Many of us have had a vintage croquet set sitting around for years. Maybe you always meant to play, but never had enough yard space, the kids grew up and moved out, or you simply decided croquet wasn’t your game after all. Don’t let that charming old set collect dust. Here are nine creative ways to transform it into something spectacular you can actually use around the house.
Wall Hooks
Corral your summer totes with this cute wall hook setup made from the heads of croquet mallets.
To make: Cut a 1-by-6-inch piece of wood 25 inches long. Paint white or desired color. Cut the handles of four croquet mallets down to 3 1/4 inches long. Drill evenly spaced holes in wood that are the same diameter as the handle. Glue handles in place. Hang using sawtooth hangers or by screwing directly into the wall.
Footstool
This cute little stool is perfect for a lakeside cabin or colorful kids’ room.
To make: Cut a piece of plywood into a 13 1/2-by-11-inch rectangle. Drill a 5/8-inch hole 2 inches deep in eight croquet balls. Glue one ball, hole side down, 2 1/4 inches from each corner of plywood. Cut a 5/8-inch dowel into four four-inch-long pieces. Glue one length in each unused ball. Thread dowels into balls attached to board, gluing in place. Cover wood with batting and fabric. Secure in place with a staple gun.
Tiered Stand & Candleholders
Set a festive summer table with a tiered stand and candle holders made from croquet balls and sticks.
To make the tiered stand: Drill 1-inch holes in the center of one 9- and one 12-inch wood round or cutting board. Stain rounds and paint edges desired color. Using a saw, cut a mallet handle to desired length, slip through the holes, then glue in place. Drill a 1-inch hole in a croquet ball and glue to the top.
To make the candle holders: Drill holes in croquet balls that are the same diameter as the bottom of a taper candle. Use an epoxy glue to attach a 1-inch metal washer to the bottom of the ball to keep it from rolling. Insert candles into drilled holes.
Wine Rack
It’s wine and game time! Make this rack by shaping croquet mallets into a new form.
To make: Remove handles from two mallets. Cut handles into four 13 1/2-inch-long lengths. Drill two 1-inch holes (1 1/2 inches from top and 2 inches from bottom) into two mallets to the right of the original center holes so that the center hole and top and bottom holes are perpendicular to one another; repeat with two more mallets, drilling holes to the left of the original hole. Cut the handles of two additional mallets to about 5 3/4 inches long. Fit handle lengths into holes, and glue in place.
Door Wreath
Welcome guests with a front door wreath made from croquet mallet heads. Sorry, the cute dog isn’t included.
To make: Cover a 14-inch biodegradable craft ring with a peel-and-stick moss mat. Remove the handles from about 16 croquet mallets. Hot-glue heads to wreath, offsetting every other one slightly (reserve handles for another DIY). Carefully turn over the wreath, and use a nail gun to permanently attach heads.
Garden Markers
Mark your plants in style with identifying stakes made from mallets. If you don’t have a saw, you can simply use the mallet at its full length.
To make: Trim the handles of croquet mallets to about 10 inches long. Paint centers of mallet heads with black Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®. Once dry, write vegetable or flower names on painted areas with chalk, and place in garden.
Bud Vase & Jewelry Holder
Flowers and jewelry, every girl’s dream! Use croquet mallets to display them in style.
To make the bud vase: Remove the handle of a mallet. Drill a 3/4-inch hole on either side of the original hole, spacing evenly. Plane the underneath of the mallet, or adhere self-adhesive rubber dots, to keep it from rolling. Place a glass test tube in each hole, and fill with water. Add flowers.
To make the jewelry holder: Drill a 1-inch hole in the center of a 5-inch wood round. Paint round desired color. Cut the handle of a mallet to 5 inches long. Glue the end of trimmed handle in the drilled hole.
