Questions
Why is the selection so short?
Because a list that includes everything answers nothing. The pieces here are chosen to behave differently from one another, on different grounds and for different rooms, so that picking between them is a real decision. The rest of the range is in the individual collections.
Does the selection change?
Yes, and that is the point of it. Pieces come in and go out as the season turns and as the answer changes. If something here is right for your table, it is worth taking while it is here.
What is an aperitivo set?
A basket with a matching set of four cocktail napkins. It is the smallest complete thing we make: enough for grissini and a round of drinks, without committing to a full table. It is also the easiest piece to give to somebody whose house you do not know well.
Which piece should I buy first?
A basket, or a basket with a set of cocktail napkins. They are the two smallest pieces we make and together they carry an aperitivo on their own. A basket also moves around the house rather than staying on the dining table, which makes it the piece most likely to be used in a week when nobody is entertaining.
What is in a complete set?
Four placemats, sold as two sets of two, four napkins and one bread basket, all in the same motif. Bought as separate pieces those three come to slightly more than the set, so the saving is small. The point of the set is that it is one decision instead of three.
How many placemats do I need?
One per seat. Ours are round, 35 cm across, just under 14 inches, and sold in sets of two, so a table of six is three sets. That diameter sits at the top of the range a charger occupies, which is why the same piece works for a Sunday lunch and a composed dinner.
What is the difference between the two napkin finishes?
Table napkins are pre-washed: they fall soft and open and ask nothing of you. Cocktail napkins are crisp, which keeps the square and the motif precise, and takes an iron. The two feel nothing alike and photograph almost identically, so the difference shows at the table rather than in a picture. If you want table napkins in crisp linen instead, for a formal service, we make them to order. The two finishes, side by side.
Which one makes a better gift?
Something that refers to the person rather than trying to guess the room, which you cannot know as well as they do. A motif on a neutral ground is easy to place anywhere in a house and still reads as chosen. For a house that already has everything, the basket and cocktail napkin bundle asks for less room than a full set and is harder to get wrong.
Can I have a custom size or a custom thread color?
Yes. Custom thread colors and custom sizes are made to order on placemats, napkins, runners and bread baskets. The condition is quantity: everything is embroidered and sewn to order in Italy, so a made to order run starts at 25 pieces, with the exact figure depending on which piece you want.
How much work is this linen to live with?
Less than people expect, because most of what is here is coated. Placemat covers and baskets are wiped at the surface rather than washed after every meal, and the placemat cover lifts off its core when it does need a wash. Napkins go in the machine at 30°C on a gentle cycle, without softener. The full routine is here.
Where is it made?
Cut, sewn and embroidered in Italy, one motif at a time. The flax itself is grown in the linen belt of western Europe, which is where nearly all fine European linen begins.
