Maven Moment: Grandma’s Handmade Doilies

Maven Moment: Grandma’s Handmade Doilies

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One of the distinct options of Grandma Jennie’s eating room was the intricate lace doilies that coated her wooden furnishings. Hand crocheted by Grandma, the superb cotton items adorned her sideboards, tables, and even the cabinets of her china cabinet.

These ornamental gadgets had been fairly widespread within the early- and mid-Twentieth century. But they weren’t simply decorations, in addition they served a practical objective. Doilies set on picket surfaces protected the furnishings from scratches that is perhaps attributable to vases, dishes, and different objects set on high. Not solely did they shield the surfaces of items that had been meant to final a lifetime however in addition they may cover small mars and scratches on these surfaces.

While I admire their ornamental and practical worth, the old school look of doilies doesn’t enchantment to my tastes. I want to make use of sturdy fabric desk runners and mats as a substitute.

Grandma wanted to fastidiously launder her doilies to keep up the fragile lacework. But my vivid material runners and mats are simple to take care of. I can toss them within the laundry with the remainder of the wash.

And it’s simple to swap out colours and patterns for different seasons. I may use pastels for spring, snow-white for winter, or a leaf sample in russet tones for autumn. There’s no must buy an costly desk runner; a colourful scarf or material remnant can serve the identical objective. I may even trim and hem an outdated mattress sheet to make a table runner or mats, making one thing helpful out of material which may in any other case go to waste.

I like the thought of utilizing ornamental material to assist shield our furnishings so it lasts a very long time. It’s only a bonus that these things — whether or not they’re Grandma’s lace doilies or fabric desk runners — can add a way of magnificence or a pop of shade to the room as nicely!