TABLECLOTH TUTORIALS

Kain seperah is derived from Turkish word sofra, a piece of cloth spread on dining table. Here in Malaysia or rather for Malay traditional feast practiced sometimes ago, the food was served on seperah laid on the floor where we usually sit to have our meals for four people. Or they had the seperah laid from wall to wall and guests will sit along side them. This will also serve as to catch drips and crumbs from staining the polished wooden floor.These seperah were usually neatly embroidered and beautifully embellished by the ladies, and each one holds the pride of the owner.

The one that I made is quite simple and embroidered by machine even though sometimes I do make free motion machine embroidery using the traditional method. I have some classes for enthusiast youngsters ..... which were thinning in numbers now.....

Okay, I received few request on how I make my seperah itself before the embroidery things get into it. I prefer mine as a square tablecloth measuring 3'0" squares and here are some guides:

Hemming a Square Tablecloth:

1. Measure 36" + 1.5" on all sides for hemming. Total we have 39"x 39" square cloth.

2.To mitre the corners. Measure 3" on each corner and mark a line across on wrong side of fabrics. (Here I make my own corner template and pencil mark the diagonal line)




3. Fold from one edge meets the other then sew along pencil line, leaving 1/4" and reverse stitch.









4. Cut off the corners about 1/4" away from stitching line









5. Open and finger-pressed the seam. Turn right side out and making sure the corner-edge are well pushed out. Do the same to all four corners.

6. Fold in 1/4" seam and pin up. After turning under we have
1 1/4" hemming left. Sew all four sides.

7. Done with the hemming. Some decorative stitches are recommended for added value. Embroider as you wish. Iron and fold, ready as a gift....!

P/S This method has been applied to my custom made seperah because it lays on neatly and gives weight after embroidering.