Oilcloth table cloths........

[Bob Wright]

I was musing about the last time I saw an oilcloth tablecloth. Remember those?

When I was a youngster at home, we ate our meals at the kitchen table, Sunday dinner at the dining table. Our kitchen was big, big enough for a sturdy, rough wooden table in the center of the kitchen. There were three or four chairs, none of which matched, plus a couple of wooden stools. The chairs were wooden "front porch" chairs, the kind you sort of sat in and leaned back against the wall. The stools were white painted wood, probably high lead content paint, the height varying to acommodate the youngster seated on it. Our plates were mismatched, as was our silverware. Now don't get me wrong, on Sunday we ate off good china and sterling silver, but other days, the kitchen table.

Our table cloth for weekdays was oilcloth, that checkered red and white waterproof material that covered the table. Had a unique smell to it. After meals, Mama would wipe down that tablecloth with a damp rag, then follow with a dry towel. After clearing the table and washing down the table cloth, Mama would place the cookie jar right in the middle of the table. The cookie jar was pink carnival glass, with a spike on the lid like those WW I German helmets.

When the corners of the table wore places on the oilcloth, Mama would go to the local variety store and buy a fresh piece of the material. New oilcloth had that smell to it...................


Bob Wright

 

[phonejack]

Remember them well !

 

[jimbo1096]

As do I.
My grandmother's kitchen was similar to what you describe but not as big. We lived there through much of the 50's as my Dad was overseas with the military. My uncle would fry me eggs in an old cast iron skillet with butter and the milk would be delivered at the front door in glass bottles. I would get the cream off the top ocassionally. That table had a green oilcloth cover and I still remember the smell. The floor was linoleum, and the coffee cups were a green glass, sort of a milky light green. That's where my uncle would sneak me my first 'coffee milk". My favorite coffeecup now is a brown glass cup with a white inside that reminds me of those days. My uncle would also fry thick slabs of bacon, can't get it like that anymore. He would use a butter knife to slice it, that knife had been sharpened so much the blade was about half gone and he would use a whetstone on the counter to keep it very sharp. Our chairs were metal with a cushioned seat, and the only heat in the kitchen was from the big old cast iron stove that was natrual gas. There was a large hood over the stove that took the smoke and heat up through the room to vent. The dog had a favorite sleeping spot on the right side closest to the mud room going out to the back yard. We had the big bedroom on the second floor at the front of the house for Mom, my sister and I. One of the windows was almost down to the floor and actually opened up to let you out onto the roof above the large front porch. We would sneak out there and dream about stuff sometimes.
Fig trees down at the bottom of the hill and a Model T in the seperate wood garage that my Uncle had since the 40's was sold after he died by some of his kids from a second wife. The house is still there but owned by another ethnic group and in a deterioted neighborhood.
Bob, Thanks for bring back those memories of 60 years ago.

 

[Merle1948]

I was musing about the last time I saw an oilcloth tablecloth. Remember those?

When I was a youngster at home, we ate our meals at the kitchen table, Sunday dinner at the dining table. Our kitchen was big, big enough for a sturdy, rough wooden table in the center of the kitchen. There were three or four chairs, none of which matched, plus a couple of wooden stools. The chairs were wooden "front porch" chairs, the kind you sort of sat in and leaned back against the wall. The stools were white painted wood, probably high lead content paint, the height varying to acommodate the youngster seated on it. Our plates were mismatched, as was our silverware. Now don't get me wrong, on Sunday we ate off good china and sterling silver, but other days, the kitchen table.

Our table cloth for weekdays was oilcloth, that checkered red and white waterproof material that covered the table. Had a unique smell to it. After meals, Mama would wipe down that tablecloth with a damp rag, then follow with a dry towel. After clearing the table and washing down the table cloth, Mama would place the cookie jar right in the middle of the table. The cookie jar was pink carnival glass, with a spike on the lid like those WW I German helmets.

When the corners of the table wore places on the oilcloth, Mama would go to the local variety store and buy a fresh piece of the material. New oilcloth had that smell to it...................


Bob Wright

Grandma's cookie jar was a ceramic teddy bear, but the rest is a good match. Thanks for the memory!

 

[Robes]

Closed my eyes and I can still see the red and white checkered oilcloth table clothes on the picnic tables at the annual family get-together in the park. It did not matter if you spilled something, just a cloth wipe up. Did not matter if I spilled something on me either,... I always got filthy dirty playing. Remember getting jeans that were a bit too long (so you could grow into them) and having to roll up the "coin catchers" (cuffs). I always had to roll-em down before coming into the house. My mom used to say I was "one with the dirt" when I played.

Great memory.... Wonder if they still make them?....

 

[Merle1948]

Closed my eyes and I can still see the red and white checkered oilcloth table clothes on the picnic tables at the annual family get-together in the park. It did not matter if you spilled something, just a cloth wipe up. Did not matter if I spilled something on me either,... I always got filthy dirty playing. Remember getting jeans that were a bit too long (so you could grow into them) and having to roll up the "coin catchers" (cuffs). I always had to roll-em down before coming into the house. My mom used to say I was "one with the dirt" when I played.

Great memory.... Wonder if they still make them?....

I have seen them in resturants fairly recently, so I would say yes.

 

[Tensaw]

Yes, I too remember them well, including the smell. However, mom didn't use them for our Sunday after church big meal. Mostly she used a white tablecloth then. Sunday meals were a rotation of roast beef, fried chicken and baked ham.

 

[don44]

Those are in my memories too. Oilcloth did have a distinctive smell didn't it?

 

[COWTOWNER]

Wow i remember that far back! The one memory that I had forgot, was having to roll down my jeans before coming in from playing all day outside.

Thanks

Mike

 

[Bull Barrel]

But...is it dino or synthetic oilcloth? ;-)

 

[slippingaway]

I know for a fact that there is a store in Fredericksburg TX that sells oilcloth by the yard. My wife spent way more time than I thought necessary looking at it all the first time we went down there for the Ruger gathering

 

[Bob Wright]

But...is it dino or synthetic oilcloth? ;-)

Oilcloth is made with vegetable oil. Actually, linseed oil.

Bob Wright

 

[Colonialgirl]

I remember the Oil cloth table covers; My Grandma always had on her table in the kitchen where we ate ALL the meals. ONLY the adults got chairs, us kids got to sit on a bench against the back wall and be careful to STAY AWAY from the HOLE in the wall Cause Grandpa told us a SPIDER lived in it. :shock: :shock: :shock:
I can STILL remember those laughing Irish eyes as he would regale us with stories about how vicious that spider was. Grandpa Charley White had a heart of gold and treated everyone with respect and kindness no matter the color or ethnicity .

 

[TBear77]

Spotted a bolt of that red & white checked material at JoAnns, about 3 weeks ago.

Ted

 

[Pat-inCO]

Have a green and white one that is on a round table I built in 1969.
It's on the back porch.

 

[Scout943]

You can get them here http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/