Reuse An Old Doily To Craft A Beautiful, One-Of-A-Kind Bowl

If you're looking for some new home decor and enjoy making things yourself, there's a fun and easy project which can be added to the list of creative ways to repurpose your old vintage doilies around the house. Handmade clay bowls make for excellent functional decor, and if you're looking for an easy way to add a spectacular design to a DIY clay bowl, simply grab your doily of choice and use it to press a design on the clay. Once you create this bowl, you'll have a designer dish like no other because doilies can be like snowflakes, each with its own unique patterns.

You may already have one or more old doilies lying around your home, but if you don't, they're easy to find when you're out thrifting or visiting antique shops. You can generally find them for very affordable prices — usually just a few dollars – depending on the age and quantity you're buying. For this project, you'll also need some clay. It's up to you whether you use air-dry clay or a clay that requires baking. Each one requires different steps, and air-dry clay may be the easiest if you're new to working with clay. Air-dry clay can be more fragile, so it's best for small bowls, but you can also use polymer clay, earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain clay, provided you have access to an oven or kiln. You will also need a rolling pin, a round cookie cutter, and a bowl of the desired size to use as a mold for your unique doily bowl. You may also want to apply a glaze to your clay, like this EIGTWEN 100ml Air Dry Clay Glaze, which can help prevent the bowl from cracking once it's dried.

The first step in this project is to roll out your clay so that it is flat, big enough to press your entire doily into, and at your preferred bowl thickness. The thickness required may depend on the instructions for the clay that you're using, but aim for a typical thickness of about a quarter of an inch. Place the doily on the rolled-out clay, and lightly roll it down so that it presses into the clay. Next, cut around the doily to create a circular shape that will be turned into your one-of-a-kind bowl. You can also use a cookie cutter to add a unique scalloped edging to the bowl. Once this is done, center your clay on the outside of the bowl you're using as a mold, then gently press it down with the doily print facing up, so it will be visible as the outside of your bowl. 

If you're using air-dry clay, peel off the doily and leave your bowl out to dry on the mold for the amount of time specified in the clay instructions. However, if you need to bake your clay, be sure to use a mold bowl that can be placed in the oven and remove the doily before baking. Polymer clays like Sculpey need to be baked at 275 degrees for approximately 15 minutes (at the recommended thickness of one-quarter inch). However, earthenware clay will require the high heat of a kiln.

There are endless doily designs to choose from, and you can also pick whatever bowl style or shape you'd like. There are round doilies and square ones, available in a variety of sizes. You could even consider using two or three smaller doilies to imprint multiple patterns on your bowl. Because this bowl is meant to be a decor piece, its shape doesn't have to be one that will hold cereal or other foods. However, if you want to use it for food, make sure to use a clay and glaze that is food safe. Other, more creative bowl shapes can be used as trinket dishes or even planters if they're large enough.

Another fun idea for your doily bowl is to paint it. Pick colors that will complement wherever you plan to display this piece of art. Acrylic paints, including paint pens, are a suitable choice for painting your clay bowl, especially if you're using air-dry clay. The colors you choose can also be matched with the contents of the bowl. If you're using like a rustic Pottery Barn-inspired fruit bowl, for example, perhaps a green shade would work to make it feel like the fruit is still on the tree. If you plan to keep a mix of potpourri in your bowl, consider painting it in earthy tones to complement the natural atmosphere. Creating this bowl and designing it to your liking is a great way to fill your home with art that you actually love.