Growing up, doilies seemed to go hand-in-hand with plastic covered furniture and plastic runners over "new" carpet. But this slideshow at Country Living shows us how doilies can make a modern comeback that respects the skill and detail work that went into making them originally.
Above, different sized doilies are sewn together in an asymmetrical pattern to create an eye-catching, but sweet, runner.
Starch and a glass bowl to form the shape turn this doily into a pretty fruit bowl. While many of the projects in the slideshow work with, even celebrate, the slight yellowing that happens to an older doily, we think this project would work best with a crisp white one.
To make this textured vase, the doily was hand-stitched around a glass vessel. Below, doilies are sewn into a pillow and at the end of a sheer curtain. Overkill all in the same room maybe, but a dual purpose idea for covering up the ratty ends of an old curtain, or covering a stain or rip on an existing pillow.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
I'm just not a doily fan. I'm impressed by people who can make them - I'm not gifted that way - but they're just not to my taste. That vase does look pretty nifty, though. Maybe I should reconsider my anti-doily position.
view Brandyjane's profile
No matter how pretty these pics are. This is so grandma.
view wild-er's profile
The only thing I like is the vase. The rest of the items reminds me a little too much of grandma's house.
view suzy8track's profile
These doilies lean "granny" because they are white and off-white....but look at the bedspread on the main image here: Look! Stunning Light Bedrooms with Dark Accents — it's very doilyish but because of the dark grey color, it looks much more modern.
Who's gonna dye some doilies?
view Aaron's profile
I have a whole stash of doilies and hardanger, but I only use them as Christmas decorations.
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile
Grandmas and doilies rule!
view Seaside's profile
I like the runner-- since they're stitched together in an off-kilter way, it slightly modernizes them. it looks like something anthro would carry (the curtains, too). the vase is pretty neat and is small enough that it wouldn't scream grandma too loudly. I personally like the off-white/tea-stained ones better than the pure white ones-- they look more casual. it would take a very pristine room to pull them off, though.
view foodefafa's profile
Ah, doilies. If you traveled to China in the 1980's or early 90's, you would have seen doilies on furniture in all sort of places that were meant to look important and well-appointed. Even going back to the Mao days, you will see doilies on the backs of chairs in official photos. And you used to see them in taxis in Japan. I can't get that asoosiation out of my head when I see doilies. Doilies make me laugh.
view Forestdweller's profile
...association...sorry.
view Forestdweller's profile
I got some black doilies from Etsy, and I love them.
view tenderleaf's profile
blech they need to be bleached or something
view plumeria's profile
I'm sick of the revival of doilies. I hate doilies, hate them.
view Cyb's profile
I'm a Grannie I hate doilies too. I like the guy in the Dutch glass house .
view hrhprincessfiona's profile
The runner has some charm, especially hanginf off the table like that... maybe a piece like that oculd become a wall hanging. Otherwise, not a fan of doilies either...
view SherryBinNH's profile
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
view chartreuse's profile
I heart doilies.
view gryt's profile
chartreuse chill out with your No! (:
i like the table runner & the vase..
the "bowl"?? weird
the curtain?? weird
view ellehudson's profile
Doilies remind me of the anti-macassars that were on the backs of furniture and car seats all over Japan when I lived there in the early 90's.
view bepsf's profile
I gave all the doilies from my MIL's estate to my mom, and she was thrilled to have them... it's gotta be a grandma thing.
That said, if she gets tired of them and gives them back, they are going straight into a black dye bath.
view SeattleMama's profile