Pages

Monday 12 March 2012

Dressing The Table For St. Paddy's Day

I spied a remnant of sequined, dark green fabric at my favourite textile store.  This is the kind of material ice skaters costumes are made of.  It was reduced to $9 for about a yard and a half.  Since I was buying $1,000 worth of drapery fabric for a client, they threw the remnant in for free.  Yay!

I thought it would make festive table runners that were sparkly enough to please even my granddaughters.

Here's the full tutorial on how I made the runners.  Cut the fabric to the desired width and length. That's it.  Seriously, I didn't even hem it.  I'm not running all those sequins through my sewing machine! 


I dressed up a nineteenth century majolica pitcher with a dollar store shamrock thingy, a blue/green ribbon rose and a partridge. ~


Of course I used the hand embroidered Irish linen napkins that I picked up in a box of linens at auction.  I have a collection of vintage silver napkin rings and pressed them into service for the occasion. ~


I wanted to use items from the 1800's as that was the time of the mass emigration from Ireland and when my ancestors arrived in Canada.

A creamware pitcher and this wonderful "Cutty Sark" pattern transferware sugar bowl hail from that time. ~



The transferware plates are reproductions from Homesense.  My beloved, pearl handled dessert set is vintage. ~


Does this all work in a dining room wallpapered in Toile de Jouy? ~


Of course it does.  You see the French did not invent Toile.  No siree, it is an Irish invention from the 16th century!  Thank you Ireland!  How could I live without my toile?

I also thank the Irish for inventing modern chemistry, the induction coil, hollow needles for syringes, Seismology, Bin aural stethoscopes, shorthand, nickle zinc batteries, portable defibrillators, boycotting (that alone kept one of my daughters busy through her teen years) and discovering neutrons and splitting the first atom (oh yes they did).  They, also, invented whisky.  I probably didn't have to tell you the last one. Te he.

I'll leave you with the words of Adrienne Cook.

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time ~ a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into a summer's magic.

I'm sharing with these parties:

The House In The Roses


25 comments:

  1. Great idea on the sequined fabric and I really loved the Adrienne Cook quote!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I just stumbled on that quote today and it said so much about how I'm feeling right now.

      Delete
  2. Yeahhhh...I am Irish, too, and you did a good job representing all of us today. Love your tablescape and those napkins are just lovely. Whiskey? The Irish? Surely you jest!;>) xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aw, thanks Diana. Oddly, I come from a long line of non drinkers so we'll just have to accept the one on the whiskey. I break with tradition for the odd shot of Bushmills.

      Delete
  3. I'm ashamed to say I've never been to Ireland, even though it is very close for me ! However I did go on the Cutty Sark when I was very young - love all your bits and pieces Maureen, especially those embroidered napkins.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Funny how we don't go to the places close to us. I guess we figure we can do that anytime. I do love those napkins!

      Delete
  4. toile? Who knew? And your mom would be proud to see you representing so well. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Terry. I wish I could have her over for some Corned Beef Hash.

      Delete
  5. Oh, the Cutty sark is wonderful! I wouldn't run sequins through my sewing machine either! I laughed when you said you better get on the gesso bandwagon...I left a comment on a blog about getting on the bandwagon and the obviously younger blogger sent me an email asking what I meant LOL! OK I feel old!

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have me laughing my head off! I guess we are from another time. I started cutting the sequin fabric with my good scissors and then realized it would dull them so switched to kitchen shears. I have no idea how you sew that stuff and it looks fine unhemmed.

      Delete
  6. Oh, wow that sugar bowl is fantastic! Very pretty all of it! Have a great week!
    Sherry

    ReplyDelete
  7. Once an irish girl, always an irish girl! You do your ancestry proud Maureen! xo wendy

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lynn @ www.etsy.com/2becherished13 March 2012 at 11:29

    I knew there was a very good reason(s) that we think we are so clever. Thanks for the clarification LOL

    ReplyDelete
  9. Maureen,
    Hi! I love your Irish napkins and the vintage set & just love that silverware.
    Have a good day!
    Pat

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Maureen, what a festive table I love it and so would my granddaughter! I love all the Irish history as my g-grandmother was a Mahoney! I'm doing research but there were so many I can't find which line she came from! I love everything Irish. Thanks for coming by my blog and leaving kind words. I'm a new follower.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome to our great group of friends! If you know when your ancestor arrived over here, you can trace them through the immigration lists. Good luck!

      Delete
  11. I am really enjoying your posts about St Paddy's Day. I love all the tableware (and wallpaper!) you've featured here, especially those lovely napkins and the napkin rings.

    I'm following you now and glad that I won't miss a post. Thanks for some fun reading.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so happy to have you with me! Did I mention that I'm a linen hoarder? Shhhh.

      Delete
  12. Thank you for teaching me so much about the Irish. Your table setting is very attractive and I am really liking that little transfer piece with the ship.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! I loved that sugar bowl so much that I took it in trade for a job I did and they couldn't finish paying for.

      Delete
  13. This is gorgeous! And just my kind of tutorial :-)
    have a wonderful St Patricks Day
    love
    jutta

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your beautiful runner is perfect for St. Patrick's Day! Love the transferware too.

    Thank you for the Irish lesson. Very interesting facts!

    Have a great week!

    xo,
    Kathleen

    ReplyDelete
  15. Delightful tablescape for St Patrick's day, love the linen napkins and the beautiful napkin rings.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Okay, Maureen, those napkins are so cute, I could die! Love it!!! :)

    ReplyDelete