Grandma's Doilies
Almost everyone has at least one or two doilies or dresser scarves tucked away. I have several.
It started with both my maternal and paternal grandmothers each gave me a doily, and I was hooked. My maternal grandmother had several posed around the house, but the most memorable was the starched doily that was placed under a crystal clear candy bowl that held the old-fashioned lemon drop candy.
Through the years I added doilies to my collection from estate sales and second-hand stores, with a few dresser scarves tossed in. Perhaps doilies have become outdated, but I am fascinated by this crocheted art, and appreciate the love and the hard work that goes into them. Other than their decoration of dainty loops and knots, there was a time when doilies actually served a purpose. They were fashionable in the 19th century, as well as handy, as they were used to protect the area of a sofa or chair where the head rested - like that of white tissue on airline and dental seats.
My point? Doilies are affordable and pretty. Make them practical, as well. For a while, those of us who decorate on the "BoHo" or Shabby Chic style were being poked fun of by the youth for using doilies. Doilies have come and gone through the generations, but I do believe that the doily is slowly coming back, especially when adding creativity.
Go find a few antique doilies, and enjoy them for their beauty and the love that went into them.
It started with both my maternal and paternal grandmothers each gave me a doily, and I was hooked. My maternal grandmother had several posed around the house, but the most memorable was the starched doily that was placed under a crystal clear candy bowl that held the old-fashioned lemon drop candy.
Through the years I added doilies to my collection from estate sales and second-hand stores, with a few dresser scarves tossed in. Perhaps doilies have become outdated, but I am fascinated by this crocheted art, and appreciate the love and the hard work that goes into them. Other than their decoration of dainty loops and knots, there was a time when doilies actually served a purpose. They were fashionable in the 19th century, as well as handy, as they were used to protect the area of a sofa or chair where the head rested - like that of white tissue on airline and dental seats.
My point? Doilies are affordable and pretty. Make them practical, as well. For a while, those of us who decorate on the "BoHo" or Shabby Chic style were being poked fun of by the youth for using doilies. Doilies have come and gone through the generations, but I do believe that the doily is slowly coming back, especially when adding creativity.
Go find a few antique doilies, and enjoy them for their beauty and the love that went into them.
Hello, dear Catie! What a joy to read your post and learn of your love for doilies :) I, too, love old doilies and like you said, they are meant to be enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you shared this with Roses of Inspiration and I hope you're able to join us again this coming week. Hugs!
Hello Stephanie! Thank you for dropping by. What a nice surprise! I will certainly try and join you next week. I have been blogging for years since 2005, a wine blog, but this particular blog is new, so it is fun reaching out to others with the same "mind." Thanks again!
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