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Felt Protection

As a collector, protecting my fine china is very important and it's something I take seriously.  I came across this idea from Martha Stewart Living magazine many years ago and have adopted it in my home.  One can buy felt rounds at housewares stores quite easily, but I find it much better to cut my own from a few yards of felt.  Simply buy the fabric in the color of your choice from a local fabric store.  Cut out rounds in various sizes that are appropriate for your plates.  I've even done this for platters and serving pieces.  What you want to do is cushion the plates and protect the ones underneath from scratches or chips. 



Here on my dough counter I have some of my prized Wedgwood drabware pieces.  The felt rounds just happen to be of a similar color.


This fruit saucer that I'm holding will fit snugly on the felt and will not move around.  You shouldn't be able to hear the pieces of china rubbing against one another.


This rimmed soup bowl will also fit nicely on top of the one underneath.  You'll notice that the round isn't too large nor too small.  When cutting your felt, simply turn your plate upside down and trace the shape onto the fabric. This will give you the appropriate size.


Here's a closeup of some dinner plates ready for storage.  It's important to protect the base of your plates as well as the rims.  Any chips or severe scratches will greatly lower the value of your pieces.



I've stacked salad plates on top of dinner plates with a felt round in between those sets.  


This glass fronted cabinet holds some of my patterns of Wedgwood.  The drabware is on one side, the white bone china and Queen's Ware is on the other.  Plate shelves within the cabinet not only help double my storage, but they also help prevent accidents. 


The closed cabinet looks tidy and orderly.


Don't be afraid to use your nice china every now and then; I simply don't understand the person that refuses to.  Give them even wear by keeping a rotation system.  In other words, after washing, place the recently used plates underneath the ones that weren't used.  If you follow these simple steps, you'll enjoy years of great meals on your plates without the worries.  Felt rounds are a definite Good Thing!

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 8, 2011 at 11:44 AM

    I'm going to have to do this!

    ReplyDelete
  2. ChristineJune 13, 2011 at 8:12 PM

    Hello --

    I googled "Martha drabware" and found the picture of your china collection. Do you mind if I ask if your drabware is the Wedgwood that was sold through Martha by Mail a few years ago? I've thought about collecting it, and wondered how durable it is. Replacements.com lists an older version of drabware, but it is quite expensive, as compared to the version she sold. Also, is your queen's ware the Wedgwood "Traditional" pattern? Thanks so much -- it looks so pretty, I just had to ask! :)

    Christine

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good Things by DavidJune 14, 2011 at 10:13 AM

    Hi Christine & thank you for coming to my blog. My drabware is the Martha by Mail drabware that was produced in 2000. I have both gilded & plain. Replacements Ltd. does offer both & although the vintage versions ARE expensive, the MBM pieces are going up in price because they hardly ever come up on the market. Ebay is a good source for various pieces, but be warned that dinner plates can command prices of $150each & up.
    Queen's Ware: yes, they are the "Traditional/Plain" pattern & I love them dearly; these are not as expensive as the drabware. I also have antique versions of these in storage (that will be a future Good Thing!). I hope this helps and I hope you stick around!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Christine RutherfordJune 14, 2011 at 7:55 PM

    Thanks very much! I hadn't realized how expensive the drabware dinner plates could be, so I'll certainly have to keep that in mind. I love the shape of the Traditional/Plain dinner plates, and I adore the shape of the teapot in both. I will stick around -- I enjoy the topics you are blogging about!

    ReplyDelete
  5. ReynaulSeptember 1, 2013 at 9:50 PM

    Thank you for this post! I just acquired my grandmothers china and was trying to figure out the best way to store them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good Things by DavidSeptember 2, 2013 at 6:43 AM

    Oh, Reynaul, you have to use felt in between your fine china. Believe me, it's good knowing that your precious plates aren't scraping against one another.

    That's how I have all of my Wedgwood stored in my cabinets.

    Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete

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