For those of you new to the world of re-purposing lingo, “cutters’ are damaged tablecloths that crafters and others use for sewing projects. Often “cutters’ have big holes or stains making them hard to sell as a collectible tablecloths. But these still have value to creative crafters who are constantly coming up with new ideas on how to salvage the best parts of these textiles. You can buy “cutters’ on Etsy, eBay and from dealers who buy lots of tablecloths.
Cutter Tablecloth Listed on eBay by RosesButtons
Here a a couple of tips on what to look for:
- Look for where the stains or holes are. Usually projects utilize the patterned or embroidered portion of the fabric. You want to have enough of these portions free and clear to make your project.
- Look for bleached out areas or large frays (larger than a quarter). These weaken the fabric itself and indicate that the material may be weakened and won’t last in your project. So unless you plan to back the fabric in your project, you may want to skip that tablecloth.
- Look for cloths that haven’t been cleaned. Sometimes you can use a soak to improve the stain so that you can still use it in your project.
- Please don’t use a collectible vintage tablecloth as a cutter. These Hint: Click on the links and photo for more information!
