DIY Doily Vase

Today are excited to feature a beautiful DIY project by our chief DIY expert, Lauren Elise! Enjoy!

-♥-

DIY Doily Vase
by Lauren Elise

Hi Emmaline Bride readers! It’s Lauren Elise again and I’m back today to share a simple and easy DIY that will provide a subtle, vintage touch to your floral décor. I must admit that my go-to favorite floral container is definitely a mason jar. I love the rustic feel they provide and despite the many number of times I see mason jars, I never tire of them. But I’m still always looking for something new and unique. I’m not sure how the idea came to be but I recently discovered the awesome qualities of fabric stiffener and decided to experiment on doilies. Right away I saw that the doilies could take the shape of a mason jar or similar container and could then be transformed into a vase on their own. So with a little bit of fabric stiffener and gravity, you can make a doily vase!

Doilies frequently appear in wedding décor (as they should, they’re adorable!) but this would be a way to take that theme and make it more unique. The doilies can take all kinds of shapes so they’re versatile. I would pair them with a collection of vintage medicine or mason jars or old tea tins to complete that vintage look. And the best part is that when the wedding it over, you can incorporate these doily vases into your home décor or spread the love and give them as gifts to friends and family.

So what is your take on doilies? Are they the essential vintage detail? Doilies can definitely get the “old grandma” connotation but for me, they become a lot more contemporary when they are used in less traditional ways. When you just lay them out on a side table with a bowl of potpourri on them then they seem old grandma-y. But if you redefine how to use them, like this DIY, they take on a whole new meaning. For those that love them, how do you use or display your doilies?

Materials ::

° Aleene’s Fabric Stiffener or some other type of fabric stiffener
° crocheted doilies of varying sizes – I bought new ones from Joann’s but you could also use vintage ones
° a plastic bag or something similar to cover your work surface
° smaller plastic bags, like grocery bags
° rubber bands
° rubber gloves
° mason jars, Tupperware, or anything rounded that can be used as a form for the doilies
° flowers for décor

Directions ::
° Get your fabric stiffener and follow the directions on the bottle {image a}. I put the stiffener directly on the doilies, not watered down and that seemed to make them sufficiently stiff. But you can also mix water with stiffener for varying results.

° Take your mason jar, Tupperware, or rounded item and cover it with a grocery bag, securing with a rubber band {image b}. Place your rounded item upright {image c}.

° Put your doily into a bowl and pour the fabric stiffener over it. Put on rubber gloves. Following the directions, work the stiffener into the doily, making sure the entire surface gets covered. You don’t want excess stiffener on the doily though. Drape the doily over the mason jar or rounded item {image d} and let it sit overnight. In the morning when you remove the doily from the mason jar, it should be stiff and hold the shape of the jar independently.

° Fill the doily vases with flowers. For longer lasting flowers, fill the mason jar with water and then place it inside of the doily vase (the doily should conceal the jar inside) before you start the flower arranging.

*It has been a pleasure to be here with you today! If you have any questions about anything I have made, please feel free to contact me through my blog. I am also available to make anything you see. I would love to craft something special for you!

-Lauren Elise