Make our own oilcloth?

[Tybee]

Has anyone done this? I know it is something to do with linseed oil and you coat the fabric. I wanted an oilcloth Christmas tablecloth from Vermont country store and it's like 80 dollars or something. I was wondering if I got a dress Stewart fabric and oil clothed it somehow, could I make my own?

[Tybee]

Okay, several youtube tutorials on this. It looks messy and smelly, but cool.

[KayLR]

Just curious (since I'm not at all familiar with it)...why is oilcloth desirable?

[ApatheticNoMore]

I wanted an oilcloth Christmas tablecloth from Vermont country store and it's like 80 dollars or something. I was wondering if I got a dress Stewart fabric and oil clothed it somehow, could I make my own?

that's an excellent tablecloth from Vermont Country Store. I have it (not an xmas themed one just an all purpose one). I got tired of falling apart thin plastic on top and fuzzy stuff on the bottom tablecloths that didn't last long, but I wanted something waterproof (so not cloth). It can still stain from underneath though as it is cloth underneath but it protects the table pretty well (not that my table is some priceless antique, it's not). The one from there I have isn't true oil cloth it's plastic (I know plastic bad, but it has it's uses). Oil cloth is desirable because it's supposed to be waterproof. Definitely that fake oilcloth is waterproof IME.

They say (and it's a sales pitch)


Back in the day, oilcloth used to be made by coating heavier-weight cotton with linseed oil, which worked great for a while until it started to crack and peel with age. This method became obsolete with the advent of noncracking plastics. To make our oilcloth, we borrowed a page from yesteryear. We start with heavy-duty fabric and laminate it with a vinyl finish that's guaranteed to never crack or peel.

Well it's true the fabric is heavy-duty and it has not cracked or peeled or split (or even been damaged by a knife although I suppose that's not impossible)

[JaneV2.0]

I'd pay the money--amortized over holidays, and allowing for supplies and labor, it's a good deal.

[KayLR]

Googled out of curiosity and found this:
https://www.oilclothbytheyard.com/

[Tybee]

Thank you all, these are wonderful suggestions--Apathetic, I like hearing about the actual tablecloth from Vermont Country store, thank you! My wish to have oilcloth is that I had a cheap vinyl Walmart tablecloth that I bought for when the grandkids were coloring and using markers on the table and then I ended up leaving it because I liked the color and I could just wipe it up when I got a spill, then thought of oil cloth and saw the ones at Vermont Country store, and I'v ebeen thinking plaid would be nice for Christmas, jolly, to have it on all season.

Kay, what a cool site--maybe I should just buy two yards of the red oilcloth and get a plaid runner. Jane, sometimes when I try to do a project I fail at it and then I've spent all the money then end up wishing I'd bought the original.

I went to a wreathmaking seminar at the county fair with a professional christmas tree farmer and now I just bought three rings and the wire and will make three of them using his technique. Well, I'll try. I got the rings at Reny's for 80cents.

[JaneV2.0]

"Jane, sometimes when I try to do a project I fail at it and then I've spent all the money then end up wishing I'd bought the original."

I was thinking of my own crafting misadventures when I wrote that. Thumbs up on your choice of Stewart plaid!

[ToomuchStuff]

I thought it was only used as wallpaper? I remember pulling it down from my kitchen when I moved it (it was coming loose from the ceiling and had coats of paint on it)

[Tybee]

I thought it was only used as wallpaper? I remember pulling it down from my kitchen when I moved it (it was coming loose from the ceiling and had coats of paint on it)

No, the stuff I am thinking of is used to cover tables to provide a waterproof tablecloth that stays on all winter.

[Tybee]

Here is a picture of the kind of oilcloth I want:

https://i.etsystatic.com/iap/4db7a0/4270086148/iap_640x640.4270086148_o8qd4qfq.jpg?version=0

[KayLR]

Funny (not) aside: now I'm getting junk emails from Vermont Country Store.

[Tybee]

Funny (not) aside: now I'm getting junk emails from Vermont Country Store.

Oh, no!
I found a cloth tartan tablecloth for 15 dollars at the christmas tree shop and I am going to start with that. Maybe just leave it cloth. and not oil cloth.