Vinyl Lace Table Doily Tutorial

Growing up I remember most coffee tables, dressers, tables, etc. having doilies. Maybe you know what a doily is, maybe you don’t. Here is a picture of some old fashion doilies.

I thought it would be fun to make a vinyl doily that doesn’t move around and is easy to dust right over, because I used to hate dusting for this reason! When I would dust my room, I used to have to take all the crap off of my dresser just to dust and then put it all back on. So using the vinyl eliminates the need for taking off the doily and prevents dust from collecting in all the little holes.

Before:

It could use some jazzing up.

What you will need:

1. A table or any flat hard surface where you want a doily
2. Vinyl in your color of choice (a did a beige)
3. Vinyl transfer paper
4. Vinyl tools
5. A cut out for your doily or a cricut or silhouette machine to cut out your vinyl

First, it took me days to decide exactly which doily I wanted, so I cut out a bunch of different little ones and put them on my coffee table and left them there. I would walk by and think about it, I asked people and I would look at them some more. I am still not 100% sure that I love the one I picked but hey I can change it again sometime if I want to.

Here are a couple of my choices:

After I finally decided which one I wanted to use, I got my vinyl out and ready to cut on my cricut. I ordered my vinyl from Expressions Vinyl. I wanted to go as large as I could, so I cut my vinyl to fit my 12×12 mat.

I selected my doily and let the cricut go to town cutting.

I also should have told you this earlier, but I am an amateur vinyl applier. So I was learning here. After I got the doily cut out, I needed to get it on the transfer paper.

The transfer paper helps to get the vinyl on the surface without bubbling and to get it straight. I also used a tape measurer to get the doily in the center of the table. I marked the right place with the tape and held it place while I took the tape out from under the doily. {Be sure to clean the surface you are applying the vinyl to.}

Firmly press down on the doily starting at the center and the working toward the edges. There are a variety of tools for applying vinyl. I just used a card similar to a credit card to smooth out and apply the vinyl. Pay close attention to all the little holes, rub them with the applicator.

Then gently pull the edge of the transfer paper back slowly, making sure the vinyl stayed stuck to the table. If not, then put the transfer paper back down and rub some more.

After the transfer paper is all off, you’re done!

I’m loving it!