Remember Nana’s crochet doilies she used to protect her 70s wood veneer? Well, it’s time to dig deep in your linen cupboard or visit your local op shop – because these gorgeous vintage textiles are making a huge comeback in DIY circles.
Far too pretty to just laid flat their intricate patterns and circular shape make them perfect to craft everything from table runners, to handbags, to lamps, lace bowls, coasters, ponchos – the possibilities are endless!
If you’re looking for a novel way of displaying and up-cycling your vintage doilies, try this easy-to-make dream catcher – a perfect gift for little girls. Or get the kids involved to make their own, this is a perfect starter craft, and can be made with items you already have lying around.
WHAT YOU NEED:
- Circular wire frame
- Ribbon/Yarn
- Doily (Vintage is best, but you can also buy new ones from eBay)
1. Fashion a coat hanger into a circle. You can also use florists wire – a pair of pliers comes in hand for finishing off the ends. Or, ready made wire circles can be found at craft stores.
Remember you will have to pull the doily taught to show off the intricate work, so be sure you have plenty of room around it’s circumference – especially if you want to show off the ‘web’ of your sewing!
2. Hide the wire by wrapping ribbon, lace or wool around it. Remember to leave plenty of extra ribbon at the ‘top’ of your dreamcatcher as you can use this to hang it on your wall.
3. It’s time to sew in your doily. You can use a needle and thread, or some fine yarn, if the holes in your lace doily are big enough.
4. You may need to experiment a bit to get the tension right; as you go, tighten up your doily so it feels taut. You’ll be surprised at how far the doily will stretch! Tie it off tight.
5. Now for the fun bit – decorating!
Native Americans believed every part of the dream catcher had significance – from the twine, to the features, to the adornments which would often be shells, arrowheads or other items that held meaning .
With this in mind, I decorated with ex-favourite broken earrings and beads I’d hoarded, old necklaces, ribbon and lace from old outfits and voila!
This is such a pretty gift for a teenage girl…. This is a belated Christmas gift for my niece Ashley, but I’m pretty tempted to keep it myself!
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G’day to new friends, I was really pleased to find this idea on your pin board. I have to admit I’m old enough to remember doilies everywhere. I can also remember lace doilies with ceramic or glass beads crocheted into the outer edge of the doilies, that were used as covers over cream or milk jugs. These were classic uses for doilies back then. This new idea of Doily Dream Catchers, could well be called a classic use of doilies in 30+ years time too. I’ll have to teach my eldest Grand-daughter how to make her own Dream Catchers, too easy and so much fun.
Thanks so much – from Lillian-Rose Australia.
Thanks for your message Lillian-Rose! I make these with my friend’s daughters and they really love them – so fun and easy to make! xp