Oh those DAUNTING linens!
The holiday table is often one of the most memorable experiences you will have when growing up. Family and friends gather to tell stories and share in the festivities of the holidays. The use of both modern and vintage linens often promote feelings of deep family ties of today and remind us of the fond memories of the days gone by.
Through time, luxurious table linens have gone to the waste side due to the stress they can often evoke when thinking about the time needed to care for them correctly.
Today, when wondering through any vintage store, it isn’t unusual to stray upon exquisite linens used by our mothers or grandmothers from years past. They are often embroidered with flowers or have a hand stitched weave that is attached to the hem of the tablecloth or napkin. They were cherished treasures that only came out on special occasions that had deep meaning and traditions associated with them.
When I do spot them sitting secluded in a corner of an antique shop, I am often beckoned to go over to gently touch the soft warn material and admire the intricate artistry used to create their beauty. I absolutely adore linen! These linens are our family heritage and what’s more wonderful than to have them in our homes to remind us of our most fondest memories.
Thankfully, today there is an upsurge in purchasing these vintage linens for wedding gifts. I am hearing more and more everyday about brides wanting to have these to hand down to their children.
But, the stress that one feels when even thinking about how difficult and time-consuming it can be to prepare these linens for our holiday tables makes us want to run the other way.
Who has time!
Well, with just a little planning, you can master the art of using your family linens for any of your special occasions. In fact, you can use them everyday if you like. Let me give you some helpful hints on how to do just that.
Linen fabric has been used for table coverings for centuries. Today, the significant cost of linen derives not only from the difficulty of working with the thread, but also because the flax plant itself requires a great deal of attention. In addition flax thread is not elastic, and therefore often threads break when weaved. Thus linen is considerably more expensive to manufacture than cotton.
To learn More About How Linen is Made please see this short video from Libeco. https://vimeo.com/52932573
How to select a quality linen
There are different qualities of linen and depending on how they are grown and harvested will determine the type of linen you will purchase in the end. As stated, linen fibers are harvested and then weaved into fabric. During these mechanical processes the fibers are separated from the straw (shives), and then graded into the short fibers (tow) which is used for coarser yarns, or the longer fibers (line) which will be used to create the finest linen yarn. Good quality linen products will show no signs of breakage thoughout the material.
If you run your hand on the fabric and visibly see that the linen is free of any small fragments of fiber, that is generally telling of a good linen product. Quality linen costs more because of the arduous process of hand selecting the long fibers and weaving them into a finer product. In the end though, the quality and elegance of the product outweights the cost.
Tips on how to care for your linens
Despite what most think, linen is actually an extremely durable material and can weather a good amount of usage. It is resistant to damage from abrasion but you need to be careful not to fold and iron them at the same place repeatedly over time since the fibers are susceptible to breakage.
Laundering Linen
Unlike cotton, linen becomes softer and more luxurious the more you wash it. When laundering, bleach can damage the fabric, but don’t despair! It is naturally resistant to stains and dirt. Use a mild household laundry detergent and wash them as you would normally with the rest of your wash in cold or warm water. You can clean linen in three different ways: dry-clean, machine wash or steam-clean. If you do send your linens out for laundering, I would just be sure that they do not use bleaches in their process.
Drying Linen
When drying linen, the preferred method would be to hang them either outside or inside to naturally air dry. You can also tumble dry on a low heat and stop the process before they are completely dry. Although very resistant to high heats, drying linens completely can create more wrinkles to the material. By stopping the drying process early, you can fold or roll them for storage and prevent large amounts of wrinkling.
Ironing Linen
It is not necessary to iron linen at all. That's completely up to you. It actually has become fashionable to have a more rustic organic look. If you are a fan of well pressed linens, it is much easier to accomplish if your linen is damp when ironing. If you find that the material is completely dry, spray with water and use a high setting (cotton) when ironing. Be sure that your iron is clean before ironing because sediments can stain and spot your material if not careful.
The very first and formost thing to remember is that the tendency for linen to wrinkle is considered appropriate and should be admired as part of its character and charm. My advice is not to get too caught up on each and every wrinkle.
How I prepare for the holidays using my linens
About a month prior to the holidays, I plan on which linens I will want to use. I love to use my family’s vintage tablecloths and napkins as well as new ones I’ve purchased throughout the years. The juxtaposition of the old and new gives a sense of warmth and comfort. I select small and large tablecloths of different sizes since often times l like to layer them on top of one another for a more textured and full look. I may have a few white tablecloths that will cover the table completely and drape almost to the floor and then I’ll layer another on top using one that is special only for Thanksgiving or another holiday depending on the occasion at the time. Another way of using the tablecloth is to put a smaller white cloth over a larger one, which gives a more rich and luxurious look. Don't be afraid to mix and match or to turn one on an angle if it doesn't fit the table fully.
The theme here is don’t get too fussy. Get creative and put your personality into creating a table that is perfect just for you and your guests.
Once I’ve selected which I want to use, I send my tablecloths out to the dry-cleaners to be cleaned and pressed. I like to send them out for two reasons.
First Reason: When I send them out, they do a great job! Plain and simple. I entertain a great deal throughout the holidays and its just one thing I no longer have to think about. They come back each on a heavy hanger nicely laundered and ironed just waiting to be used. I hang them in my closet for storage until I need them.
Second Reason: Honestly, sending out my linens help reduce my stress level. With so much to do during the holidays, just having my linens cleaned and pressed ahead of time is a big help. Of course, if you are the person who doesn't mind an organic and natural look to your linens, there isn't any reason to send them out at all.
As for my linen napkins, I generally like to have them take on a more casual organic look when using them with a pressed tablecloth. I often use my napkins even if I don’t use a tablecloth at all. I think using vintage napkins is such a nice touch when entertaining and it’s just one of the way I like to show my guests that they are special.
Once I am done using my tablecloths and napkins, I put them in the washing machine and wash as usual. If I see that any have gotten wine or pasta sauce on them, I generally will pre-treat them using my household laundry detergent (just the stain) and then launder as usual.
Holidays should be filled with rich memories of days gone by. The use of family linen heirlooms is one of the best ways to bring tradition back into your home and to encourage the creation of special memories of your very own. A family deeply ingrained in their heritage brings warmth to the modern table with smiles from long ago. Go ahead and get creative and don't forget to enjoy the process along the way..
To learn more about the way linen is made and cared for visit Libeco
Happy Entertaining,
Mary
