5 Modern Ways To Use Your Handmade Doilies

When most people hear the word doilies, they think of lacy circles collecting dust on their grandma’s coffee table. While many modern crafters still make doilies, they’re unfortunately still used in traditional ways, such as to decorate the back of a sofa or to cover a coffee table. Showing off your handmade doilies in this way isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes it’s fun to mix it up. Keep reading to learn about five modern ways you can use your handmade doilies.

Intricate Bowls

Your first thought when you read this header was probably that doilies can’t be bowls; they’re lace! But a dip or two in a hardener, like cement, Mod Podge, or wax, will stiffen your doily right up and give you the opportunity to use it in unexpected ways. If you want the entire doily to function as bowl, then a full dip in cement or wax should do the trick. To turn up the sides of a doily for a dish-like plate, you can use wax on the sides of the doily or paint them with Mod Podge.

Creative Kicks

Create special canvas shoes by adding your doilies to the next pair you buy. You’ll have to trim the doilies down into pieces that can better fit on the shoe, but the mutilation is worth it to wear your art wherever you go. You can choose canvas shoes and doilies in similar colors or choose colors that pop against each other for a more interesting effect.

Unique Wall Art

Nobody’s doilies look the same; you can show off your unique craft on your wall. This is a great option for those who only want to display, not use, their doilies, but do so in a unique way. You can glue your doilies onto a canvas that hangs on the wall, or discreetly pin a doily or two to the cardboard back of a picture frame, and then hang it up.

Detailed Table Runner

Doilies traditionally end up as table runners for small tables, but you can take this tradition to the next level with lots of doilies and a bit of thread. Sewing doilies into a long, rectangular table runner that will take up the center of your table on holidays or any occasion of your choice is a great way to use doilies in a traditional yet unique way.

Amazing Accessories

For those who want to wear their doilies but don’t want to destroy them on a pair of shoes, there are other options. You can sew the edges of a larger doily together to create a bracelet, sew multiple doilies together for a beautiful lacy scarf, or add a doily around an elastic hair tie for a special scrunchie. You’ll find that wearing your doilies in this way is safer and will probably promote more interesting conversations than a pair of shoes.

Show off your art with these five modern ways to use your handmade doilies. You’ll love getting to wear and display your art in unique ways, and you may even inspire other people to take up tatting. If you’re looking for tatting needles for sale, we have some that we think you’ll love.