Try This: Gilded Lace Champagne Glass Tutorial

I recently picked up a couple of champagne coupes from a local thrift store for a buck a piece. These glasses instantly make me think of America’s Prohibition, speakeasies, and the 1930s (yes, I have been watching Boardwalk Empire), so naturally, I wanted to make them even more glamorous. What better way to do that than with gold lace?! This project is as about as easy as they come (if you have a little patience) and makes a huge impact on plain stemware. 

Materials: Glass Stemware, Gold Paper Doilies, Matte Sealer Glue (like Mod Podge), Sponge Brush, Pen, Scissors 

DIRECTIONS: Begin by tracing the outline of the bottom of your stemware onto a gold paper doily. I got these particular doilies from Etsy seller Knot & Bow, and they’re beautiful! I traced mine off center to capture more of the variety in the doily’s detail. 

Carefully cut out your doily circle just inside the line that you traced. 

Turn your glass upside down, and use your sponge brush to cover the bottom with a thin layer of glue. 

Place the doily cutout gold-side-down on top of the glue. Gently press it down so that it conforms to the contours of the glass’ bottom. This may take a few minutes, but just continue gently manipulating the doily until it’s smooth with the glass’ surface. Allow to dry. 

Once dry, cover with a thin layer of glue.

Take a quick swipe around the edge of the glass to clean off any excess glue. Allow to dry. All in all, you’ll probably want to repeat these last two steps 2 or 3 times, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. This might actually take a few days, but be patient, always allowing to dry so that the glue ends up clear. You want the doily to be the star here, not the glue. Be sure to quickly rinse out your brush after each layer so it doesn’t harden. You’ll know you’re done layering when you can just barely feel the texture of the doily through the glue on the bottom.


Speaking of glue, this is what the first layer of glue will look like from the top. Don’t be concerned. If you give it time to dry before applying the next layer, this will all dry clear. 

 

Once you’ve patiently waited, layered, waited, and layered again, you’ll end up with a set of oh-so-glamorous, one-of-a-kind stemware. I’m putting you on notice now, though, that these glasses may result in increased alcohol consumption (unless you’re like my mom, who insists that ginger ale tastes better from a wine glass.). Enjoy!

If you do give this tutorial a try, please be sure and share a picture through the "Share Your Projects" link at the top of the blog page. I'd love to feature some!

Note: This glue is a sealant so they are safe to wash, but be gentle and hand wash. If you’re particularly concerned about the longevity of the finish, the glue bottle suggests using an acrylic sealer on top of your final coat. 

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If you've ever given one of my tutorials or cocktails a try or you've just been inspired by something you've seen here on Fabric Paper Glue, be sure to share a photo. I'd love to feature it!