Cool idea! We cover every other piece of furniture with quilts...why not the table too?

I would use placemats on top of the quilt if the meal was messy. Mats are a little easier to wash - which is what I do now but directly on the table.

I frequently throw the latest quilt on my formal dining room table. I get to enjoy it as I pass by thruout the day. The only problem I have had with eating at it is the unstable drinking glasses. I switched to a wider base glass and the problem is solved. Stains come right out with prewash spray but then, my quilts are mostly scrappy and I'm not drinking red wine on a neutral quilt.

I use a quilt with batting on my dining room table with clear plastic covering it. The plastic I use came
on a roll from Wal Mart. Otherwise, the quilts would be hidden in a closet somewhere.

I have made two for my table. I have one on now, it is 42 by 68. I have batting in them, one has Hobbs 80 / 20. And one has warm natural, 100 cotton. I like the feel of the thinner batting for table cloths. I always have mats and a cloth table cloth on my table. My mats seem to wash nicely, so I'm hoping I have the same results with the full quilted table cloth. I just reason,it's bigger,and will still fit in my washer the same as the mats. So far I'm liking my table mat.

yep, flat batting would work fine. I like hobbs heirloom 80/20.

I also use the clear vinyl over my table quilts and table clothes. I leave the vinyl on all the time since I never know what my dear hubby is going to put on the table:rolleyes:

I have made table cloths (quilts) which fit my longer tables. I made them longer and narrower and they have served me very well. I love them especially for outdoors. The wind will blow the thin table cloths unless you tape it down, using my long quilted tablecloths are wonderful! After we eat I wash them in cold water and do not put them in the dryer so if there are any stains they will not be set!

love your answer :)

I almost always have a quilted table topper on my round table and have several larger quilts that I use when I use the table extensions. I just pretreat stains if needed and wash and dry in machines. when the g-boys are expected I don't use the larger quilts because they are little and messy--I have found that raw edge fused applique doesn't hold up as well to the frequent washings.

I made a Christmas quilt a few years ago for my square kitchen table. The center is a marbled red and then I added a wide mitered holly border print. I used whatever cotton batting I had on hand and backed it with an all over Christmas poinsettia print. I love how it protects my antique table. It's the table my granddaughters usually eat at so I've washed it several times and it just gets better. I also made a valance for the window from the backing fabric. And, I made a quilted mixer cover. I have a red and white bear claw I'm working on for my formal dining room table. There's a certain warmth and coziness about a quilt on a table that I really like. I also have a quilt on my square coffee table during the holidays. I really don't worry about spills. I'd rather have memorable stains than have them hanging in a closet not being used.