Linen Damask
I love damask. The fine fibers and dense weave allow intricacy of design; provide a gleaming ground for your dining pleasure; and make a strong fabric that can serve generations.
Linen requires care, however. Address spots immediately - I have used Oxyclean and Shout to good effect. Wash in the hottest water your machine will allow. NEVER put in a dryer. Smooth out and line dry. Iron damp to dry. I use spray starch and a water bottle set to mist when I iron. I can't tell a lie - napkins are easy; tablecloths are difficult. In fact, I have been known to use a well padded queen sized bed to iron a tablecloth.
For storage, I roll the napkins. The cloths are folded lengthwise in thirds and hung on a padded hanger. Periodically, I change the folds on the cloths and check to make sure the selvedge edges have not folded back. With a tight fold, the fibers can break.
Most of the photos in this collection have been darkened. I want you to see the designs and white damask is hard to photograph. However, where this has been done, I note the color of the damask - bright white; clear white; creamy white.
