Remember the doilies your grandmother or great grandmother used around their house? You could find crocheted doilies under lamps, on tops of dressers, on end tables in the living room, and under plants. While doilies these days are seldom used this way, they still have a lot of life left in them, and can be turned into something new!
I love the look of vintage doilies and can appreciate all the time and talent that when into crocheting them. I think they have a beachy, boho flair when used in clever ways.
Here’s a fun and easy project you can do that results in some really cool display pieces!
Grab several large river rocks, a handful of vintage doilies, a paintbrush, and Mod Podge and get started!
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What You Will Need:
- A variety of smooth river rocks (about 4″ to 6″ long)
- Vintage Doilies (1 per rock)
- Outdoor Mod Podge
- 1/2″ Art Paint Brush
What You Do:
- Thoroughly wash and dry your rocks – hot soapy water works best.
- Protect your work surface from Mod Podge by laying down a piece of tin foil or cardboard.
TIP: Tin foil works very well because the Mod Podge glue won’t stick to it. - Position your doily on your rock until you’re happy with the doily placement, then remove the doily.
TIP: Experiment with different doilies on different rocks. Sometimes some doilies work better with certain rocks, depending on the rock shape. Doing a ‘dry-fit’ will help you choose which doily to use on which rock.
- Generously paint Mod Podge onto your rock, covering the top and sides of your rock. You’ll finish the bottom of the rock with the top dries.
- Reposition the doily back over the rock as you planned, then apply a generous amount of Mod Podge over the doilie.
TIP: Use the tip of the brush to dab out excess Mod Podge from the details / crevises of the doilie.
- Allow the top and sides of the rock to dry thoroughly before finishing the bottom.
Mod Podge typically dries to the touch within 24 hours.
TIP: While waiting for one rock to dry, create a second or third rock!
- When the top and sides of your rock are dry, turn the rock over, apply Mod Podge to the bottom surface, then smooth the doily over the bottom and apply Mod Podge over the doily to secure the doily.
- Allow your rock(s) to dry thoroughly before using.
Uses for Doily-Covered Rocks
Not only do doily-covered rocks look great, they can serve a lot of purposes as well! Here are just some ideas of how you can use your doily-covered rocks.
- Weights – Doily-covered rocks can be used at picnics and backyard parties as weights to keep tablecloths and napkins from blowing away.
- Home Decor – These rocks have a boho vibe and can be used as home decor. Place one or more rocks on a vanity in a guest room bathroom. Use the rocks on a coffee table or bedside table. Place the rocks in a wood bowl and use as a centerpiece on a dining room table or center island in your kitchen. The rocks make fun paperweights in an office, too. Be creative!
- Door Stop – Larger doily-covered rocks make awesome door stops! They look especially nice in a sunroom or screen porch.
- Give as Gifts – Make a bunch of these rocks and give them as special gifts. Include a hand-written note to a friend or family member that says “You Rock!”
- Landscaping Surprises – Tuck one or more of your doily-covered rocks into the rocks of your landscaping. The Outoor Mod Podge will keep your rocks looking good in any weather.
Additional Tips:
- Lace Thin Doilies – The less material the doily is made with, the better it will work for this project. Doilies with a lot of yarn cover the rocks too much, whereas doilies with very fine lace allow you to see the rock beneath the doily. Of course, if you want the rock completely or almost completely covered, that’s your choice.
- Cut to Fit – You can trim a doily to best fit the rock you’re covering. There are usually patterns in the doilies that you can cut out, and this allows you to use just the part of the doily you like best. Save the scraps for another project.
- Where to Find Rocks – There are lots of places you can find rocks! If you live in the country along a dirt road, chances are you’ll find plenty of rocks alongside the road or in the ditches. Riverbanks and lakeshores are also excellent places to look for rocks – and they are generally very smooth from all that moving water. Farmers often have rock piles in their fields that they will let you pick through (make sure to ask permission first). You can often find rocks in the woods – though they may be slightly buried beneath leaves and moss. And, depending on where you live, you might also have rocks right in your own backyard! If you don’t have access to any of these sources, you could also visit a garden center and landscape company and buy a bucket of rocks from them (bring your own bucket, as rocks are generally sold by weight).
NOTE: Be careful of your surroundings when out hunting for rocks, and be safe! Make sure to ask permission before entering private property. Do not take rocks from public or private landscaping! - Where to Find Doilies – There are quite a few places you can check to find vintage doilies. Start with asking family members if they have a stash they’re not using and would let you have. Thrift stores and flea markets are also great sources for doilies – you can often buy an entire bag of miscellaneous doilies for very little. Your local Buy Nothing Group is another good source for vintage doilies. If you’re looking for a specific pattern or style of doily, you can buy them from places like Etsy and Ebay.
If you try this project, let me know how it went in a comment below. Or if you have additional tips, feel free to share them!
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