• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tidbits

Inspiration for Do-It-Yourself Living

  • Home
  • About
    • About Me
    • Work with me
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ
    • Disclosure and Policy
    • Link Parties
  • Project Index
    • All
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Printables
    • Sewing
    • Crafts
    • Holidays
    • Recipes
    • Woodworking
    • Photography
    • Crafting with Kids
    • Other
  • Home Tours
  • Seasonal
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Shop
  • Contact
You are at Home and DIY
Home and DIY
Food and recipes

You are here: Home / Decorating / DIY Ruffled Tablecloth | French Vintage Style

DIY Ruffled Tablecloth | French Vintage Style

February 15, 2017 • Decorating, Sewing

360 shares

Take any old ugly table you might have laying around, and transform it into a lovely French accent table with this DIY ruffled tablecloth project.  Make it a super affordable upgrade with inexpensive fabrics like muslin, bedsheets, drop cloths – you name it!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets - turn your inexpensive fold up tables into lovely accent tables.

Years ago, in our early married stage of life, my husband and I invested in a couple of fold-up tables.  I say invested because we were dirt poor and $20 was ALOT of money!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

One of those tables was our dining room table.  And the other was stored and brought out on special occasions . . . like when company came over.  We even pulled out the $4.00 camp chairs to make room for friends to sit in the living room.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

We were super high class, quality kind of friends to have 😉

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

11 years into our marriage, we still have those folding tables, and they still actually come in quite handy when we need to sit more bodies in our home or need an indestructible surface for crafts and such.

One day, when I realized I was tired of dragging it in and out of storage, I looked at the ugly and well-loved fold-able table and wondered if I could just cover it up somehow and use it as an accent table.  This is exactly the scene I imagined.

Hide an ugly table with this DIY ruffle tablecloth.

You see, my head already knew – anything can be made pretty with white and ruffles.

closeup of bouquet of flowers

This white ruffled tablecloth has proven to be even more effective, as it works as a hidden toy storage spot now and an impromptu fort/hiding place for wee ones.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets
DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

Not to mention, I now have a new surface to decorate and spruce up to my heart’s content.

decorations above table
decorations on top of table

I took advantage of Valentine’s Day sales on florals and constructed a beautiful arrangement of pale flowers in my favorite vintage bucket, and then deconstructed them on Valentine’s day to hand out to loved ones.

closeup of bouquet of flowers

This post is all about double duty and getting the most bang for your buck!

bouquet of flowers in DIY bucket plant holder

I’m excited to share just how easy it is to make this tablecloth for any size table.  I have a video tutorial for you, and step-by-step images below.

But since I took the time to decorate this space, let me show you around a bit more and talk about some of the sources for the items you see in the images.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

At one of my antique store visits, I found a booth for 50% off and eyed everything for its full potential.

antique mirror

In it, I found these plastic gold mirrors and candle sconces.  They weren’t that pretty to look at, but I knew with a little dry brushing with white paint, they could look very French vintage and lovely.  I’m thrilled about how they look on the wall!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I’m sure you’ve noticed that lovely grain sack French accent chair by now.  Isn’t she beautiful!!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

This accent chair came from Joss and Main/Birch Lane, one of my favorite places to get high-end pieces at prices that won’t feel uncomfortable for these types of investments.  

antique sofa closeup

I have eyed this chair for a while now and knew it would look perfect next to the ruffled tablecloth.  I’m sure many of you other French accent chair enthusiasts are agreeing with me now!

antique sofa
DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I’d also like to add, I wanted real linen fabric for this tablecloth.  But when I priced the yardage at the fabric store I decided I didn’t want to spend that much.  So I headed over to Wal-Mart and bought 2 bottom-of-the-line, king-size cotton sheets for $20 or so total.  I used all that fabric for the tablecloth, which made this a very inexpensive project!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

While playing around with styling, I also decided to pin it up to create some drape, so I place another white sheet we had laying around under the actual tablecloth.

I have a crazy easy ruffle technique I’ll show in the video below, but first I want to see if you can count how many ruffle projects you see in this space.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I love to decorate with ruffles!  I made the plaid blanket and the ruffle pillow as well.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

When you discover how easy and fun ruffles can be, you’ll be thinking of all the projects you can create.  I’d love to have you watch this short clip while I explain this technique to you.

Again, I’m just learning my way into the video world, so please be patient with me through the quarks.

Now I would be happy to walk you through the instructions for making your ruffled tablecloth.

You’ll first want to hang your fabric over the table so it covers the table completely.  Simply cut off any extra fabric.  The corners will droop and puddle on the ground, but just make sure the straight edges are just barely touching the ground.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I’m not going to advise on the amount of fabric needed exactly, because all our tables will be different sizes.  Two king-size sheets were almost exactly what I needed to create the cover and the ruffles.  I do suggest figuring the amount you will need to cover the table, and then double that amount for the ruffles.

I then took my extra sheet and measured it 6 inches for the ruffle width.  You can determine whatever size of ruffle you would like.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I made a small slit with scissors at that 6-inch mark and tore the fabric the rest of the way.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I like that torn edge for this type of shabby chic French vintage look, but you could choose to hem your edges if you want a cleaner look.  I repeated this step with the rest of my fabric until I had made plenty of strips for the ruffles.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

Before I began ruffling one end, I choose to add a stitch 1/4 inch away from the soon-to-be non-ruffled edge, so fraying would not get out of hand.  Again, I wanted the frayed look for this type of project, but you can choose to hem that far end.

Next, you will proceed with the instructions in the video above to ruffle your fabric strips until you have loads and loads of ruffles!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I stitched them all together to create one seamlessly long ruffle and began pinning that onto the tablecloth portion.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I gave myself about an inch and a half of overlap.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

No need to do anything fancy on the corners.  Just continue pinning around the bend.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

Then when I had it all pinned in place, I took it over to the sewing machine and stitched right on top of my ruffle stitch, all the way around.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

I completed this project in 2 days of nap times, and have a lovely spot to decorate as a result.

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets
closeup of bouquet of flowers
DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

If the tablecloth sounds a bit intimidating, try the ruffle technique on pillows, bed skirts, blankets, or skirts.

As always, let me know if you give it a try!

Thanks so much for reading and being here to support TIDBITS.  Do you have any tables that could be transformed into French accent table perfection?

I’d love to have you pin this and share it with your friends!

DIY Ruffle Tablecloth from cotton sheets

MORE DIY POSTS YOU’LL ENJOY

 

DIY Butcher Block Countertops | Oh, yes you can!

How to Cut, Hone and Install Marble Yourself – Get the Look for WAY Less!

DIY Lace Pillowcase

I’m Cami! Welcome to my blog TIDBITS. Follow me along for beautiful home decor ideas and inspiration for do-it-yourself living
Thank you for Subscribing to TIDBITS! Talk to you soon.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

360 shares

Tags: accent table, antique, cottage, flowers, french, ruffle, ruffled, Sewing, tablecloth, tutorial, video
Leave a Comment

You might also like

  • French Cottage Girls Bedroom MakeoverFrench Cottage Girls Bedroom Makeover
  • 10 Design Elements of French Style10 Design Elements of French Style
  • DIY Ruffled Duvet CoverDIY Ruffled Duvet Cover
  • Spring Master Bathroom RefreshSpring Master Bathroom Refresh

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Md Juwel Rana says

    February 25, 2022

    Oooooo, this Frenchy design sheet sounds divine! And yes, my kids too love the hiding spot. Thanks again for always being so kind and supportive. I’m excited you’ve signed up for the PC series! It can seem a little intimidating at first, but it is such a blessing in the kitchen! Have a wonderful day friend!

    Reply
  2. camitidbits says

    February 28, 2017

    Thank you so much Jennifer! I’m honored that you would visit! That chair would look lovely in your home 😉

    Reply
  3. Candy says

    February 23, 2017

    Love the skirt and table idea, maybe something I will have to do for my grandbabies as they would love it. I too have always loved ruffles and have made way too many over the years the “hard” way thank you for this tutorial as I will now be doing my ruffles this way, what a time saver. I needed to learn this 40 years ago. Thank you again, I am working on some pillows right now with ruffles and you know I will be doing them this way.
    Blessings,
    Candy

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 23, 2017

      Thank you so much for your comment! 40 years of doing ruffles the hard way – yuck! I actually purposely avoided ruffle projects until I figured this out. No I ruffle everything! So excited you are getting a chance to apply the technique on some pillows. You can never go wrong with ruffle pillows! Wish you the best!

      Reply
  4. Sue says

    February 23, 2017

    Wow! Great tutorial! Get’s my creative juices rolling. I am starting to think of all the things I can ruffle. Love, love, love it..

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 23, 2017

      Thank you Sue! Let’s ruffle the world together!!

      Reply
  5. Laura says

    February 20, 2017

    I love this! This looks like something I can actually do. Can you tell me where you got the light blue chair and ottoman?

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 23, 2017

      Thank you Laura! I got them from IKEA! Ektorp line. They have a lot of slipcover options. Wish you the best!

      Reply
  6. camitidbits says

    February 20, 2017

    Oooooo, this Frenchy design sheet sounds divine! And yes, my kids too love the hiding spot. Thanks again for always being so kind and supportive. I’m excited you’ve signed up for the PC series! It can seem a little intimidating at first, but it is such a blessing in the kitchen! Have a wonderful day friend!

    Reply
  7. Norma says

    February 18, 2017

    Oh my goodness Cami!! I’m in love with your table! The whole room is stunning!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      Thanks so very much Norma! You are always so kind!

      Reply
  8. Rachael says

    February 17, 2017

    I am in love with this!!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      So glad! Thank you!

      Reply
  9. Marlene Stephenson says

    February 17, 2017

    Thanks so much this is way better than what I have done.Have a great day.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      You are very welcome! Have a wonderful day as well Marlene!

      Reply
  10. Kathy says

    February 17, 2017

    Thank you, It am so thankful for the DIY instructions.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      You are very welcome! I love to help others create!

      Reply
  11. Gail says

    February 17, 2017

    Love this idea. My sons love to play board games and we are always getting the table and setting it up.. This would take care of that problem. Thanks.

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      We use this table for board games a ton too! It’s been so nice to have it there to pull out easily. Thanks so much for reading and taking the time to leave me a comment!

      Reply
  12. Tina says

    February 17, 2017

    Hi Cami! Cute table. I love your blog. I just wanted to say, regarding your jab at yourself about being high class kind of friends with your folding table & camp chairs, class doesn’t come from money. It comes from the kind of person you are, from your heart and how you treat others. And from all that I have read, I think you are a high class kind of person. Have a great day!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      Tina, thank you for your kind words. I couldn’t agree with you more! It never matters to me what kind of home my friends have, but what is in there heart that makes them wonderful to be around. Thank you for your uplifting perspective!

      Reply
  13. Shawnna Griffin says

    February 17, 2017

    Hey girl- great post! Love the table!

    Reply
    • camitidbits says

      February 20, 2017

      Thanks so much Shawnna!!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

We are sisters, working independently under the same Brand, while sharing our individual passions. Follow Cami for all things HOME, and join Marci for all things FOOD. Enjoy!


About Cami
About Marci

My product lines

TIDBITS Planners
TIDBITS Linen

Our books

Front cover of 'Master The Electric Pressure Cooker' cookbook

Hot off the press
tidbits.
Right to your inbox.

Sign up to get post updates, monthly subscriber only content, and inspiration for do-it-yourself living
Thank you for Subscribing to TIDBITS! Talk to you soon.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Archives

Follow on Facebook

Footer

Welcome to my blog, TIDBITS! I am a sleep deprived Mom to 4 and a fanatical DIY'er. I absolutely love to create - but I love to inspire others to create even more!

Subscribe

Thank you for Subscribing to TIDBITS! Talk to you soon.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Privacy

Copyright

I love sharing my ideas and tutorials! I ask that you respect my work and follow these guidelines. 1. All images are property of Tidbits blog. 2. Feel free to use 1 or 2 images on your own webpages, provided a link back to my blog is clearly available. 3. Do not remove any watermark or crop/edit my images in any way, unless given written consent by myself. 4. All tutorials/ideas/designs are for personal use only and are not to be copied and distributed in any way. 5. Sharing and pinning through social media is always welcome!

An elite Cafemedia Home/DIY Publisher
Branding + Website By Coded Creative

360 shares