New Obsession: Antique Lace Collars

So, I want to start this by saying that I started to write this yesterday, and then I couldn't finish it b/c I had to run off to dinner with my friend before seeing a play.

Anyway.

I have a new mini-obsession. Antique Lace Collars. This all started out when I went to a local antique mall in the town where I grew up (ie. the old junk store) and I picked up a few crochet doilies and a crochet collar. My intent was to make some cool stuff from them.

So I finally used to crochet collar, and I've been noticing lately that a lot of cool projects using crochet collars in interesting ways.

So, without further ado, ways to use crochet collars and doilies in interesting ways!

My Dress


So, this really isn't so far a stretch from the general purpose of an antique lace collar. My dress is a Faux halter (that is, I made the back of the dress come up and attach to the collar, so that i could wear a regular bra with it) but the point is that an antique lace collar, which can often look semi-frumpy or too outdated if worn as it was meant to, can be instead used as a halter to add a dainty touch to your dress.

http://www.theblackapple.typepad.com/somegirlswander/

Some Girls Wander is the fashion blog of Miss Emily Martin, who is the brains behind The Black Apple shop which I am so terribly in love with.

So when I went to start this blog yesterday, I quickly went to her fashion blog, knowing I would find something there I could feature in this post...

And LO AND BEHOLD! She also decided to do a mini series about doilies/lace! (I guess the fact that I cut my hair so I could try to get it all cute and curly like in her New Years Eve photo might help indicate the fact that I adore her, and thus don't mind)

At any rate, this is by far my favorite lace/doily project on there. And yes. I know it's not lace collars. But it's within the same family. So it's ok.


Purses, In General, look good with lace!

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So, this isn't the purse I wanted to post as an example originally, but of course I can't find the ones I saw before on Etsy, because it tends to be a pit were things get lost, and I was silly and didn't favorite the purses while I had the chance. Point being, though, you should look at the stuff you find and think out of the box...


Antique lace collars don't have to be used as collars. They can be used to embellish anything. They can be dyed crazy colors to make a statement, or left plain to keep a traditional look (I tea dyed mine, fyi, b/c it was stained. If you have yellow discoloration and don't mind an off-white look, I advise tea dyeing. Black tea works best). At any rate, just go out and be creative!

Love,
Shila