It’s really important that you can create something beautiful for your home out of scraps of things.” Using appliqué, stitching and embroidery to attract a younger market, Nyalie Waterhouse-Shah’s latest collection of traditional framed doilies is bursting with bright colours and floral fabrics.

“I am a creative person,” says the university student from Watford, “I like making things and stitching. I buy the frames second-hand as well as the vintage lace, making everything recycled.”

After showcasing her collection last Christmas at fairs in and around Hertfordshire, Nyalie’s unmatched designs will now be featured at the Little Gallery Tea Room in Watford Museum, for September’s Vintage Tea Party.

Nyalie has enjoyed stitching since childhood after being taught by her mother, while embroidery patterns featured in her family home.

“I had a lot of Indian embroideries at home because half of my family are from India, so it was traditional Indian embroidery,” she says.

Her creations began as a hobby and still are, despite Nyalie quickly realising there was significant interest in her intricate designs.

Such was Nyalie’s interest that she studied Textiles at A level. She has just started at university, studying Interior Architecture, and is working part-time to invest in what she hopes will become her business.

Making the doilies and their frames can be a time-consuming hobby – it takes Nyalie three hours to make one doily, and a day to spray and rub down 14 frames.

“But I do enjoy it and find it relaxing,” she says.

“My biggest challenge is sourcing all the materials – it takes a lot of time to go around markets and car boot sales to find the right kind of frames and fabrics. I like different colours to make them into a cohesive collection, rather than just random pictures.”

Moving in a different direction from the words of joy and love that have featured on her doilies until now, Nyalie reveals her inspiration for quotes featured in her newest collection are from the book On The Road by Jack Kerouac.

“I’ve just started university so this book was about freedom and trying new things. That is what I’m feeling at the moment, it’s all exciting and new and I don’t know what I’m going to do in the future.”

Reflecting on her new horizons, she says: “I want to pursue my career in interior architecture first and maybe come back to something like this when I’m slightly older.”

Nyalie is determined to keep her creative flame alight. “I would like to start introducing things in different languages and cultures,” she says.

“From my cultural background, Arabic and Hindu writing, as well as the English I’ve been using, would be really interesting to look into.”

  • Vintage Tea Party is at the Little Gallery Tea Room, Watford Museum, Lower High Street, Watford on Saturday September 28, 10.30am to 4pm. Deatils: 01923 233429, watfordmuseum.org.uk