I have a collection of cherished crochet pieces and lace tablecloths that have been passed down through generations. My mother gave them to me, telling me they had once belonged to her own mother. For years, I kept these items, but most became stained or torn and were stored out of sight. I tried displaying them in my home, but they were too fragile or damaged to showcase in their original form. That’s when I began experimenting with pressing these heirloom pieces into clay.

For Mother’s Day, I gave my mother and sisters trays featuring lace from these vintage tablecloths, pressed directly into the clay. My mother now has her tray hung on her wall, displaying the lace in a new, yet equally meaningful, way. Inspired by this, I decided to offer custom orders so that others can share in this special gift.

How it works:

Customers can purchase the number of trays they would like made and drop off their lace articles at Atelier (335 W. Pierpont Avenue, SLC) within 7 business days. Items may be brought in at any convenient time during business hours before the deadline.

The lace is pressed into clay, molded into the selected tray shape, glazed, and carefully wrapped for gifting.

All trays, along with the original lace, will be ready for pickup at Atelier within 4 weeks. Customers will receive an email notification once the trays are ready.

For this project, dark clay is paired with a glossy white glaze to highlight the texture of the lace. Due to the dark clay, some staining on the lace may occur. While stains can be removed using stain remover and dish soap, the pieces are returned without cleaning, allowing customers to handle their lace according to personal preferences.

Each ceramic rectangular tray measures approximately 9.5” x 6.5”.