In a bid to get into the festive mood, I recently hosted a gathering of friends, which doubled up perfectly as an opportunity to put our table linen to the test. I wanted to put it through its paces and see how it really faired in day-to-day life, with tough spills and stains. I chose the lightest of all our Collections, the soft green Eucalyptus and went for the meanest of dishes; chili con carne, guacamole, sour cream, tortillas and tomato salsa all the way!
I dressed the table simply, with a white tablecloth base, Eucalyptus placemats and napkins, green glassware, white candles, rose gold cutlery, wooden Christmas trees, white and gold baubles and some green, fir foliage. Each chair had a cushion in matching print, to make it a very comfortable setting. I tied the napkins in a simple knot and placed it on each plate. See my Journal on our website 'How To? Style Your Napkins & Elevate Your Tablescape' for some pointers on how to do this.
After a beautiful evening with friends, needless to say, there were numerous spillages and splatters of chili sauce and it wasn’t until the next day when I checked on the condition of the linen. I soaked the spots under the tap, made a paste with vanish powder and water and left it on the stain for 30 minutes, massaging in gently before rinsing it away. I then washed the linen as normal on a short, 30 degree cycle, with a little detergent and line dried it in the shade. I was really pleased to find that all the stains had gone and the linen looked as fresh and clean as when we began the evening. If you do find you’re battling tougher stains or those that have been left without treatment for many days, making a paste from baking soda and water is also very effective. So, it was then a quick iron for the linen and back into the dining room dresser, ready for the next fun Tablescape with family and friends!
