Show Womans Woman's World Imagination Is Key Ivey to lo Simple But Effective Table Settings 1 i I By On Cr a a dale If a On H now I wIsh I were artistic and could do interesting things with my table settings Is Isa isa isa a frequent cry heard when women gather It happens especially when someone has put forth some thought in her table setting J Well you can all relax that is all aU of you who dont don't think you have artistic ability If you know anything anything anything any any- thing about color and add to that your common sense you can do something out of the ordinary Have nave you a red and white checked cloth This is very seasonal currently currently currently cur cur- and can be used for a baked bean and cider supper Use some charming pottery plates for the dinner dinner dinner din din- ner brown mugs and a centerpiece of glowing red Indian corn arranged with dark green leaves in a polIshed polished polished pol pol- wood salad bowl Is there anything simpler What about using a gourd or a hollowed out squash for the centerpiece centerpiece centerpiece center center- piece with bittersweet or leaves or any array of fall fruit spilling out of it This is very effective when the tablecloth is a mustard shade of yellow a dark chartreuse green or a glowing tangerine color You dont don't have a cloth in any of those colors Fix one out of a worn sheet some flour or sugar sacks dyed to one of the shades just men men- If the sheet needs stiffening run it through a light starch after the last rinse so it will be crisp and new new looking It takes but a little imagination as you can readily see to make effective table settings Informal Settings Are Easily Made lade For breakfast lunch and family dinner or supper you can use all aU manner of simple fabrics to create Select table Ibl trimmings trimming the background for a meal In fact the materials for many of these may be in the scrap bag right at this moment I Old pillow cases and sheets are excellent if they have enough material material mate mate- rial in them worth saving Cut these into the proper sizes either for cloth or mats with napkins to match If you like Finish off the edges simply by hemming then dye them in shades you will wiil want Old tablecloths which are worn and frayed can be cut down for formats formats formats mats the size for which is 11 by 17 d r v c With Wb tin n eye fo for color olOf inches Luncheon napkins are 17 inches square dinner napkins are 19 inches square and tea or bridge napkin is usually inches square Good colors to use are red pepper chili green made by using a jade green shade in the dye or a patio fuschia made by using four parts wine with one hall part of purple A siesta violet is made from three parts purple with two parts orchid dye Dusty pink is made from three parts peach dye with two parts pink dye Bittersweet uses three parts orange with one half part scarlet Instant Instant Instant In In- stant dyes are used in all aU of the above suggestions Another easy finish is fringing You Youcan Youcan Youcan can easily do this in the evening for fora a set of mats and napkins If H You Want Linen Use Toweling An easy way to make mats and napkins for table use is with Irish linen toweling This trick frequently is used by women when they want the crisp nicely washable finish of linen economically Both mats and napkins can be made from the toweling and you'll find that being able to buy the material material mate mate- rial by the yard has the added ad ads advantage vantage of giving longer lengths when you want to make runners Plaid and linen towelIng toweling toweling towel towel- ing are good choices for casual and informal tablecloths or mat and napkin sets If you are making these mainly to brighten up the kitchen or dining surroundings you might even consider buying enough toweling to add simple drapes for forthe forthe forthe the windows Stripes in linen toweling are also good choices to use for curtain and place mat ensembles Their gay colors make them a pleasant background background background back back- ground for any of the popular styles of casual dinnerware For the more formal luncheons and dinners you might like to choose a like grill-like scroll print done in white on both pastel and bright colored backgrounds Scroll prints will be nice with better dishes The lovely powder blue shade for example would be bevery bevery bevery very effective with dinnerware which has touches of yellow in hi it Use yellow as the flower Other Fabrics Give Many 1 Possibilities Coarse textured dyed if it they are not a suitable shade will make excellent tablecloth and mat sets If you dye them in one of the gala Mexican shades they can be used with fiesta ware with a centerpiece centerpiece centerpiece center center- piece arrangement of grapes Many scorched or worn tablecloths can be used as source material If damask has lost its crisp finish and high luster it can make handsome handsome handsome hand hand- some settings for more formal dining din- din Ing Dye it a deep rich green peach pastel pink or soft yellow Color heightens the pattern of the damask dam dam- ask A centerpiece of polished fruits and glossy leaves in a square white pottery dish will be effective For informal entertaining theres there's nothing lovelier than braided mats which can be made from pieces out of the scrap bar baIt Dye these to Lo work workout workout workout out attractive colors The monotone or solid colored mat matIs matis matis is best for tor plain dishes but occasionally occasionally occa occa- its it's possible to work out attractive mats with white and a color r. These mats should be made slightly larger than 11 by 17 the size for regular placemats Use mugs with mats to make a thoroughly thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- attractive setting and a matching pottery bowl filled with gourds as the centerpiece Plain white mats made out ut of almost almost al al- most any material can be brightened bright ened by use of wide colorful borders borders bor bor- ders dens or various edgings such as u ulace lace braid rick rack or decorative borders Buy borders already made mado or use off cast pieces of materials either in their original shades Mades or dyed whichever offers he she most effective treatment |