The Water-Repellent Tablecloth

Made for the messy meals

Thanksgiving is the one dinner where gravy, cranberry sauce and red wine all share the table with a crowd. This cloth is coated so liquids bead up on the surface instead of sinking straight in, which gives you time to blot a spill with a napkin. Crumbs and dried drips wipe off with a damp cloth, and after most meals it's ready to fold away without a wash. It's just as handy on a buffet or dessert table, where serving spoons drip and guests help themselves.

It's still fabric, not vinyl. The polyester-cotton blend has the matte, lightly flecked look of linen and drapes like a regular tablecloth, without the shine or stiffness of a plastic cover.

Four colors for fall

• Coffee, a light taupe that goes with everything from white plates to copper
• Dark coffee, a deep brown that makes gold and cream stand out
• Army green, a muted green that looks good beside pumpkins and wood
• Wine red, a warm red for a bold harvest table, and again at Christmas

Choosing your size

The edges are neatly hemmed, so the cloth hangs in a clean, straight line. Add twice your drop to the table's width and length and pick the nearest size.

• 47 x 67 in (120 x 170 cm) for a 30 x 48 in (76 x 122 cm) kitchen table
• 55 x 55 in (140 x 140 cm) for a 36 in (91 cm) square table
• 55 x 71 in (140 x 180 cm) for a 36 x 54 in (91 x 137 cm) table seating 4
• 55 x 79 in (140 x 200 cm) for a 36 x 60 in (91 x 152 cm) table seating 6
• 55 x 87 in (140 x 220 cm) for a 36 x 72 in (91 x 183 cm) table seating 6 to 8

Every day after the holiday

Because it wipes clean, this is the cloth to leave on the kitchen table all year: breakfasts, craft afternoons, puzzles and game nights. It also makes a good base layer under lace. The Crochet Lace Tablecloth shows up clearly over Dark coffee, and the coating catches anything that drips through the holes.

Care

Wipe small spills with a damp cloth. When it needs a wash, machine wash cold on a gentle cycle and hang to dry. Skip bleach, fabric softener and a hot dryer, which wear the coating down faster. If fold lines show, iron on low from the back. Store it loosely folded or rolled so the coating doesn't take a hard crease. Returns are accepted within 30 days.