Vintage Lace & Doilies: Upcycled and Repurposed

Don't know what to do with all those old remnants of lace and inherited doilies? Check out these unique and fun ways to recycle and reuse these fading treasures.

Don't have any doilies of your own? Check your local thrift shops and yard sales and I think you'll be surprised at how plentiful (and inexpensive) these beauties are.

Nelly Vintage Home

Doily lamp shade from A Beautiful Mess

Boho Vintage Crochet Lace Bib Necklace with Antique Brass Chain

Lace bib necklace by Urban Heirlooms via Etsy

Lace & doily lampshades

crochet lamps by NICE (by Naughty Secretary Club)

More doily lampshades

I think I like this one the most

Lace resist painting: lay lace on paper, spray with clear gloss spray, remove lace, paint with watercolors

For the project above you need:

Spray gloss finish Watercolor paints Doilies Yupo paper

You can use any type of paper for this project but the Yupo is recommended because is its less absorbent so it creates a great resist. To make, place the lace on the paper and spray the gloss spray through the lace onto the paper. Then remove the lace and paint the sprayed paper with watercolor paints. Project by Christine Adolph.

Necklaces of antique lace preserved behind glass by Dishfunctional Designs

Printing with lace (above and below) from Martha

Lace printed stationary

Make a lace heart garland by wrapping lace around cookie cutters and coating with decoupage medium

Lace doily candle holder: made by soaking doilies in wallpaper glue or sugar starch and forming around a balloon. Sugar starch is 1/4c water mixed with 3/4 cup granulated sugar. For more permanency use fabric stiffener such as Stiffy.