The Resurgence of the Doily

My Great Nan was a pretty amazing woman. She grew up on the rugged West Coast of Tasmania and raised 12  children in really hard times between both world wars, took in multiple boarders to help pay the bills and all pretty much on her own because her husband was rarely home. He was pioneering major roads between the West Coast of Tasmania to Hobart or being the first person to scale French Mans Cap a notoriously hard mountain to climb even with today's modern gear. 

Sadly my Great Pop passed away before I was born but I was well into my teenage years before my Great Nan passed away. I have fond memories of her and her cosy house set in the mining town of Queenstown, Tasmania. She was a widow for 35 years before her passing and without her husband or grown children to care for any more, she would spend her time crocheting. I have many of her gorgeous doilies that were made for me but sadly by the time I moved out of home, doilies weren't really the sort of home wares that were used in decorating. A bit old fashioned, they've pretty much sat in my "memories drawer" waiting for a resurgence in doily fashion!

Fortunately that time has come and I'm seeing doilies used everywhere but in the most interesting ways. Sewn onto garments, used on wrapping papers and cards. I've decided to use mine as wall hangings so I have purchased some cheep embroidery frames from Spotlight for a little less than $3 each and I've stretched the doilies into them.

Pretty little wall hangings to the side of my front door. So lovely.

So much more modern use for my doilies and I'm really pleased with how they've come up. More than likely you don't have a Great Nan that has left you multiple doilies but if you like this idea and want to copy it, there are plenty of doilies to be found at op shops and even Spotlight have brand new ones you can purchase.