The tablecloth drop is the length of the tablecloth that hangs off the sides. According to Home Comforts The Art and Science of Keeping House, breakfast or lunch cloths should hang over 6 to 8 inches. The dinner cloth 8 to 12 inches, and for more formal dinners, 12 to 18 inches. This, however, is probably more than you want to know. Besides, since most tabletops are 30 inches from the floor, I think a drop of 15 inches, which is half the distance to the floor, is a poor look because it cuts the length in half. I like12 inches or close to it for a tablecloth drop.

Let's say, for example, that you have a table that measures 76 X 40 with two 12 inch leaves. It is unlikely that you would put just one leaf in as the 12 inches is not enough for one person, so you need two sizes of tablecloths. A tablecloth for a 76 X 40 should be about 100 X 64. A common width for tablecloths is 60 - 70 inches, so this won't be hard to find. The tablecloths come in many different lengths. Now for the table with the two leaves included, It will be 124 x 64 or close to it. The possibilities are myriad because used tablecloths are easy to find, and even luxury fibers can be purchased used for a fraction of what they would cost new. And, with just straight sewing, they are also easy to make or alter.