You don’t necessarily have to be handy with a hammer or nimble with a thimble to create your won special accessories. On the skirted table, a miscellany of small items provides visual interest when gathered together in an eye-pleasing collection. One unique do-it-yourself accessory idea is the clever display of fragile, old lace doilies. Suspended in Plexiglas frames, they are protected while light shines through to show off the design; the table is topped with a swirl of paisley, actually a silk scarf, to give it pattern punch.

Give your favorite pillows a little personality by decorating them with Grandma’s delicate lace doilies. By shopping garage sales and secondhand stores, you can find a variety of first rate crochet pieces. To make your own, cut material to form pillows and hand stitch doilies to fabric, machine sew the edges, leaving a three inch opening. Stuff and slip stitch.

Perk up a plain Jane room with a snappy gingham print. In the living room, a sofa and old lamp were pepped up with only a few yards of checked material. Plump pillows, made by stitching up mini check fabric add comfort and chic to a neutral tone sofa. The lamp gets its new look from a old white lampshade that is dressed in a larger scale gingham in the same color way.

To make your own lamp covers first create a pattern by wrapping brown paper around the shade, then cut to size. Lay pattern diagonally on fabric, the cut. (Be sure to all 1 1/2) inches all around for overlap.) After spraying the shade with adhesive, apply fabric covering beginning in the center of the shade and working around to the back seam. Tuck and glue the edges to the inside.