Almost all of us have decorative objects at home that we haven’t used in a long time but have no intention of ever throwing away.
They are usually handmade pieces, made with love and care. Their sentimental value often exceeds their real value, so it would be nice to keep them in our everyday lives, perhaps giving them a new purpose.
Knitted and crocheted doilies are a case in point. Made years ago by our mother, our grandmother or a favourite aunt, they were an intricate expression of their creativity.
This time, instead of spreading them over side tables and armchairs, or on top of the television as used to be the custom, we can “dress” glass jars from jam or other foods with them and create lovely, romantic candle holders.
The final look will depend on how the shapes of the glass jars combine with the doilies we have, as well as on the decorative touches we can add to give them an even more distinctive character. An old decorative brooch, for example, or another piece of vintage jewellery that has also been hiding for ages at the bottom of our jewellery box.
One way is to cover almost the whole jar with the doily and secure it with either a thin ribbon or embroidery or knitting thread, threaded through the small holes of the weave. Any excess edges of the doily at the bottom of the jar can be folded and sewn together so that the candle holder sits properly in place.
Another way to make our vintage candle holders is to let the doily cover the whole jar like a pouch, and tie a ribbon around the top that will both decorate it and hold it in place. It is quite practical to turn the jar upside down while you work, so that it is easier to secure the doily evenly.
It is best to choose transparent or single-colour ribbons so that the knitted pattern stands out. Another idea is to place a piece of coloured, sheer fabric between the jar and the doily, for an even more interesting “artistic” result.
Text & Photos: Teta Kouloygeri
