Vintage Tablecloth

Last week, I visited my Mom's house and she had an adorable vintage table runner on her small kitchen table.  It was originally a tablecloth with some stains that would not come out, but it was too sweet to toss.  She gave it to a friend who enjoys sewing.  MaryLou decided to make the unstained parts into table runners and gave one back to my Mom.  I'm a sucker for a cute kitsch design!

I'm not a vintage tablecloth expert, but after doing a little reading I think it may be from the 1940's or 1950's.  During the 1940's, after World War II, popular tablecloth designs included people and animals, farm and farmhouse scenes, and kitchen themes.  Scenes were often what we would now call "kitsch".  This smiling granny, knitting in front of a warm stove with her cat, is certainly "kitsch"!

Screen-printing became popular and four or more colors in a tablecloth were common.

The 1950's saw a continuation of quirky, fun scenes and bright colors.  More modern dyes, printing techniques, and fabrics allowed a wider range of designs and colors.  Kitchen themes, which included utensils, food, vegetables, dishes, bottles, teapots, and kitchen furniture, were especially popular.  Stylized florals and bold shapes were worked into designs.

I also love the wood grain pattern in the background and how the bold shadows make the objects stand out.  I'm glad this tablecloth could be saved!

Resources:   Grama's Attic and Fabrics.net

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