The Reclaim series is all about turning discarded old things into beautiful new things. It’s about making treasure from trash, reducing our waste and saving a little money along the way. Each episode features an everyday object and a variety of inspiring ways that object can be reclaimed.
Today, it’s all about doilies!
(All images were found on Pinterest. If one of these images belongs to you, please let us know so that we can give you credit.)
- String doilies together to create a pretty garland/bunting.
- Use doilies to embellish cushion covers, curtains, quilts and anything else you can think of!
- Make a doily wreath like this one or this one.
- Stiffen doilies (with hairspray, glue or fabric stiffener) and suspend them on strings, as festive snowflake decorations
- Make a doily table runner.
- Use doilies in gift wrapping and card making. They look especially beautiful decorating packages wrapped in plain brown paper.
- Create a doily lamp or doily lanterns.
- Add a chain and use a doily as the centrepiece for a vintage inspired necklace.
- Turn doilies into dreamcatchers.
- Sew a doily to plain top to make it a little bit special or restyle a comfy sweatshirt.
- Use doilies as stencils for DIY home decor.
- Frame doilies or sew them to embroidery hoops, to create simple and lovely wall hangings.
- Bake doily cookies.
Have you got any other clever ideas for recycling doilies? If so, please share!
I’m loving the doily cookies idea! Thanks for this post, I have lots of doilies waiting for good ideas, now I can do some serious creating
And glad you soted the doily/doile issue 
Funny, I was just eying off some doilies at an op shop on the weekend. I couldn’t think of anything to do with them so I ended up passing them up, but I love the doily bunting so I think I’m going to have to go back.
Yes, go back! Quick! Before some other clever crafty person or thrifty nanna beats you to it!
i just saw a cute one on pinterest of doilies sewn onto a cardigan as pockets, for a little upcycling. or wouldn’t they be cute as elbow patches?
love the idea of using one for gift wrap, though. might have to be on the look out for some cheap ones at thrift shops.
Yes, I saw that lovely cardigan with the doily pockets, but obviously it completely slipped my mind while I was putting this post together… Silly! I LOVE the idea of doily elbow patches too!
Oooh I love doilies! I have such trouble finding them though- any ideas on where to get a good deal?
We often find them in op-shops (thrift stores) but it really depends where you go… Sometimes we find loads for just a few cents each but other times they are quite difficult to find and expensive. I think you’ve just got to keep an eye for them whenever you go thrifting!
I love this! What great ideas! I think doilies are so cool and I love the word itself. Hahaha!
I love this post so much! I think my favourites are the lamp shade, candle holders, and the bunting. I’m going to start collecting pretty doilies now!
Just as long as you don’t come to Bendigo and snatch them all up before I do!
These are adorable! My cousin was recently married & she use paper doilies wrapped in a cone shape to hold the petals the guests threw when the her & her new husband walked out the of church. Simple to make & very pretty, we put them together the night before!
I adore doilies
My wedding had tons of them. I made a table runner + banners 
My blog is even named after them, hahaha.
I love this post sooo much I saved it. Then I found some more posts I loved and saved them. I had already saved the website. Then I just kept loving this blog more and more so I added your button to my blog. Sorry if I’m gushing.
Love love this blog!
love b xx
from bybande
(sydney adelaide)
Aw, thank you so much B! Your lovely comment has really made our day
these are all such great ideas!
I love this! These are such great ideas.
I especially love the dream catchers ♥
Aren’t they beautiful?! I would love a little cluster of doily dreamcatchers above my bed…
Oooh…these are all so lovely!!
I have a pile of doilies accumulating on my table that I’ve been meaning to make into something….hmm…
Thanks for your comment on my blog, Katie.
I think I’m going to save this post for later use
it’s a good one!
I’ve never been able to find paper doilies though. Where do you get them from?
I think you can sometimes get them at $2 shops! But if you can’t find them in real life you could always get some online…
Ok, I’ll have a look at some $2 shops. Thanks Katie!
I was browsing online the other day and found some pretty cheap ones in this etsy shop:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CustomComforts
The ones I saw mostly were the ones with linen in the middle.
Do a search on Etsy and you may find some more for sale at good prices.
I’m sure you can find some more great deals online at ebay too.
I have also bought them in “lots” from Curious Sofa.(LOVE that shop!)
Some needed a couple of repair stitches,but most did not, they were nice and clean too,But, I got alot of great ones all at one time!
I have SOOooo many doilies but still buy them!LOL, left from my Grandmother, and another friend whose sister crocheted,she just GAVE me all of them. I have them in my china cabinet under my stuff and hanging over the end of the shelves,and some more on another shelf display in one of my guest bedrooms, again hanging over the edge slightly under my vintage china,etc., and another friend whose grandmother died not to long ago,and she gave me most of the ones she had as well. Thanks to the kindness of friends and also my purchases, I have lost count of them!
I hope to ONE DAY put the most beautiful ones into frames on the wall, for a pretty display!Instant wall art!
I always think of the work that (probably a lady) put into them,the time it took,the knowledge and work involved.
I always look at them as very beautiful pieces of ART……
Thanks for your wonderful doily series! I love this blog and will bookmark it too!