| Doily Tabletop |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-106 |
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A cloth doily makes a pattern for this faux doily tabletop.
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Q: I've got an old small side table in need of a major facelift. I'd love to do something fun beyond just staining or painting. Does Debbie have ideas?
A: (Debbie Stapley, Ask DIY Crafts expert) I would suggest this fun project: use an ordinary cloth doily as a stencil to create a permanent doily pattern on top of a small table. Here's how to proceed: Materials:
Unfinished round-top phone table
Primer
White paint
Cloth doily
Spray starch
Repositionable spray adhesive
Spray paint
- Choose your table. To save time and money, purchase an unfinished phone table with a round top.
- Lightly sand the table until it's smooth, and then prime the entire thing.
- Decide what color you want the "doily" to be in the end. White is a good choice, and for that you need to paint the top of the table only white.
- Stiffen the fabric doily with spray starch. There are a lot of other products on the market that will stiffen fabrics, but only starch will work here -- the others might make it too stiff. Use a liberal amount of starch and a flat hard surface to iron on, such as a cutting board -- not an ordinary padded ironing board. Press the iron down on the doily really hard, until the doily is completely flat (but not brittle). You may need two or three coats of starch.
- Cover your work surface, and then spray one side of the stiffened doily with repositionable spray adhesive until it's tacky.
Safety alert: Spray in a well-ventilated area, especially when you start using the spray paint. - Use a rolling pin to press the tacky side of the doily onto the tabletop. You shouldn't see any shadows at all; each detail of the doily should be firmly attached.
- Using light, even coats, spray paint over the doily in the same color you want the entire table.
- Peel off the doily to reveal the doily pattern underneath.
- Let the paint dry before adding a coat of polyurethane to seal the tabletop.
- If you like, use the ruined doily to make a negative of the same table. Place the doily on another white tabletop (only this time paint the entire table white). Press it on with a rolling pin and then decoupage over the top. Seal the same way you did the other one.
More questions for Debbie:
Q: Can I use a paper doily rather than a cloth one?
A: I wouldn't suggest it. The cloth works a lot better because it will not peel off in pieces once it gets saturated with the paint. But you could try to use several different layers of coated doilies (but not the plain-white ones).
Q: What can I do if some of the paint smears and the table needs a touch-up?
A: Actually, the chances of that happening are pretty good. What you do when it does is use the same spray paint with a brush instead of the sprayer. Spray some of the paint in the can lid. Then dip a small painter's brush in the lid and touch up the paint as needed.
Q: Can I use ordinary glue instead of decoupage medium to fasten the painted doily to the table?
A : Absolutely. Just water the glue down a bit first. Web site resources for doily tabletops: Hearts 'n Flowers Cross Stitch Doily From Dutchtreat.com Red, White & Blue Cross Stitch Doily From Dutchtreat.com White Doily Pattern From Nordic Needle.com Pansy Doily Star Doily From Knitting-Crochet.com Pineapple Doily From Knitting-Crochet.com Filet Cat Doily
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