Table Settings from 1936

Since a lot of Americans are getting ready for Thanksgiving this week I thought I'd show these table settings from my 1936 McCall Needlework magazine.

This cut-work cloth above could be made with a blue transfer pattern that was available for 50 cents.  It was done on oyster white linen.  The china is a green and white design and the centerpiece is white flowers to continue the color scheme.

The top one is a colonial style that won first prize at a "Tri-State Thanksgiving Dinner Table Decoration Competition" that was held at Rockefeller Center, NY.  It lacks any linens other than the napkins.  The bottom one didn't win but still made it into the magazine with its color scheme:  "A gold damask tablecloth with purple napkins and centerpiece (edges buttonholed with dull gold-colored thread) provide the two main colors, repeated in a centerpiece of purple glass with grapes, eggplants, squash, and a pineapple.  On purple glass plates are set Wedgewood plates with dull gold borders.  The glasses are purple." 

These next two are breakfast and luncheon settings.  The top one has yellow placemats embroidered with black and white cross stitch.  The other one has a Mexican fiesta theme with red and green as the color scheme.  The plates are yellow  --I recognize those--they're Fiestaware!

The cover of the magazine shows the Mexican theme cross stitch.

What would the 1930's be without crocheted doilies?  Here are some done in brown thread to decorate each place setting.  Guess whose great-grandmother actually crocheted stuff like this!

Yes, you got it...mine.  I know --that cup doily needs blocking.  And, yikes, that table needs scrubbing!

McCalls sold patterns and directions to make all the table linens shown.

Here's a question for you:  What did people call Depression glass back then?  Obviously they didn't call it that!