Doily Tablecloth
A holiday dinner table evokes drifts of snow with scalloped plates, short stems of white amaryllis, and this cloth made from rows of stitched-together doilies.
To make this tablecloth, you'll need enough same-size doilies to cover the surface of your table, with a 12-inch overhang on each of the long sides.
1. Working on a flat surface, lay 2 textile doilies side by side, barely touching. Using a needle and white thread, attach doilies with 3 or 4 blind stitches, knotting stitches on the reverse side. Repeat to attach additional doilies, 1 at a time, in a single row until the row is long enough to accommodate table width and both overhangs.
2. Position another doily beside first doily in completed row; lay doilies flat to make sure there are no ripples. Attach doilies as directed in step 1.
3. Lay next doily in second row. Attach it to first doily in second row and to corresponding doily in first row. Repeat to attach additional doilies, 1 at a time, to complete second row.
4. Continue adding rows as needed until tablecloth is complete.
Sources:
Doilies: 8-inch Carolina-style white, $14 for 12, from the Battenburg Lace Store, 214-939-2623, and similar: 8-inch Cluny white, $3.95, from Lartisana, 888-676-5661.