13 Genius Ideas To Repurpose Thrifted Vintage Doilies To Use Around The House

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There's a vintage thrift store find that people are repurposing into gorgeous home decor. Lace doilies have a charming but modest look that's useful in various DIY projects. Nowadays, they're mass-produced, but thrifted and inherited vintage pieces have a certain classic charm. If you come across these items while thrifting, don't pass them up. There are dozens of ways to repurpose these lacey crochet fabrics around a home for aesthetic and functional purposes.

Below are 13 ideas that utilize doilies of all shapes and sizes. Most of these projects are doable on a budget, and you don't need to be adept in any specific skills. In fact, many of the necessary tools are common household and crafting items, like spare twine and super glue. This popular, dated item is made of a delicate-looking but pliable fabric that's easy to modify with many different tools, including sewing needles, thread, and adhesive. All it takes is a little DIY to make a classic placemat into a useful and beautiful home accent. Read on to learn the many ways one can reuse thrifted or inherited doilies around a home.

There are several ways to repurpose vintage doilies into bedroom accent walls. For this project, glue fabric to a white Styrofoam board with a Fevicol Mr Squeeze Bottle. Then, use small pins, like the Phinus Fine Straight Pins, to arrange the doilies into a collage of lace before encasing it in an ornate frame and glass. Keep in mind, this project is easier and more budget-friendly with a shallow shadow box like the MCS Linen Lined Shadow Box Frame. This takes the place of making a frame and backing from scratch.

Design the sweetest home decor from thrifted doilies with colorful ruffled edges. Use a larger doily, preferably with a thicker crochet style, to pull this off. Simply pinch the center of the doily and twist it to make a bouquet-like shape. Place the yarn bouquet into a decorative pot, such as lotus bowl planters or pedestal bowls. Both of these options are shallow with a wide opening and have a vintage look that complements the cozy, plush fabric of a crochet doily.

Use an ordinary bowl as the template for a classy tabletop catch tray. Start by soaking a tight-knit doily with two parts decoupage to one part water. Cover a bowl in plastic wrap, then drape the doily over the outside and let it dry overnight. Go over the dried bowl-shaped lace with DecoArt Triple Thick Brilliant Brush-On Gloss Glaze, and let it dry again before removing the hardened fabric. This sturdy, vintage-inspired bowl is made entirely of lace, making it perfect for holding glasses, keys, knick-knacks, and other bedside items.

Make an accessory that matches a bohemian kitchen, and turn doilies into jar toppers. All it takes is a set of fabrics around the size of drink coasters and a roll of Crafters Square Natural Jute Cord. Pin the material overtop a mason or spice jar, and use the cord to fasten the lace into a frilly top. This creates a cozy, vintage-inspired look that adds a homey touch to kitchen spaces. This is also a good idea for jar gifts, like body scrubs, potpourri mixtures, and electronic luminaries.

Forage a thrift store and the outdoors to make this rustic DIY item. It requires a rectangular doily, a tree branch, and twine. To make this project last, ensure the branch doesn't have any bugs or mold before getting started. Cover it in a polyurethane finish that's safe for unfinished wood, like Rust-Oleum Varathane Triple Thick Polyurethane Spray. Hang the fabric over the branch and hot glue it into place. Hang it with twine from a pin or hook to bring nature indoors.

Accentuate a bedroom with this cozy cottagecore idea, and buy or thrift a rectangular doily, glass jar or vase, and electronic tealight. Use crochet thread to sew the doily around the vase. If you can't sew, a strong glue like E6000 230010 Craft Adhesive will suffice. The final product adds texture and ambient light to a space. Do not use a real candle, even if the glass is tempered for heat-resistance, since fabric and paper doilies are flammable.

With a little embellishment, mini glass vases are great accents in farmhouse table centerpiece designs for special occasions. Like many of the other doily ideas, twine is a key ingredient in the finished DIY. Wrap a mini doily around a small vase, such as the Dollar Tree Decorative Clear Glass Vase. Secure it with jute twine tied around the center and glue on the edges to keep them from curling out. Keep the glass vase minimal and classic as it is, or dress it up with tiny artificial flowers.

This idea is more creative than gluing doilies to lampshades. Start by mixing a bowl of Elmer's Glue and water, using twice as much glue as there is water, and dunk the lacey material inside. Put the soaked fabric over an inflated balloon or a large bowl wrapped in plastic. Let it dry for a few days and the lace should retain its lampshade-like shape. Fit the DIY lampshade over an OmiSun Plug-In Hanging Light Kit and a low-heat bulb like the Sphoon G40 1.5w Low Wattage Led Bulb.

When stacking precious China in a kitchen cabinet or display case, dishes can get scratched and chipped. Some people buy niche plate separators, while others repurpose coffee filters as thin shields between the fragile ceramics. If you don't want to splurge on dividers, but want something nicer than coffee filters, use thrifted fabric or paper doilies between the plates. For maximum protection, use 8 to 10-inch doilies for dinner plates and 6 to 8-inch doilies for salad plates and cups.

Lacey doilies are a great way to dress up plain throw pillows with more texture and vintage appeal. There are several ways to attach them to the pillows; hand sewing, using fabric glue, or applying an iron-on adhesive. Keep in mind that hand sewing and gluing can be tedious. It's much easier to use an iron-on adhesive like HeatnBond Ultrahold Iron-on Adhesive. Apply the adhesive smoothly by removing the pillowcase from the cushion before you begin. Iron very carefully without steam and on a flat surface.

Large doilies are made to protect and decorate tabletops. Combine a collection of different designs to create an extra-long table runner that embodies classic luxury. Arrange the doilies to slightly overlap in an aesthetic pattern. Once the design is laid out, use a needle and neutral-colored thread to subtly stitch the material in place. Don't be afraid to take a photo before beginning, so the design isn't lost if the lace placemats are accidentally nudged out of place.

Create a truly unique piece of functional decor by transforming a doily and teacup into a decorative pincushion. Either make the pincushion from scratch or purchase a mini premade one that fits in the chosen drinking cup. You'll need to thrift or cut a larger doily to the diameter of said teacup. Put Aleene's Stop Fraying Fray Repairing Adhesive around the edge of the doily, and use a VENCINK Genuine Bone Folder or the end of a utensil to tuck it over top of the pincushion.

The next time you're wrapping presents or delivering a card, use thrifted fabric to add a personal touch. Glue a fabric or paper lace circle around the edge of wrapping paper or envelope using E6000 glue. Doilies look especially pretty on neutral-colored paper with wide burlap or twine for ribbon. This adds an elegant, handmade look that works year-round and is doable for any occasion. Thick fabric doilies can also be used on their own to wrap presents, such as gift cards, making these gifts feel a bit more personal.

Looking for a creative but elegant way to fill thrifted picture frames? This idea is great for ornate, wide frames with a small picture space, like the CISOO 4x4 Vintage Small Picture Frame. Open up the back, and tuck the doily in the picture space. Pull it taut so the lace lies evenly, and leave it on its own or add other embellishments to befit a certain vibe. For example, transform this classy decor around Halloween by adding tiny decorative spiders to the lace.