Easy DIY Fix To Make Sure The Outdoor Table Doesn't BlowDecor Girl

When planning an outdoor party or gathering, wind and weather are beyond of anyone’s control. Nobody wants their beautifully set outdoor dining table to blow… away. Imagine eyeing your beautifully set table, the wind hurls one powerful gust catching the underside of the tablecloth, turning it into a sail, from which the fried chicken, salad and dishes become airborne creating a mess worthy of a Jackson Pollack painting. It happens, but it doesn’t have to. Here is an easy fix with DIY tablecloth weights you can craft in under an hour. While searching online for stylish tablecloth weights, let me say there are none which are not hideously kitchy and while these are fine for plenty of events, I was after something a bit less plastic and more elegant. Plus, many had the color red… not gonna happen in my world. Then it occurred to me there are jars upon jars of seashells and containers of sea glass in my possession, why not use these found items? There is a specific stash of shells found with preexisting holes, no drilling. Brilliant! The colors of these found objects are great and they can hold up to the outdoor elements. Armed with tools, wire and beading supplies from a never completed project, I determined to make something infinitely better than what was available online. The first ah-ha moment was recognizing the pinch clips needed to attach the weight to the tablecloth was the same thing on the end of an endless collection of never-to-be-used-again lanyards and name badge holders my husband likes to keep. Snip snip, off went the ends of the lanyards. The last one I found had rivet in the hole I needed, no problem… a little smacking with a hammer and a punch, out popped the rivet and we’ve got a hole.

Next came how to attach all of this together. This is not a hot glue project. Wire. Wire would enable me to wrap the sea glass in a cool way and attach the shells. Wait, we need more color. Ah ha, another found object appeared as a solution: tools and supplies for a never competed beading project. Needle nose pliers, wire cutters, a crimper tool and beads. What luck, the stone beads in the stash were blue and turquoise which coordinate perfectly with the outdoor decor. Stone or glass beads will work the best since they will not fade or suffer due to weather. For those who are interested in shells, these are mostly Lady-In Waiting venus clams which had holes in their tip. The Lettered Olive shells, while many were missing a tip, took a bit more trial and error to end up with five the wire would go all the way through. The stringing began and less than an hour later, five rather chic looking tablecloth weights were ready to use. The amount of wights one needs varies by the size of the table, every 20″-24″ seems to work well. Five were the right amount to keep tablecloth from blowing up on a 50″ round table.

Follow the SnapGuide for step by step instructions to make your own DIY Fabulous Tablecloth Weights. They are simple and easy-to-create. Stylish tablecloth weights can make a stunning personalized hostess gift for even the most glamorous hostess. Go ahead be creative, these will guarantee your next outdoor table does not blow. 🙂