Fabric for a tablecloth with drop on every side.
Includes ~1\u2033 hem all around. Pieces widths if the cloth is wider than the fabric.
The cloth for a table must cover the top and hang over each side by the drop. The size to cut is the table length plus twice the drop, by the table width plus twice the drop. For a 60 by 36 inch table with a 10 inch drop, the cloth is 80 by 56 inches before hems.
A drop of about 6 to 12 inches is typical for everyday use, while formal tablecloths hang longer, sometimes nearly to the floor. Add an inch or two on each side for hems, and check that your fabric is wide enough to cover the width.
If the width of the cloth is more than the width of the fabric, you need to join pieces. Put a full width panel in the middle and half panels on the sides, so the seams fall on the sides and not down the center of the table.
Round tables use the diameter plus twice the drop, so a square or a circle of that size is cut. Wash and dry the fabric first, since cotton and linen shrink, and choose a fabric that resists wrinkles and stains for a cloth you will use often.