

[monica]

What a wonderful idea!! Might be nice to modify for a bridal/baby shower gift or activity for a tablecloth or blanket.

[Karen@FamilyBriefs]

This is such a neat idea! I'm afraid I'm up to my armpits in everything else, that I'd just have a tablecloth with a bunch of signatures on it :) Well, maybe when I'm a grandmother (or at least have everyone out of diapers :)

[Kandy]

That's one of the cutest ideas I've heard of yet...sounds so totally like something my grandmother would have done...

[Deb - Mom of 3 Girls]

That sounds like a wonderfully crafty idea! :)

[Joyful Days]

Now that is precious!! A true keepsake. It could be done for all visitors or a special birthday party--all sorts of neat ideas.

Thanks!!

[Jodi]

thanks...really enjoying stitching! maybe i'll try it some day!
Jodi

[Lana G!]

What a fabulous idea! Love it!

[Proverbs31]

What a really neat keepsake!

[Jenn]

Lovely idea, I like Monica's bridal party, baby shower take on the idea.

[Melissa]

i loooove wednesdays! been looking forward to today/tomorrow all week ;) thanks for hosting this!

[Overwhelmed With Joy!]

Great idea! I'd love to see a picture of one of your grandmother's table clothes! :)

[margalit]

I read about this for someone's Thanksgiving table cloth, where the family members would write what they were thankful for that particular year, grandma would embroider it, and then add to it year by year. I think that's SUCH a lovely idea. But I have to admit, I've been working on the same dumb tablecloth for about 12 years now. It takes FOREVER to do a whole tablecloth.

[Karen]

My friends did something similar for me at Jack's baby shower. One of them purchased a handmade antique baby quilt and had each of the guests sign their name somewhere on the squares. Then one of the hostesses embroidered over each signature.

It is something I will treasure for a lifetime.

[SingForHim @ Real Life]

How cool!

[madridmom]

Hi. No time to post a WFMW today since I have to get ready for my son's 12th bday party today ... just wanted to comment on your idea. It made me think of some friends of ours that used to invite people to spend Christmas with their family. They would take an ornament (the plain spherical kind in solid colors) and write the name of the person in glue and silver or gold glitter. (this was before all the cool glitter and metalic marker pens they have now). Every year they would put all those ornaments on their tree and remember the guests they had over the years.

[Ann'Re]

What a lovely idea! A simple white table cloth becomes a treasured keepsake. Now I have to get a white table cloth. :)

[Marcia]

That is a GREAT idea!

Now if only I was handy with a needle and thread.

[Sasha]

That's a pretty cool idea. I have a friend who has a table cloth she takes out for Thanksgiving and has everyone who comes for dinner sign and leave a message every year.

[Laane]

Good idea.

I did the same after being on holiday.
I had everyone sign my denim trousers.

[Amy Jane (Untangling Tales)]

That is a *rockin* cool idea!
I might do that with our Sunday school kids.

[jen]

What a cool idea!! Thanks for sharing!

[warillever]

I love the tablecloth idea. Unfortunately, I am not very good with a needle, plus I'm not sure that I want to add another "chore" to m life right now.

Plus it would be really depressing if the cloth was empty except for the immediate family, my mom, and my sister. I would definitely have to invite people over more often.

[Llama Momma]

I just posted my first ever WFMW! I didn't get the picture thing figured out, but I think I got the rest of it right...

[Elizabeth]

Thanks, Shannon- I'll be impossible for weeks, now that I am sophisticated! Maybe my mom will be able to get a photo of the table cloth. It's been in use for over 30 years and is still going strong:-)

[Barbara]

I just posted my first post, too. I was hoping 7:00 am Eastern would be early in the list. Next time I will add my link on a middle-of-the-night trip to the bathroom. Thanks for bringing these great ideas together.

[Charity]

What a wonderful idea! I like the idea one commenter had to do that on holidays.

[Sarah @ To Motherhood and Beyond]

I am entered twice b/c I forgot to say what mine is. You can delete the first one (comment #83). Thanks!

[Heather L.]

That is a great idea! What a smart lady!
Thanks for hosting!

[Kathleen Marie]

That is a wonderful idea. I went to a wedding shower once and someone made a quilt for the bride-to-be and we had to embroider our name. I did not have a clue and you are so right. It would have been much easier if I had signed it first and then played "connect the dots".

Thanks for a wonderful keepsake idea!

[Barb @ A Chelsea Morning]

Now that's a GREAT idea. I love this. A nice new tablecloth is now on my shopping list!

[Mrs.Jones]

That is such a great idea! I will be doing this. My tween daughter's friends are over all the time, and I'm going to start with them. Thanks!

[Melissa]

This is a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing it!

[Mommy, the Human Napkin]

I LOVE that idea! Too cute as a center panel for a quilt or a baby blanket or something to commemorate an anniversary or family get-together. Ooooh, the ideas...

[Ericka Wagner]

That IS an adorable idea!

[Autumn Daisy Studio]

What an amazing idea!

[Scratchin' the Surface]

What a precious idea! I'm going to do this the next time my sewing girlfriends come over, and the next time we have dinner guests too. I love it! BTW, I bought the latest Good Housekeeping just to see your blog in print! You all looked great - good for you! xoxo

[Michelle-This One's for the Girls]

Shannon-- get thy camera and show us pictures!! This is the 2nd fantastic idea you've had where I was wishing I could see a photo!!

I really don't know what you do with all your spare time-- what with raising 4 children and blogging 15 hours a week. :)

[Niki]

Well I linked up successfully, now if I could just figure out the banner....

[Pink Jeweled Cat]

This is an absolute WONDERFUL idea. I might just think about doing that. I haven't read through ALL of the WFMW listings, but wow, the few I did read through were really great ideas. Ta for now dahling!

[T with Honey]

That would be a great idea for a special occasion, instead of a guest book.

[Barbara H.]

That is a sweet idea. I can also see it for commemorating a special occasion, like an anniversary party.

[Mary]

What a lovely idea! I've heard of signature quilts but never a tablecloth. I bet it's beautiful.

[SAHMmy Says]

What's a White Tablecloth? I have kids :) Great idea for form follows function, with a little of the sentimental thrown in for good measure!

[phyllis@imabima]

i love this idea. i once read something similar where the family traced children's hands each year at thanksgiving or other holiday and then signed inside their hands. a little more embroidery (to do the hands) but what a cool way to track growth...you do run out of room faster, though, especially with lots of kids!

[pippi]

As a teenager, I had a pair of jeans that I did this with. It was one of my most treasured posessions. All of my highshcool friends, people I met at church conferences, etc signed. I embroidered over each til the jeans were encrusted with embroidery and almost too heavy to wear. Hadn't thought of translating it into adulthood.

[Sarah @ Ordinary Days]

Shannon, that is an adorable idea! I immediately thought of doing it to my boys names as soon as they learn to write them. What a way to preserve their first signatures!

[Stacey]

That is such a neat idea!

[Becca]

What an interesting idea! That would have never crossed my mind to do someothing like that but I bet it is filled with a lot of memories!

[Leeann]

What a beautifully fantastic idea.
I love it.
Leeann
niccofive.blogspot.com

[Rachel Anne]

Oops, the first link I left (145) just linked to my blog and not the page. SORRY!!!!!!! Can you delete it so I don't look like the idiot I am?

I KNOW I would never actually embroider a tablecloth, but there are some cool fabric pens that guests could use (remember puff paint??) Just a thought.

[Heather]

I've been meaning to learn how to do this!

[Dana]

What a great way to save a memory! Wouldn't this be a great thing to do at a baby shower or graduation party?

Blessings-
Dana

[oh amanda]

I absolutely adore that!!!

[Amy]

I did something similar for Thanksgiving, using a tablecloth to record what we are thankful for, only we've used fabric pens instead of embroidery.

[Mrs. Pear]

I LOVE this! I have to do it!

I am working on an old fashioned friendship quilt to be the quilt for our guest room, and our overnight guests are asked to pick a square and we then embroider their name on it! Very fun!

[Bree]

This is such a cute idea... what a way to honor your guests. Thanks for hosting this wonderful wednesday of ideas! I will be printing this idea out and saving in my "things to try" file.

[warillever]

Have I mentioned how cool WFMW is? Where else can you find tips for visiting Los Vegas, plus resources for teaching your children Bible passages?

And the best part is, I find a lot of really cool blogs.

[Jendi]

Mine actually didn't work this time. I need some suggestions.

Sorry, I forgot to put what it's about - Knife Marks on Plates.

[ABC]

How fun... I love that idea. If I only could actually get motivated enough to do it!

[Anita]

I like this idea. Also a friend of mine uses a guest book. You know the kind you see at weddings and stuff. She has everyone sign in when they come for a visit. You are to put your name, address, and the date you visited.

[Nancy]

This would make a great keepsake for a graduation party...

[Toni]

I saw one of these a long time ago. It was a treasure to that family as well.

[Tamara Cosby]

I am TOTALLY copying this! LOVE IT! I might have to use a sheet though, my table is so stinkin big!

[Phoebe]

Love this idea. It's a really cool idea for preserving memories. Thanks for the article.

[Heather]

Nifty idea!

[donetta]

Thank you for hosting .I'm running a bid delayed today.

[Cris]

I did a version of this in high school. I had all my friends sign one of my uniform shirts and I stitched over their names. The shirts were a short sleeve button down pale yellow. It came out really cool. If I ever find a picture and figure out how to post it, I will. But I like the tablecloth idea. Nice!

[Mrs. Brownstone]

We have a tablecloth that people have signed in Sharpie markers - I never thought about embroidering it.

This is a very cool idea! Thanks for sharing!

[Gego]

These make GREAT gifts for teachers! It need not be a tablecloth, a set of 8 napkins will do. My gift came from 8 moms many years ago and I still have them. What a treasure to remember those children in that class and those special moms. They aren't perfect and that is what makes them so much more special. It was about the time these wonderful women took out of their time to remember me. I also received a covered brick with a Razorback iron on on the top. I don't know if Coach and Mrs. Horton read this blog, but that was one of my all time favorite gifts.

[Deborah]

Wonderful ideas! Such a super way to make daily life a little easier by sharing what we know with one another. Thanks!

[Helena]

Great idea... This is my first time visiting your blog... I love it...