Displaying Vintage Tablecloths In Stacked Vertical Wooden Soda Boxes In Your Antique Booth Or Shop

Displaying Colorful Vintage Tablecloths In Your Antique Booth

If you vintage linens you know how hard it is to  display 1940s and 1950s coloroful tablecloths in your shop or antique booth.

Limited Space In Your Antique Booth

When you have limited space you may not have the luxury of being able to hang textiles and tablecloths on a rack. Over the years I have tired many different ways to store and display tablecloths.

Wooden Boxes Form Cubbies For Linens

Recently, I decided to try displaying my tablecloths in several vertically stacked old wooden soda boxes which form cubbies which wortk well for folded linens. I'm not saying that this idea is perfect, because I still have to routinely fold and tidy up my tabelcloths for  sale. But, I do have to tell you, that the system of narrow snacked wooden boxes is working better than other previously tried displays.    

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of I Antique Online an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café. To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com Dianne is a member of: The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Society of Professional Journalists

How Do I Clean Vintage Tablecloths?

How Do I Clean Vintage Tablecloths? A Lesson From Dusty's Vintage

I am lucky to know the best Vintage tablecloth Guru's around, they sell under the name "Dusty's Vintage and live in New England. Michelle and Lori travel around the country and set up colorful booths with PILES of pristine original tablecloths that would knock your retro socks right off of you!

Linens That Are In Pristine Condition

When you look at the caliber of their linens, you are amazed to see how terrific they look. These women put a lot of time into their linens (something I never do). But I always wanted to know their secrets about how they prepare their linens for re-sale.

These gals are very sweet and have printed an instruction sheet for their customers on how to clean the linens, titled "How We Clean Our Linens". Notice they are saying what works for them. I am going to share their tips. Remember, nothing in life is guaranteed. With linen cleaning as well as everything else in life.....you give it a try!


"How We Clean Our Linens" By Dusty's Vintage

1. PRESPOT: on dry item, spray any spots generously with "Simple Green: full strength. Let sit for 24-72 hours.

2. SOAK**: in your top loading washing machine put one cup "Clorox Bleach, one cup of "Biz" and 1/4 cup of "All". Fill machine with warm water and agitate to mix detergents. Add linens. Soak for 3-24 hours. (DO NOT USE "TIDE").

3. WASH: When soaking is complete, let washer go through full cycle. (Normal cycle for print and gentle cycle for finer whites).

4. DRY: Dry linens in hot dryer.

5. IRON: Use light steam and "Niagara" Heavy Starch (blue can).

"Biz", "Simple Green" can usually be found at "Wal-Mart", "K-Mart" and "Target".

**With dark blues, purples, blacks and browns on the print use less bleach or no bleach and soak with the lower time.

Postscript: The "Chlorox bleach" part is scaring the heck out of me...but this is what Dusty's Vintage does. I welcome all of your feedback. Don't shoot me, I am the messenger. These gals must know what they are doing....their linens say it all!

More Information:

You can also check out http://www.vintagetableclothsclub.com/stains.htm
C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and AuthorsThe Authors Guild, Inc.

Clever Ways For Antique Dealers To Display and Organize Vintage Tablecloths And Linens

Clever ways For Antique dealers to Hang Linens

Retro collectors who love colorful vintage tablecloths and dish towels are some of my most loyal customers. In fact linens sell quite well in my shop, Kitsch n Stuff (Collinsville Antiques Center).

Customers Like to Examine Tablecloths

But as any dealer will tell you, customers like to examine linens carefully (for holes and stains) and linens become messy all the time.

How to Keep Linens Orderly

So what can you do if you are in an antique mall or shop and you are looking for the best way to keep your linens orderly? If you have a large enough space you could hang your linens on a rack, clipping them to skirt hangers.

I have also seen dealers use portable racks (metal wardrobes). These are the type of racks you see at a party rental store.


Built-In Poles Between Two Shelving Units

For handy dealers, you can custom build a "built-in" rack using a pole between two wooden display shelving units. Think of this as building a little" closet" between two of your display shelves. A free standing old fashioned Wardrobe cabinet or Amoire can also be used.

Using a Wooden Ladder to Hang Linens

But you still need room for furnishings or built-in poles. So here is an idea for stuffed spaces. Consider using a painted ladder to hang linens on. This idea is great for tight spaces. Similar to the ladder concept is the portable cloths dryer method, a simple way to hang tablecloths and towels. This idea also works well at both indoor and outdoor shows because the rack is easy to set up.

Hanging and Mounting Doilies

At one outdoor show I attended this past summer, the exhibitor mounted her doilies on fabric and hung them on hangers on a metal rack. It was a great way to see her stock without handling and soiling these delicate items.

Compartmentalized Cabinets

For the neat freaks among us.....one of the most organized systems to try for keeping linens nice and tidy is a large cubbied cabinet. You can make your own cabinet or re-purpose an existing cabinet that is partitioned. While this idea works well to keep folded linens compartmentalized, you still will need to keep after your stacks. But it's a start in the right direction.

On this note I will tell you that one thing I have learned is to fold my linens on Mondays, after the weekend. I used to tidy up my booth before the weekend, but now I wait till after.......I still sell plenty of tablecloths!

C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.

To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link:

. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff

Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.com

Visit my website, CDianneZweig.com

Dianne is a member of:
The American Society of Journalists and Authors
The Authors Guild, Inc.