IS THIS A CHARGER PLATE?

Do you know what a Charger Plate is? Is this a Charger Plate? WiseGeek says that a Charger Plate is “an elegant and underused element of a place setting.” It says that it is “also known as a chop plate, service plate, or under plate…. it never directly touches any food.” The Charger Plate is larger than a dinner plate and is to make the table look pretty. They can be made of a wide range of materials from metal, wood, plastic, etc. Do not eat off of your Charger Plate.

I noticed that Moda had a pattern for a Charger Plate. As WiseGeek says, a Charger Plate can be made of a wide range of materials. What, I wonder is the difference between a Charger Plate and a Placemat? We obviously are not going to eat off a Placemat. I use my Placemat for decorative purposes; among other things. (Like keeping my tablecloth clean). So is a Charger Plate just a fancy word for a Placemat? Can a Charger Plate be made out of cloth?

Did you know that there is etiquette to using a Charger Plate? According to Manners International, a Charger Plate should be on the table when the guests arrive. Makes sense to me. What doesn’t make sense is this. Manners International says that you can use your Charger Plate for the soup, fish or salad course but “It is customary for the Charger Plate to be removed prior to the serving of the entree or dinner course.” What about that entire decorative ambiance? Does anyone serve courses anymore? Manners International does say that the choice is up to the host whether to leave the Charger Plate on for the main course, however you should always remove the Charger Plate before the dessert course.

Whether you call it a Charger Plate or a Placemat you should look into Lurline’s tutorial for making a very decorative piece to go on your table. Lurline has a wonderful tutorial and she made it with beautiful fabrics. She got me inspired to do something with my scraps. It’s not as pretty as hers, but I did use up some of those scraps. Check out Loft Creations also. You will get inspired when you see how others are using their scraps to make beautiful creations.
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Until next time,
Caroll