20 Creative Ways to Repurpose Doilies

Doilies have a way of piling up. You find a few at a thrift store, inherit a stack from someone in the family, or spot one with such beautiful stitching that you can’t possibly leave it behind. Then you get home and think, Okay…where does this go?

They deserve more than a lifetime tucked into a linen drawer. Just look at the work in them: tiny loops, scalloped edges, and patterns that somehow still look lovely even when the pieces don’t match. And you don’t have to decorate your whole house like a vintage tea room to make use of them (unless that’s the plan—in which case, carry on).

The fun part is how many directions you can take them. Drape a few across a table or window if you want to keep them intact. Or give one a new job on a tote bag, lampshade, or handmade pumpkin. These doily repurposing ideas range from I can do that in five minutes to projects worth pulling out the sewing supplies for. Find the one that lets your favorite old piece be seen again.

Doily Repurposing Ideas

1. Hang Doilies as a Garland

Little white doilies hang across the front of a shelf beneath a bundle of greenery. Their open patterns stand out against the dark branches, making this a simple way to use several smaller pieces together. Swap the greenery with the seasons and the garland can stay.

Photo by returninggrace

2. Turn Doilies Into Flowers

These soft, ruffled flowers give doilies a completely different shape. Gather a few in a small vase for a sweet arrangement on a shelf or nightstand. Mismatched pieces can look quite lovely together once they’re part of a bouquet.

Photo by diybeautify

3. Make a Floral Keepsake Pillow

A cluster of little fabric flowers sits at the center of this lace-trimmed pillow. The pale colors let the stitching and all those ruffled edges have their moment. It’s a lovely way to put a treasured textile somewhere you can enjoy it every day.

Photo by sina_crafts

4. Make a Doilie Hair Scrunchie

Grab a cute doilie that makes this scrunchie wonderfully full, with a scalloped edge that does most of the decorating. A small doily or piece of lace could be worked into a similar accessory. What a fun use for a pretty scrap that’s too small for the table.

Photo by _meghakishan

5. Dress Up a Lampshade

This painted doilie cover this lampshade in a patchwork of blue, green, and cream, with dangling trim along the bottom. And that brass lamp base? Such a fun partner for all that color. Repurposed doilies don’t have to live in an all-white room.

Photo by spenser.bower

6. Give a Vase a Lace Collar

A white lace piece drapes over the rim of this strawberry-patterned container, softening the edge of an already cheerful flower arrangement. You could try the look with a small doily and a pitcher or vase you already own. No sewing required if you just want to play around with the idea.

Photo by whitegableshome

7. Sew a Doily Onto a Tote Bag

A crocheted panel gives this fabric tote its main detail, while the ruffled border and bow make it extra sweet. A sturdy, larger doily would be just the thing for a plain bag that needs some personality. Keep the bag simple and let the needlework be the star.

Photo by alisa_krojackisalon

8. Add Doilies to Denim

Small cream doilies decorate one leg of these jeans, while a larger one sits lower on the other. The uneven placement is what makes the idea feel playful. If you have a few pieces that don’t match, denim gives you room to use them together.

Photo by shoprachelsrags

9. Layer Doilies Over Fall Pumpkins

These pumpkins are draped with different lace and crocheted pieces, so each one has its own pattern. Grouping a few together shows off the mix of textures, and you can still see the pumpkin shapes beneath the fabric. This would be a fun way to bring delicate old linens into your fall decorating.

Photo by thehalseyhomestead

10. Make Little Doily Ghosts

The open crochet patterns make these two little ghosts look surprisingly delicate against the fall branches and weathered white shelf. Each has a different shape and expression, giving the pair plenty of personality. A few dark eyes are all the detail they need.

Photo by davenportfarmhouse_

11. Doilie Table Runner!

Different doilies run along the middle of this dining table beneath a fall centerpiece and candle. They give the table that collected-over-time feeling, with plenty of wood still showing between them. Try it with whatever sizes you already own; no matching set required.

Photo by ana.ochoaliving

12. Little Doily in a Spoon Display

Small doilies hang from spoon display like tiny dresses. The mix of patterns is the charm here—each one looks as if it has its own personality. Hung together, they turn leftover doilies into a display you can stop and admire.

Photo by grandmagoosevintage

13. Make a CUTE Top

This top combines embroidered linens, lace, and doilies into layers for a super cute style. The different shapes make it feel wonderfully collected, as though every scrap had a previous life. This would be a super cute idea to make a baby romper.

Photo by annie_parker_upcycling

14. Hang Colorful Doilies Across a Window

Doilies in green, yellow, red, and blue hang at different heights over this window. Light passes through the openwork, so the patterns show up without blocking the whole view. If you’ve inherited a collection in mixed colors, here’s a place to let them all play together.

Photo by chaptertwointeriors

15. Cover a Tablecloth with Doilies

Instead of setting a single doily in the middle of the table, this idea groups them along the sides of a plain tablecloth. Their different patterns create a lacy border with far more character than uniform trim. A simple cloth underneath gives each piece room to show off.

Photo by johnjamesneedles

16. Work Doilies Into a Textils Sheet

This large patchwork piece brings together embroidery, fabric scraps, lace, and doilies in one wall display or bed cover. There is a lot to look at, but the light background keeps the little details visible. It could be a meaningful way to bring family linens out of storage, including pieces with stains or damage you can work around.

Photo by journal_stitch

17. Decorate a Fabric Journal Cover

Small crocheted pieces add texture to this blue fabric journal cover, finished with a soft ribbon around the front. The doilies are accents rather than an all-over covering, so the blue still gets to shine. Even one little piece could give a handmade notebook that keepsake feeling.

Photo by journaling.angela

18. Make Bunting from Doily Pieces

Half circles, corners, and other lace shapes hang along narrow ribbons to make this wonderfully mismatched bunting. The varied edges are the whole point, so you don’t need to hunt down identical pieces. Hang it across a mantel, shelf, or window where you can see each little pattern.

Photo by luvintagehaus

19. Pair Small Doilies with Vintage Glasses

Tiny crocheted pieces sit beneath these glasses, while another rests over the rim of one. It’s a sweet way to use doilies that are too small for a centerpiece but too pretty to hide. The clear glass lets the stitching stay visible from every angle.

Photo by minayu.id

20. Add a Doily Collar to a Fabric Pumpkin

A cream doily peeks out beneath the raffia and flower at the top of this patterned fabric pumpkin. That one little layer separates the busy fabric from the natural textures and gives the whole thing a finished look. It’s a great use for a small doily when you want just a hint of lace.

Photo by rescapedotcom

Before You Cut Into an Old Doily

If a piece has family history or especially fine handwork, try one of the reversible ideas first. Drape it over a vase, hang it in a window, or lay it along a table and live with it for a while. Save the scissors for the pieces you’re comfortable changing. Even a little stained or torn one can have a lovely second life.

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