i love the idea of gorgeous tablecloths, but the idea of getting stains that won't come out makes me feel sick. it may sound tacky, but whatever you do, i would protect all that work with clear plastic the same size as the cloth itself. that way, everyone gets to see the artwork, and you won't go crazy with every drip of gravy.
think about matching napkins for each cloth or each side. extras of course,
and NO plastic. LOL!