Not Clips: The Stylish And Unique Way To Secure Outdoor Tablecloths In A Breeze

You probably spend days narrowing down your list of the best fabric for tablecloths to set a beautiful yet inviting scene for your outdoor celebrations and BBQ parties. But a strong gust of wind will undo all your hard work in a heartbeat. And if you'd rather not spend the whole time smoothing down the cloth, you may turn to dedicated clips. However, they might not fit your table's thickness if you plan on using an indoor dining table outside on your patio, or a chunky folding one. Solving this issue, creator mrsclarehoops fashions stylish and unique tablecloth weights using pebbles and clothespins.

Through this DIY, you get to save money you'd have otherwise spent on clips and repurpose the extra clothespins you have lying around the house. Plus, these weights will look more decorative than stainless steel grips. You also won't have to worry about someone hurting their arm over the sharp edges. Moreover, you can leave the weights outside as long as you want; they won't sustain weather damage easily. The best part, though? This DIY idea is fun and won't take up a lot of your time. 

Simply get a spool of jute twine (should be sturdy enough to bear the weight of pebbles), look for some small river rocks along nearby creeks (or see if you can score a few for free from an active construction site), and a few clothespins to ensure your tablecloth remains in place. Also, keep a sharp pair of scissors handy. And to beautify these practical weights, grab a couple of beads, shells, or driftwood. You can even get some paint and a thin-bristled brush to make the plain rocks look pretty.

Once you have everything, wipe the river rocks with a damp microfiber cloth to get rid of surface-level dust and grime. After it dries, paint its surface in bright colors and designs to give your weights a fun appearance. You can also use seasonal-specific shades and patterns, like flowers for spring and summer and reddish-orange leaves for fall. Feel free to get your kids involved. However, this step is optional and you can skip it if you don't want to do additional work. Then, unspool a little bit of jute twine and tie it tightly around a small pebble; don't clip the string yet.

Now, you can start dropping in your decorative beads and shells. Glass floats will also look pretty, and give your weights a summery feel. Miniature figurines will look nice, too, but you may have to drill a hole through their center. Small foam pumpkins will lend your table an autumnal vibe (if the weather is still pleasant for an outdoor soiree!). When you're happy, tie a knot at the top of your thread to keep your embellishments from falling out. Follow this process for the other rocks until you have enough to weigh your tablecloth down. 

Finally, tie a weight around the middle of a clothespin (you can paint it, too) and hang it toward your cloth's bottom. Repeat this for the others (the quantity will depend on how big your table is) to prevent a slight breeze or unruly wind from ruining your beautiful tablescape. Just remember to space your weights in a manner that they won't bump against your guest's knees and turn into a hindrance.