reading cloths: materiality&protection?

hello!

i haven't found a thread dedicated to talking about reading cloths/mats, so i figured i would make one

a couple of questions to get this thing going:

do you read with a reading cloth/mat?
if so, what kind of fabric/pattern are you currently rocking?
what makes a 'good' reading cloth in your opinion?
do you use different ones for different occasions/spreads?

or

is your set-up completely different?
what kind of material do you use for your cards?
wood? glass? plain table?

-

personally, i'm still experimenting what is best for me and i'd be delighted to hear about your preferences

This is a fun question.
Yes I do use reading clothes, I make many of them myself.
I like cotton and I tend to go for very subtle patterns on the background, I like leaf, and greeneries patterns... soft and quiet.
Too busy of a reading cloth distracts from the cards and they don't stand out as clear.
I also have a plain black cloth I use sometimes.
I make a reading cloth that has a pocket and you can store your deck in it and it rolls up and ties shut.
I have 3 of those.
Very nice for travel and doing the fairs.
Otherwise I have 4 other main cloths I switch out according to mood and season.
When I do a fair I have 4 different table set ups with a tablecloths and a reading cloths to match ...with candles and crystals and all that jazz...looks beautiful.

At home I read in two different rooms, one has an attached counter that is laminated in my tarot room...and the other is at my great grandmothers huge kitchen table.
Since we have a new puppy I have to keep my eye on her and so I read at the kitchen table more now....it has great energy.

I use cloths most definitely. Mainly for practical reasons, as the cloth keeps the cards from getting scratched and dirty on hard surfaces, and makes it easier to pick up the cards without having to dig your nails into the edges like when cards are on a bare table.

I prefer a good velvet. It's nice to look at and atmospheric for tarot, but velvet also provides the best surface texture for fanning cards out and picking them up. Sorta like how they use felt for card gaming tables.

I made my own with one side black velour and opposite side in a dark reddish silk, before I sewed the pieces together I added in some large cloths ( the felt type you get for cleaning, alot cheaper than felt and there also good to use as a bead mat too) it's gives the mat a nice cushioned feeling, if I need a larger area I'll just use a large piece of black velour, and occasional I will use a wooden square I have , it's easier just to move the cards to somewhere else if needed.

I haven't made any other cloths, but if ever I have more spare time and some material I'd like to make some in different colours, I think I'd proberly stick to plain or maybe an usual pattern that's not too busy.

I have and love a lot of different scarves and bandanas and things with different patterns. I do have some extra large satiny square cloths kind of similar to these http://www.ebay.com/itm/19161200424...49&var=490684969450&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT with patterns on the edges but solid color in the middle, which are good in that they don't compete with the cards.

I copped on a bunch of cloth remnants from Walmart of all places. I would pick up swirly, random patterns. They also had some interesting bandanas as well. One pattern had keys and clocks and thought that imagery was appropriate. I use them for wraps for loose and boxed cards.

I don't use them since I rarely read anywhere but home, so I lay the cards right on my desktop. It's an old one that I've "shabby-chic-ed" up a bit and painted the top surface black. The cards stand out nicely.

I do have a simple piece of purple satin-ey cloth that came with my Golden Tarot Set (not the Kat Black one) and I'll use it if ever the need strikes. I have it in a Seven Stars pouch with a deck and take it with me sometimes. Most places I can find a clean surface, but it's nice to have it just in case.

I've never used cloths or anything, but I've recently been thinking of getting or making one in case I ever want to do readings in public. Right now I only ever do spreads on my desk, which is dark wood that highlights the cards nicely, but if I ever did anything in public it'd be nice to have a clean and atmospheric surface to work on. Plus a lot of my bags are just slightly too big for my decks, so having then wrapped in something would be nice. c:

I also have a question: for anyone who has made cloths from velvet or similar fabrics, have you ever had like...little bits of the velvety parts cover your cards? Like little fuzzies that stick to the cards and take forever to get off? I have a bag that does that, so I don't really use it very much, but I'm not sure if it's just specific the fabric or what. I wouldn't want a cloth I buy or make to do that, it's really annoying. Would lining a velvet fabric help?

I've only recently started using cloths, and I blame this forum for it But seriously, it's because I do read in public from time to time and a protective surface helps.

I've just rummaged through old bandanas and scarves that have been languishing in my wardrobe, and use those. & yep, my decks risk getting knocked about in my bag too so I do wrap them in chosen bandanas and scarves for protection...

I use a brown cotton cloth with a fleece back for stability. I didn't feel like paying money for a fancy one, so I just made my own.