What kind of material is best for a spreadcloth?

I want to make a spreadcloth. A nice solid color. One that I can use with whatever deck I am using. My problem is that the cloths I've tried in the past always seem to get caught up in the cards when I shuffle. Am I the only one who has this problem? What kind of material can I use that is heavy enough to stay flat on whatever surface I read on? I noticed on another spread that some people are using velvet. Is velvet heavy enough? I have a wandering lifestyle [full-time rv-er] and I also need a cloth that is easy to clean. Help!

A nice cotton is good. A friend here made me two spread cloths that are solid on one side and print on the other side out of cotton. It's great because they don't get caught up in the cards, would probably wash up well and take to ironing if necessary and they're very, very pretty.

I have a roll up fine cane oversized table mat. It beats material hands down and can be used anywhere. Sand falls through it and it is wipable- so no washing and it comes in many plain colours- Kitchen shops have them- mine is a table centre peice one and rolls up to about an inch thick it is 20 X 20 inches and fits in a case and a pack. ~Rosanne

I make spreadcloths and I think the trick with getting them heavy enough to stay flat is to make them double sided.

I do double sided cotton ones and also cloths that are velvet on one side and cotton on the other.
I'm thinking of making some with dupion silk on one side and cotton on the other (dupion silk is quite tough and could take the knocks a spreadcloth gets).

Make them as if you're making a cushion cover then over-sew around the edge when it's turned the right way around - that way it stays nice and flat.

Rosanne said:

I have a roll up fine cane oversized table mat. It beats material hands down and can be used anywhere. Sand falls through it and it is wipable- so no washing and it comes in many plain colours- Kitchen shops have them- mine is a table centre peice one and rolls up to about an inch thick it is 20 X 20 inches and fits in a case and a pack. ~Rosanne

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What a great idea!

Another nice fabric is something called "ultra-suede"...I have three different cloths in this fabic and it's fantastic. My three actually started out as table napkins from a department store, but I have also seen the material in bulk supply at fabric shops (in various colors).

It's machine washable, nicely weighted to lay flat, looks good under the cards, and feels luxuriously soft to the touch.

Ohhhhh, ultra-suede! That would be excellent, too!

I've got some heavyweight ultrasuede with a funny story to it. I do Native American crafts and my aunt told me she had a whole elkhide I could have! My gosh, I just about drooled all the way to her house, thinking of my good fortune!

You've probably guessed the punch line. What she gave me is a whole big lot of heavyweight ultrasuede. But now that I'm reminded of it, I think it might make some nice bags or spread cloths. Hmmmmm.

Thank You All

Thank you for all of your great suggestions. I love the cane mat idea, but am looking for something I can fold small and square since I keep my decks in rectangular bags that custom fit each deck.

I'm curious about ultrasuade. Is this actual hide? I've though about using deerhike before, but I'm not sure of the Karmic ramifications. I am Native American, but am adopted and distanced from traditional beliefs
.
Since I am on a tight budget right now, I think I may look around for some heavy cotton cloth and sew a two sided spreadcloth. I have the tendency to shuffle like I'm dealing poker in a casino.

In the meantime I will appreciate any more suggestions that you make.

Something that i found that works well with a single layer spread cloth is rug grip.
You can cut it to a slightly smaller size than your spread cloth and then lay the spread cloth on top of it.
It keeps the cloth firmly in place and it doesn't bunch up when you shuffle on it.
It's thin, light, and inexpensive.
I also use a long piece of it and place it on my table before i put down my big table covers..I like to use Sari's for table covers they are just the right size and come in beautiful designs and colors, but they are thin and the rug grip pads work beautifully with them.

I have a single layer spread cloth from Tarot Totes on my reading table in my room at home and it is on a wooden table with the rug grip under it.
I use it everyday and it never shifts or bunches up.

My spreadcloth has black felt in the back, it's heavy, thick, easy to sew, cheap and it does not slip unlike some other materials (like satin). And since it's in the back, you don't see it when you read.