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.
An overdue assignments................. and done finally! 27 pieces of pillowcases and 5 pieces of tablecloths. Belong to an old acquaintances and relatives.
The only thing I did for the last few weeks on my sewing room was the above...five pieces of table cloth.... and the owner waited these for almost a month. That was all!!!
Each was embroidered, iron neatly, pack individually and delivered to the rightful owners this morning......
This Janome Memory Craft, Mek, will be my companion for the whole of this week.
............to get the final touch!!!!
All ready to be delivered.......... consist of
: 2 sets of pillow cases
:2 blue pillow cases and a matching table cloth plus a piece of green
:10 pieces of tablecloth
A pure colour, all ready for delivery. 
A dozen of tablecloths and 3 dining table spreads with simple stitchery.
These three are of the same design.............yet they differs from each other and form an individual character and personality........ just by colors. 
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.
1. Measure 36" + 1.5" on all sides for hemming. Total we have 39"x 39" square cloth.
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
7. Done with the hemming. Some decorative stitches are recommended for added value. Embroider as you wish. Iron and fold, ready as a gift....!
Before we, hubby and I, left for KL I did the embroidered saperah and made through all and delivered to the owner just on time. 150 pieces ironed, fold, packed individually and accordingly......
I am into saperah making again. Have done around 25 pieces only now...... 125 more to go..... the most I can do is 10 pieces per day..... All whites are ready and need ironing...... Tomorrow will hunt for multi colour ones.....
was the leader of this 'main-kut' thing. I don't even know who bought my saperah till now. Well, it was a history then, and I guess it is repeating.......!
Look at that pile... and I just managed few. It is not that tough to do a piece of this.
Too bad I do
ADR'S CnG has its own typical design and applies to all its saperah collections. Only selective embroidery design are chosen. But customizations are accepted accordingly. I am willing to share all this to all. Do contact me, if anyone is interested to have the design or anything of the sorts. Welcome.... Just email me or comments down here and give me your machine format.
