It is a shame that this type of craft art is not appreciated.  The hours and intricate work of what is typically women's "craft" is described as old fashioned.  Most would rather by machine-made junk from department decorating stores.  It is sad.  Perhaps experts from this site can show us how we can use, display and appreciate these examples of women's art.

I too think it is a shame that this accent has gone by the way-side. I have & use several beautiful doilies that were hand made by my Grandmother & some that were given to me by friends who do not share my liking. Whenever I look at them I think of the art that went into creating them.

My Mom & Grandmother and now me have crocheted or tatted many doilies, table runners etc and I use them. Everyones home is their castle and they decorate it in their own taste.  There will be a resurgance of this craft just like everything else even if it is years down the road and that generation will think they are "cool" to have found it.

I view them as old fashioned.  I can appreciate them but would not use them in my home.

Doilies are a unique art form which simply suits some people's decor and not others.  My Great Aunties and Grandmother crocheted and passed these down to me and I love them!  We just need time and patience to create objects of beauty.  There must be people who still enjoy this craft.  Everything old is new again.            I  

I like them and dislike them too. Too many are cluttering in a room but one or two are good. I too crochet and tat but even then you can have too many .

In my mother's house in England there were always doilies to be found, so when I came to Canada, I brought some with me as a reminder of her and her love for them. I constantly used them but I must admit I too put them away in a bottom drawer after hearing from others they were so 'old fashioned'. I still have them and others I have bought while in France or Belgium which are patiently hand- made but delightful to look at, in the hopes that one day they will come back 'in fashion'!  

as i can appreciate the art and work that goes into doilies I find them to be dust magnets i prefer no cloth decoration under knick knacks doilies should be framed for the art work that they are

I believe they can be used tastefully in a more modern fashion by displaying them differently.  However, they are tacky if used liked our GrandMas used to; under knick knacks.

Framing 3 vertically in a black frame for example could add a contemporary twist to a classic doilie.

I feel if the decor is correct i.e. a Victorian theme ,doilies is a must.I also think that doilies are a generational "thing", as I grew up seeing my Mom decorating with all these beautiful hand crafted wonders. I love them,my kids feel they are dust collecters!!

Tacky or not, they were & are art/craft. A necessity turned a love of art-form. They don't need to be underneath something, but several can be displayed in a frame on the wall. Keep this beautiful artform from exiting out minds. Love our grannies, love their patient prideful handiwork !!!

I have framed some of my grandmothers' doilies and used

them as "art" in a guest room.  On the back of the frame I have placed a note saying where they came from or who made them and encouraged my grown kids not to throw them out - like everything else, they will come back!

I think doilies can be very decorative provided they are the old fashioned handmade fine lace.  Doilies that are made with thick cotton, crochet and stiffened with sugar water are very tacky.  

I love using paper doilies on my trays and serving platters because they give that nice professional look.  Depending on what I am serving i.e. if I am making up a large sandwich tray requiring cheese or grapes in the middle, I usually place my doilies first and then cover the trays with Saran Wrap before placing the sandwiches the way I want it. This also helps to re-use your doilies.

I feel that dolies make a nice display on any type of furniture like coffee tables or the centre of a table it shows off a very neat look. I find when you display some dolies it gives your place an overall appearance feeling for people to see them.

Doilies take me back to the times I used to sit and watch my Great Grandmother crocet doilies. My Gramma Great was the biggest influence in my life and every time I see a dolie I remember her.

I like them as long as they are or look like the ones my Grandmother used to make. Although paper doilies do have their uses I love the real ones.

I THINK EVERYONE HAS A DOLLIE OR 2 IN THEIR HOME.

IF THEY ARE FRAMED THEY MAKE A LOVELY PIECE OF ART FOR THE WALL. TOO MANY ARE TOO MUCH.

HOWEVER MOST OF THEM ARE HIERLOOMS.ANSWER: CRAFTY DECORATIONS FINAL ANSWER!!

They are a practical way to protect your furniture. I use them on the piano (under a plant or picture frame) and occasionally on the dining table again under a candle or flowers.

If they are handmade (I've made most of mine) it's nice to display a bit of your work...but only a couple as needed...the sofa is not covered in them :)

I enjoy using doilies.  Great in a shaby sheek decorating scheme and I have also found many great finds at garage sales or antique stores.  My favourites are the filee crochet doiles and panels.  My mom made great panels that depicted scenery etc. and were made for window art.  I continue to use these and have added them to draperies and used them for very unique valances.  As well having them professionally framed has saved this fine art work for admiring on the wall.  Great to see and remind me of my mom during quiet evenings catching up on the days events watching her create these heirloms.  

I crochet doilies; its a very relaxing thing for me.  And my friends who buy new homes are thrilled that I take the time to make them something from the heart to adorn their new home

Doilies may be old fashioned and vertical blinds may be out of style but if you like them I say use them - I have both in my home and anyone visiting never fails to comment on how cozy our home is.

I have some dollies that were made for me and some that I inherited.  I also have found pretty ones at garage sales.  I do not use them all the time, but do use them fairly regularly.  It is nice to see a bit of the "old" art being used around the house.  Never to many, just a little bit here and there.  Old is always better than the new ones that are poor imitations of the handmade one.  I also own a bedspread, table cloth and table runners that I use as the mood strikes me.

I love them and crochet many of them.  I have also done them for gifts. It is my greatest past time friend for the memory of my grandmother, who taught me to crochet.  It makes a home look like a welcoming home, but may not be the right for some decors

Appropriate only at Grandma's house.

I moved last weekend.  When my son saw my collection of  "doillies" that I had got

during my years of travel to 28 countries, he said  "what do you want with that junk?"

I kept my tongue firmly in my cheek and said  "because I LIKE them, thank-you, I want to move them and use them!"   For every pot there is a lid.

There are so many styles of decor that doilies would be very much at home. Right now many styles are  clean and sleek, so doilies don't do well. Framed on a black background they would look like snowflakes on a dark sky. Less is always more and then the ones displayed would stand out and be admired. Keep your favorites and they will find their way back out eventually.

I think that doillies are beautiful additions to any decor. They tell of our past & our future, bring back memories of our ancestors. Whether new or old they bring class to any room. The hand made ones are extra special reminders of a craft made with love for the person they were intended for & a pride of accomplishment for the creator. I don't think they are ever tacky, even the machine made ones are still decorative additions to any room. They are to be cherished as part of our heritage & reminders of simpler days.

Doilies can be used tastefully in new ways:

We seem to forget the one of the major uses for doilies and why they were designed.  Doilies protected furniture.  When I was young I was told that doilies appeared on the arms and backs of furniture to protect them from the hair creams men wore.

When men stopped using hair creams doilies switched over to more fashionable uses such as furniture decoration.  Making these fancy items became a skilled craft before televisions came along to use up a person's free time.  Times they do change, maybe the construction of the doily will return someday because all things go in and out of fashion.

I had many doilies that were put away as they didn't "go" with the decor I had when I was moving every couple years....NOW I have a 1948 home with hardwood floors and have implemented the 1948 era with some modern decor.  I brought 3 doilies home from a garage sale and my daughters thought they were the most beautiful thing I could have found!!!  I think doilies are beautiful and can be used tastefully with any decor.

I have always loved old lace and doilies. I have several that my mother & grandmother have made.  I've also picked up many more from the second hand stores & used pieces of these in my quilts & crazy quilt projects...so that they take on a new life and are once again enjoyed.

Too many people decorate by being told what they should or should not like. Can`t we use our own likes and taste to decorate our homes? Who says there`s a right and wrong to decorating? A person who has to rely on others` taste to decorate their home obviously is insecure and has no taste of their own. Use doilies if you enjoy using them!

I certainly don't think Doilies are tacky! I consider them in the same catagory as my quilts. I don't like them in every corner of my house, but I do display some of my Moms & Grandmothers work. I also have what some may consider as a "big" doilie...my beautiful lace tablecloth that my Aunt made for me as a wedding gift many years ago...it comes out for very special occasions only. I crochet doiles...different designs in all kinds of colours. To me they add character & a warmness to rooms...again not a whole bunch...just enough.

I never learned to crochet but always appreciated needlework done by my relatives and friends, and their love and time that goes into making doilies and other needle crafts.  They are versatile and can be used in so many ways.  I agree with Margaret, I love to use things in any way they make me happy, usually under a vase of flowers or in the middle of a shelf with a little hangover.  I boy the paper ones for many uses including under a cake, under a tea cup, under a clear salad plate, etc.

I love and appreciate all types of needlecrafts including doilies.  From time to time I find a use for one or two and change around often.  I use them under cakes, under a tea cup, on a round table (this one was a wedding gift 47 years ago), etc.   I bring them out and put them back periodically.  I don't really care what is in or trendy at the time.  My home is filled with things I love.

My feelings are mixed on the subject of doilies. I have a high regard for women (or men, of which I've known a few who have crocheted) since I was never able to master the craft. On an individual level, the doilie is an intricate work of art.

A single large doilie, under a unique lamp or colourful bowl, the combination creating a focal point on an antique dresser or sideboard in a room, is stunning.

However, the use of a variety of doilies, scattered willy-nilly in a room already cluttered with too many other knick-knacks seems effectiveless. Like so many other things in life, if utilized tastefully, there is certainly a place for doilies in eclectic home decor.

I have used some of Granny's doilies to decorate cushions for my feminine bedroom.  Might try framing some also for the bedroom, hadn't thought of doing that until reading it here.

I also love doilies, but not too many of them, I use a couple on my antique furniture where I think they are more suited than a modern piece of furniture.  I also like the idea of framing them, I hadn't thought of doing that.

Doilies can be  taky or decorative.  I love doilies as well as other handcraft art such as tablecloths and dresser scarfs and frequently pick them up at yard sales.  Too bad that more people don't appreciate thrm...but lucky for me.

I buy decor magazines and watch a lot of home decor shows but it is tiresome to hear the same suggestions for dark wood, clean lines and grass rugs.  I feel we should use doillies and any other item which make us happy in our homes. I decorate for me and that includes tasefully using doillies, those that I have made and those I have puchased from lace shops in Italy and Austria. Let's be individuals and stop listening to preachy designers.

I too have some doilies that were made by my Great Grandmother and they are so special to me.  I have a couple out so I can smile and know that they were made with love and meant to be displayed and enjoyed.

One or two doilies placed in an appropriate spot can be classy adding the perfect touch to a room,  but these pieces of artwork can soon turn to tacky ornaments if used in abundance.

At first glance, I feel doilies are tacky.  I do not own any, neither did my grand mother.  However, some handmade ones may look amazing displayed in frames as the art work they are, but in certain decors only.  As for the paper ones, they should solely be viewed as underlining for hors d'oeuvres or desert in a plate.

yuck! these tacky things are ugly! they must be done away with!!

Never liked them.  Remember my Mother and Grandmother used them.

If you go to Japan you will see them everywhere in peoples cars and taxis.  

Your absolutely correct, you either love them or hate them.  I seem to be the later.

Home decor is personal and so if you feel dollies have a place in your decor, then use them.  Dollies have a place with romantic decors, antiques and many classic and traditional styles.  Dollies have utility in that they protect hardwood.  Dollies can also be a reminder of our past and are often handed down from one generation to the next.  Therefore for style, practicality and for tradition they have a place in home decor.

Such a lovely craft should not be allowed to fade away so easily.It definitely needs to be nurtured and encouraged by all of us who still have some aesthetic values and taste.It not only reflects an artistic bent of mind but surely brings out the subtle feelings of the person involved in this craft.

it's all in the way they are used.  on the arms of chairs and the backs of seats--yuk.  If it truly is a beautifully crocheted piece if it is framed or made into a overly ornate pillow for a bedroom, I feel it could make an attractive decorating statement.

I love them in moderation... my Grandmother made the beautiful dollies and I think they warm-up your room rather than nothing and having it appear cold!!!!  

I love doilies, I consider them part of the decor of a room. They dress up a table. My Mother crocheted doilies as far back as I can remember, now that she's gone I dry clean all the ones she made me including a full size table cloth, they're gorgeous. I want them to last forever.

I love doilies for their addition to decor, a great use of art, and a good way to keep dust away from furniture.  And, doilies keep some plants & items from marking & staining furniture.

It's not a question of craft or tacked.  It's a question of design decor.  There are many styles of doilies with one to fit each styles of decorating.

There is no tacky in doiles, just tacky ideas in stlye.

My mom used to make these and I LOVE THEM. She taught me how to make them, and I really appreciate the time we shared together doing them, our bonding moment.

not a big fan!...seem to fussy and girly girly for my taste.  More appropriate in a Victorian or even a shabby chic style.  Definitely something from a different generation and a different design esthetic.  I appreciate the craftsmanship-I remember my late mother trying to teach us girls how to crochet-not very successfully!

I do like the idea of treating them like artwork and framing them as works of art.That way they could be used in different styles even Modern.

I love handcrafted doilies. I am teaching myself to crochet but I am not that good yet. Hopefully some day. They are not easy to make. I think a few look very nice, especially if you have antiques in your home.

I think it's tacky in todays' decorating style/trend. I also appreciate the delication that goes into the hand crafted doilies but, there's a time for everything and in these times there is no place for doilies.

If you're looking for a feminine look doilies are great on furniture or flat surfaces, but I like the idea of framing them for decor.  Really beautiful ones would be great on the wall.  Avoid mass produced dollar store ones like the plague!

Doilies are great functionally to prevent scratches, but aesthetically they make my home look cluttered..... I'm going to have to say Tacky Ornaments.

I think that if doilies are used correctly can be very nice. I think that the ones that are hand made are the nicest while the cheap machine manufactured one do look cheap and tacky. Doilies over top of a dark colored table cloth can be very attractive and stand out.

Doilies are an art because not everyone can make them. They have character depending how you use them.  I think they are beautiful.Definitly an Art.

Can't imagine a nicer way to complete the look of country decor...I'm looking around in my bedroom and it would look utterly stupid without the delicate handmade doilies/runners on the dressers.  

I appreciate this craft very much and am very proud of my mother's and grandmother's talents.  I suppose it can be tacky if they are too large and inappropriately placed.  They shouldn't overwhelm the room or furniture.  

Just tacky

They also make wonderful Christmas ornaments.  My mother's friend makes tiny ones about 3 inches in diameter to hang on the tree or add onto a present instead of a bow with ribbon.  It's a lovely touch.

I think that doilies can look nice as long as they are not overused.  I have a large collection that were handmade by my grandmother.  Most of them are in storage but every once in a while I take them out and use them when I rearrange things in my house.

Doilies (good doilies) are a work of art.  There are cheap, tacky versions sold at dollar stores.  But, a handmaid doily, whether crocheted, tatted or knitted is a thing of beauty.  More work goes into crafting a doily than many other art forms.  And there are many different varieties of doilies.  If the round, lacy look isn't for you, look for vintage filet crochet--pictures formed with stitches and spaces (like shading in a picture using graph paper).  These can be framed as one-of-a kind art.  I have seen the Last Supper done in filet crochet, matted and framed--it was stunning and didn't look like what we think is a "doily", but had it been used as a table runner it would have been exactly that.  Admittedly, not all decor styles suit the use of doilies, but I think even the most  minimalist or modern home has a place to showcase a doily, especially if it was created by, or inherited from a friend or loved one.  If you are a "closet doily admirer" you can display your doily for your eyes only inside that closet (use stiffener and then hang it up so you see it when you open your closet).  You can use non-rusting pins or tacks and hang it inside one of your cupboard doors (try the one you keep your teas, chais, lattes, coffee beans in) and it will greet you each morning, or when entertaining a friend and give you a warm feeling and remembrance of someone special.  Or even if it is a new doily, you will admire the homey feeling of something hand-crafted--very organic.  If you are more adventurous, you can hand-stitch one to the front of a toss cushion for your bed or sofa.  A small one stitched onto a winter hat, scarf  or front of a wool jacket gives a unique and whimsical look.  A doily on your dining room table or coffee table year-round may look like a  sore thumb, but used at Christmas under a floral arrangement or a grouping of seasonal decorations and treasures can be very beautiful.  If you have a doily tucked away, bring it out once-in-a-while and admire it.  Garage sales, craft sales, rummage sales are great places to find new or vintage doilies.  It is okay to admire them for their intricacy and beauty.  It is okay to think of them as the artwork of a real craftsperson.  Even if you only ever use a small one as a bookmark, a doily can bring art and beauty to your world.

Wow, I can not believe the great things said here about doilies...I expected to read nasty comments...I am impressed, very impressed...must be a Canadian thing...to be so smart as to understand that they are art...pure art....and they have and will always have a place in some homes...if not on case goods...used in shadow box frames as art...anyway everyone with your grannys, use or store them...mine are put away for now...in my modern faze, hand made should never be thrown away...rock on Canada!!!

My mother took old black and white family photos and arranged them with my great grandmother's doiles in frames along with some clippings from ads from that period.  Those shadow box collages were always hanging there in the living room and  fascinated me as a child.  I loved looking at pictures of my grandparents as children, my great-grandparent's wedding photo, etc.  The doiles really brought a depth to them.  There was a real object, a physical connection to my ancestors and their stories.

Bad idea to put on a plate, then serve a sandwich and salad on it.  The salad dressing softened the doily so much that I ended up eating half of it!!!   It felt like it had got stuck in my chest all afternoon!

I love handmade,works of art.My mom ,86, makes dollies out of left over wool,all colours,great for pillows,chairs,anywhere...I think well made finds a place in anyones home.

I must say that I love dollies and I know how much work and time goes into making them.

Everyone is different though and so is every home when it comes to decorating. Just because a person doesn't use dollies in their home doesn't mean to say they don't work in someone elses.  

I have an 18" Cathedral doily tucked away in a drawer.  I made it for myself in the 60's after having made many for friends.  I used to have it centred on my table, with its 4" frilly edge starched into waves.  

However, since the return of my daughter and grandkids to my home, it would have been wrecked by now if I hadn't put it away.

Doilies are not a thing of the past; however, they deserve an appropriate place in a home.  Todays homes are not always as stately as a "finished project" - they're more like "work in progress".  

I find looking at a doily can be compared to looking at a mandala.  It has an energy about it that draws me into its beauty.  I really liked reading about the idea of framing them - I just might do that...after I finish my "monster doily" - the afghan that's going on my bed!

They remind me of my Grandmother, but I don't have any from her. My mom still has them and uses them in her china cabinet. One day I might display them - I like the idea of framing them.

I, (before googling "Why did people use doilies?" and arriving at this site) believed that doilies must have been used to keep mens hair creams off the backs of couches/chairs.  I have many, beautiful, vintage doilies from relatives born around 1900, and will use them to easily shake kitty fur from my reading chair, so I may read w/out having a furry bum/back.  Easy to wash, and pretty on a velvet Ethan Allan chair w/a stained glass lamp above to illuminate.  A corner of serenity, that I keep in a small office/library...with an early 1920's pic of granny and her grandma.  The rest of the house is w/out 20's/30's decorum.  Hubby hates it.  Too bad. A 50 year old woman does what she wants. :)

If your doilies are dust catchers, you probably have too much dust, and work to do. I like them myself and can find them in many department stores, they wouldn't sell them if they were outdated. It is a personal choice to use or not.  I don't like the sofa doilies, but again to each his own. It gives a warmer look used spareingly and tastefully.

I love doilies! I am trying to learn to make them, I can crochet but they are looking a bit odd, but I will get it!!!

I have inherited doilies that are simply gorgeous.  I am a professional framer so I have framed some of the heirlooms and given them to my children with brass plackerts telling who crocheted them and the approximate date they were made.  I have a sunbonnet doiley that is exquisite framed.  BUT..would anyone know what to use to hold up the edges of the ruffled doilies?

Large doilies make beautiful curtains, curtain toppers and table cloths.

I ordered a bunch of them on Ebay. My favorites are the colorful ones with the flowers, esp. the Irish roses. I

To Jo Rita;

Sugar based mixture makes a starch that would hold up a deck! I don't have the recipe, but maybe you could Google it?

That's what my mom used & she crocheted baskets, etc. with starched frills & handles that held up for months.

What's with old people and doilies?