Curated Blooms with Repurposed Crocheted Doilies

By Shannon Arnstein

There are quilts we make simply because we love the fabric, and then there are quilts we make because they hold a deeper story. My Legacy of Love and Lace quilt is one of those meaningful projects.

For this quilt, I paired Riley Blake’s Curated Blooms fabric collection with a very special treasure: my mother-in-law’s handmade crochet doilies. Each delicate lace piece she created was carefully appliquéd into the quilt, blending traditional heirloom handiwork with modern quilt piecing. The result is a quilt that feels both timeless and fresh—full of history, yet brought to life with vibrant designer fabrics.

The star blocks sparkle in warm reds, rich blues, and fresh greens from Curated Blooms, and the doilies add an heirloom touch that makes this quilt unlike any other. I love how the contrast of fabric and lace tells a story of connection across generations—a reminder that quilting is not just about fabric and thread, but about preserving memories and honoring family legacies.

This design is especially suited for quilting with vintage doilies, embroidered linens, or lace heirlooms you may have tucked away. Whether it’s grandma’s embroidered napkins, vintage handkerchiefs, or crochet pieces like these, incorporating them into a quilt is a beautiful way to preserve and display their legacy.

About the Pattern

The Legacy of Love and Lace quilt pattern is available in my shophttps://footpedalproductions.etsy.com and includes step-by-step instructions for piecing, appliquéing, and sewing with vintage lace or doilies. Even if you’ve never worked with delicate heirloom textiles before, the pattern guides you through the process so you can confidently transform keepsakes into a quilted treasure.

You can see in the photo above- I added my mother-in-laws name “Alice” in her handwriting to her doilies.

I used Riley Blake’s Curated Blooms quilting fabric, a collection full of warm florals and timeless prints that pair beautifully with lace and vintage-inspired design. The fabrics bring such charm and richness to the quilt—making each star block bloom like a flower garden.My mother-in-law spent her early childhood years in Arizona, and the colors of the desert landscape never left her. When I visited Utah last fall, I finally understood the beauty and palette she carried with her all these years. The warm earth tones, soft greens, and bursts of floral color in Curated Blooms captured that same spirit perfectly. It was the ideal collection to bring this long-awaited dream of a quilt to life.

Why This Quilt Matters

Every stitch in this quilt feels like a conversation with the past. My mother-in-law’s hands made the lace; mine pieced it into a quilt. Together, across time, we created something that celebrates both her artistry and mine. That’s the true legacy of quilting—love stitched into every seam.

I had this design waiting for the perfect fabric collection for quite some time, and now that the quilt is finally a reality, I could not be more excited! It feels like a far-off dream that I’ve finally been able to see through to completion. I was thrilled to design this quilt, honored to piece it together, and now I am humbled to be able to teach others how to create their very own repurposed doily quilt.

One of the first places I’ll be teaching Legacy of Love and Lace will be at AQS QuiltWeek in Daytona Beach, February 2026. I would love to see you there and share this special design in person!