Doilies are dainty, burlap and twine are rustic, and together they make a beautiful combination. Here I’ve put them all together to make these romantic doily luminaries. These luminaries would be perfect on your porch, mantle, or entryway, and they are gorgeous as wedding centerpieces.

Why this project works

Play around with different ribbons, buttons, twine, and burlap to make your doily luminaries. This is one of my favorite adult crafts on the blog! I found my doilies at the thrift store for about $0.35 each. I tried paper doilies but they aren’t as pretty and they are solid in the center, missing the lovely designs that real doilies possess. Because I only had a few doilies on hand, I only put them on one side of the jar, however, you could place them on both sides if you like. They look lovely on their own or with a lit tea light glowing inside.

LOVE BURLAP PROJECTS? Be sure to try our easy to make burlap wreath for your home!

What you’ll need to make doily luminaries

To make these beautiful doily luminaries you will need the following supplies. If you have ribbon on hand there’s no need to buy extra, unless of course you are making these for a wedding centerpiece!

I originally used burlap around the rim of one of my luminaries but when remaking these went with some pretty lace and sheer ribbon. You can also see how vintage doilies look compared to crocheted doilies (see photo below).

• Glass jars – you can purchase mason jars, or use recycled jars from jelly and mayonnaise.
• Adhesive spray (like Elmer’s Craft Bond)
• Crocheted doilies – I prefer the way that vintage doilies look, but any type of crocheted doily will work!
• Burlap (or lace, sheer ribbon, etc)
• Twine
• buttons, and/or ribbon

How To Make Doily Luminaries

1. Make sure your jars are clean and dry, wash them with warm soapy water and dry with a clean cloth. Spray the doily with adhesive spray.

   TIP: Instead of holding the doily up, leave it on the table and spray the doily, then lay the jar onto the doily.

   

2. Place the doily onto the jar and position it, making sure it’s not bunched up anywhere. Press in place.
3. Spray the rim with adhesive, then wrap the jar rim with burlap, ribbon or twine. You can also wrap the rim with pretty ribbon then tie a piece of twine around the rim as well. Use any combination that pleases you. Tie them both in a bow.
4. Another option is to use the canning jar lid, then wrap that with twine or loose threads from your burlap. Thread two of the ends through a button and tie in a knot.

Tips for making doily luminaries

1. Look for doilies at thrift stores and garage sales.
2. If you prefer, you can brush one side of the doily with white glue or Mod Podge instead of using spray adhesive.
3. Battery-operated tea lights can be used in place of real candles.
4. If using real candles, use a long handled lighter for easy lighting inside the jar.
5. If you like, use empty jelly and mayonnaise jars for this project.

We absolutely love this project and think the results are just beautiful. Many readers over the years have made these rustic doily luminaries as wedding centerpieces or decorations for a bridal shower. They also make gorgeous home decor for your fireplace mantle or sitting on a table or shelf.

More Luminary Crafts

• Winter Luminaries
• Watercolor Luminaries
• Fall Napkin Luminaries
• Beaded Frost Luminaries

This post was originally published on this blog on Jan 4, 2011. Pictured below is one of the original images.