Design*Sponge » Blog Archive » diy project: alli coate’s lacy jars

lauren and derek have a fantastic july 4th-themed diy project coming up at 1pm but first we’re kicking off diy wednesday with a great project from designer alli coate. i’ve long admired the lace jars alli sells on etsy and couldn’t resist asking if she’d be willing to share the steps to create them. she kindly obliged and now we all have the option of making our own custom version, or picking up a handmade finished jar made by alli herself ($6-$7 each). the great thing about this project is that you can add your own touch, whether that’s with a vintage jar, or by using colored painted tops and additional decorations. click here to read alli’s full instructions or just click “read more” below to start crafting! [thanks to alli for sharing this project with us!]

[ps: alli is currently job-hunting in the providence, RI area so if you’re looking for a talented lady to hire you can drop her a line right here]

[pps: if you submitted a diy project to me this week, unfortunately my inbox has totally imploded on itself. could you please resend any submitted diy projects if you’ve sent them this week? thanks!]

Materials:
-Clean glass jars
-Paper doilies, varying sizes and patterns
-Scissors
-Elmer’s glue
-Old paintbrush (1″-2″ wide)

1. Cut the paper doilies into small pieces that will easily wrap around your jar. I like to cut a range of sizes and shapes to work with.

2. After deciding where you’d like to place your doily scrap, paint a layer of Elmer’s glue onto the glass and lay the doily over it. No need to thin the glue with water- it works perfectly as is.

3. Brush a layer of glue over the top of the doily to secure it in place and seal it. Continue working your way around the jar, placing the doilies wherever you like, and painting glue over the entire glass surface. The glue should be applied generously enough to cover the glass, but not so thickly that it drips. If you’re planning to use this jar with a lid, be sure to keep the threads at the top clear of glue.

4. Set the jars aside to dry. The glue may appear splotchy and uneven, but don’t worry! Once all the glue has dried, the surface is surprisingly consistent. If you’ve saved the lid to your jar, you might want to paint on a couple layers of acrylic to coordinate with your decor.

5. The glue dries to a lovely, lightly frosted texture and is ready to hold your supplies, collections, gifts… line them up, show them off! Happy making, friends.

I’ve always wondered what to do with all the jars I save. I hate to throw them away, and I don’t have anywhere to recycle them in my area. This would be perfect for my crafting supplies. And so cute, too!

ni - in the uk you can get a ‘weather resistant’ wood glue that’s basically pva which would make it more water resistant. i’m sure there’s something similar in the states, just ask for it in your local diy store. it’s by ‘evo-stick’.

I love the look of these jars! I didn’t have much luck with the glue, but Matte finish ModPodge worked really well. It took 5 thin coats with a foam brush to produce a nice frosted look. It’s pretty much waterproof once dry though. I alternated the brush direction between coats so the brush strokes aren’t noticeable. I painted the lids with acrylic and finished with 2 coats of the ModPodge on those too. Fun project and great for gifts!

When I think about the jars I have, I think about a. washing them a lot, and b. gripping tightly onto them as I try to unscrew or screw on the lids.

Do you think these jars are sturdy enough for that kind of use, or are they more of a decorative statement? I suppose using the wood glue may work better…

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