Tatting is a form of knotted lace making using thread and a small shuttle. Twisted threads are tied around or through small, pointed shuttles that can be made of bone, mother of pearl, tortoise shell, steel or plastic. This produces a stable, strong lace using simple knots of two half hitches to make rings and chains embellished with picots. The origins of tatting are not clear but early versions of decorative knotting were used by the Egyptians on their ceremonial dress. Tatting also has elements of fishermen's net making techniques and the decorative knotting that was practiced by aristocratic women from the 15th century. Tatting, as we know it today, emerged in the first half of the 19th century. The new availability of mercerised thread from 1835 encouraged a burgeoning of lace crafts of all sorts. It was known in Italy as "occhi" and in France as "la frivolite". Tatting looks fragile but is both strong and durable. An article in a column named "Wives and Daughters" published in the Star newspaper in May 1910 describes the durability of tatting lace - "there is edging and insertion still in existence that have outworn two sets of pillow slips." In the 19th century and well into the 20th century, tatting was used like crochet and knitted lace for decorative edgings, collars, doilies, tray cloths etc. At first, different tatting patterns were passed along by word of mouth from person to person, however in time, patterns regularly appeared in newspapers and magazines well into the 1950's. This book has photographs and detailed instructions for a wide range of tatted edgings and insertions suitable for household linens such as towels, doilies and tablecloths as well as patterns for whole mats. Stanley E. Mullen (a businessman) developed Semco Pty Ltd which began as a Melbourne based importation company in 1907. The first three letters of Semco's name were his initials. In 1915 it began manufacturing women's apparel, whitework and transfer patterns. In 1924 the company moved to Black Rock, Victoria and continued to produce an extensive range of needlework patterns and handcraft instruction booklets, threads etc. up until the late 1970's. Semco had a staff that included many young women. It was noted by E.J. Trait (editor of the local newspaper "Standard News") that the firm provided them with good working conditions and the correct rate of pay for women in a time of war - the starting rate for 15 year olds, mainly girls at Semco was 25 shillings per week. During World War 2, Manpower Regulations could be used to coerce workers to move into jobs that supported the war effort, but Trait argued that being employed at Semco could make this unlikely as the firm made some goods essential for the war effort. He even suggested that women be encouraged to produce needlework items (and play a part in the war effort) by sending them as presents, to the troops up north. He also heaped praise on the Semco workplace - noting that no Saturday work was the norm, allowing employees to shop and have "hair-do's" before enjoying a relaxing weekend! Semco also had a female cricket side in the women's Saturday association. After the war the firm stayed in production until the early 1990's when it was taken over by Coates-Paton Pty Ltd. Norma Benporath (1900 - 1998) was an expert in tatting techniques and taught and published extensively on the subject. She was born in New Zealand with impaired sight but cataract surgery restored 50% vision to one eye. She was inspired to learn tatting whilst watching her aunt tat and being told that tatting did not require as much sharp vision as embroidery. She quickly learnt to design her own patterns and published over 1000 tatted lace patterns between 1929 and 1952. She became a regular contributor to magazines (such as Home Beautiful) and newspapers across Australia. Her designs were also published in New Zealand, South Africa as well as the U.K. and U.S.A. When Semco, a thread manufacturer, noticed a rise in the sale of fine crochet threads, they realized they had an untapped market to explore. Norma designed a collection of tatting patterns for Semco that were used to help promote their threads. Norma also worked with Semco to produce a line of threads and shuttles specifically suited to tatting. In 1997, Norma was inducted into the "Order of Australia" for "Service to the craft of tatting as a designer and through the international publication of her patterns".This item is an excellent example of the needle work being enjoyed by women in the 1940's in Australia and the skills of the Australian designer, Norma Benporath. It is also an example of the trend that emerged for craft companies such as Semco to publish pattern books in order to advertise their own materials.A 32 page soft cover instruction book with green front and back covers showing two tatted doily designs. The book includes black and white photographs and written patterns by Norma Benporath.Front cover - "TATTING" "For / EXPERTS/ and / BEGINNERS" "By/Semco" "SEMCO INSTRUCTION BOOK" "No. 16" "WITH ILLUSTRATIONS AND INSTRUCTIONS" "9" Back cover - "FOR INSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKING SEE PAGE 22" "Published by Semco Pty. Ltd." "BLACK ROCK, 29, VIC"flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, tatting, tatting instruction book, tatting patterns, tatting shuttle, semco, semco pty ltd, norma benporath, needlework, handcrafts, household linen, craftwork

The Bogong Hotel, Tawonga, was 125 years old when it was destroyed by fire early December, 2011. Mr & Mrs Crotty started the hotel, then one of their daughters who married a Higginson continued running it for a number of years. The Hore family then took over - Dick and Essie, followed by Norman and Vera, then the other Hore brothers. The Bogong Hotel commenced in 1886 and was the meeting place for people living in the Upper Kiewa Valley until it was burnt down in December 2011. Its publicans included members from local families - the Crotty's, Higginson's and Hore's including Vera Hore who was born in 1909 and died in 2000. These items were the property of Tawonga citizen Mrs Dorothy Anderson, who passed away in 2014, aged 90 years.White sheet style monogrammed cotton table cloth"Bogong Hotel" embroidered in red on one corner.bogong, hotel, kiewa valley, linen

The Ballarat School of Mines ins a predeccessor instituiton of Federation University Australia.Large and small table cloth featuring the Ballarat School of Mines Coat of Arms as an embroidered patch and gold tassel at each corner. ballarat school of mines, coat of arms, crest, val d'angri, table cloth, tablecloth, tassle

The photograph was taken by Reverend Weller and published in the Annual report for 1926 (printed in 1927).new year, dinner, reverend john reginald weller (1880-1969), sailors, seamen, flinders street, mission to seamen, entertainments, lhlg, ethel augusta godfrey, alice sibthorpe tracy, 1927, flags, vienna chairs, bentwood chairs, tablecloth, weller album

Hand made by Marjorie McKeown for her home.A long rectangular table cloth or runner made from a bright yellow fabric and with smallish embroideries of small cream flowers and dark green leaves. The cloth has a scalloped edge and a small dark yellow crochet border. tablecloth table-runner hand-embrodery table-linen

This item reflects the needlework skills of women in the first half of the 20th century.A white rectangular shaped linen tray cloth. It has rounded corners and crocheted edging. it is hand embroidered with brown-trunked trees, green leaves and oranges.linen tablecloth embroidery needlework handcraft

The blouse was made in Greece about 1945. The method used to create this fine embroidery was to copy a design from a cross stitch embroidery book guided by fine white tapestry threads tacked onto the yolk; when the design was finished, the embroiderer would pull out each fine white tapestry thread until only the embroidery remained around the yolk of the blouse.Throughout the centuries and up until the 1970s-80s, the women of Ithaca spun, wove, embroidered and knitted. Mothers prepared their daughters' 'glory boxes' trousseau (prikia), weaving bedspreads, rag mats (koureloudes) for everyday use, finer wool rugs for formal use, as well as linen sheets, pillowcases, blankets, towels and tablecloths. Linen was also woven to make the mattress that the young brides would take to their future homes. Mothers also wove and embroidered the fabric for their daughters' underwear and petticoats, nightgowns, etc. Sewing of the garments was also done by hand. The girls embroidered handicrafts using various stitches, they crocheted lace, netted pillows and even linen carpets. The handicrafts were usually embroidered by hand in cross-stitch using linen and cotton fabric. At the time there were merchants who travelled to the villages to sell machine made goods for the trousseaus, but most of the dowries consisted of the beautifully crafted work of the women. In the 30's the SINGER Company came to Ithaca and taught the girls sewing on the machine. A handwoven silk blouse. Colour - ecru. Hand embroidered, hand sewn, very fine white tapestry was tacked round the yolk; a gusset was sewn under each short puff sleeve at the armpit; two-tone hand made silk thread cords were passed through the hollow border of the sleeves and neckline.

Both the Page Commander's and Deputy Page Commander's tables were covered with a table cloth. The PC's table held the gavel, the Seal of the Court, the General Mark of the Order and an open Bible. The DPC's table held a gavel, the roll book and the cash book. [Information taken from the Methodist Order of Knights Rigtual of the Page's Degree for use in the Junior Court Ceremonies 1952 publication].Methodist Order of Knights pale blue oblong cotton table cloth with the MOK symbol in one corner.methodist order of knights

Rectangular cloth with avocado green binding and hand embroidered names of members of the Kew Missionary Band. In the centre: "K.M.B."kew missionary band

The provenance and names embroidered on this cloth are unknown. Conference attendees? Ladies Guild? Richmond Methodist Circuit?Square handmade cream linen cotton with blue edges. Signatures are embroidered on panelsu'ren, robert richard, rev., richmond methodist circuit

Blue cotton handmade table cloth with an appliqued and embroidered Methodist Order of Knights symbol. The MOK symbol is outlined with gold metallic thread. The table cloth has gold fringing.methodist order of knights

Blue cotton oblong table cloth with blue felt screen printed Methodist Girls' Comradeship Rays' section emblem in one corner.methodist girls' comradship rays section, albert street methodist church sebastopol ballarat

Circular ecru coloured cotton crochet cloth. Centre has four circles and edges have crochet peaks.domestic items, table setting, manchester, table linen

Welcome Home From St Peter's Church Opportunity Shopcraft, ballarat rsl, ballarat

1 Mesh Grounded Bobbin Style Tape Lace Clothwork Table Cloth or Doily.manchester, table linen, lace tablecloth centrepiece/doily, https://www.lynxlace.com/kindsoflace.html

Square, cream-coloured, silk organza and cotton table throw with purple, pink, white and green iris design shadow embroidery around the throw.tablecloths., household textiles., tableware