The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of textiles dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the textiles, were used as items of clothing, others as items of household decoration, or simply as travel souvenirs. These textiles were created both domestically and internationally. Predictably with the growth of an ethnically and culturally more diverse community in Kew after the Second World War, textiles, clothing and objects in the collection inevitably reflected this diversity. This form of bobbin lace is made in Malta. It is a guipure style of lace. Maltese lace is worked as a continuous width tape lace on a tall, thin, upright lace pillow called a "Trajbu" and the Bobbins are called "Combini" . Bigger pieces are made of two or more parts sewn together. Lace made in Malta was originally needle lace, from the 16th to the 19th century, when the economic depression in the islands nearly led to the extinction of lacemaking there. But in the mid 1800s, Lady Hamilton Chichester sent lacemakers from Genoa to Malta. They used the old needle lace patterns and turned them into bobbin lace, which was quicker. It was not long after its introduction that the Maltese lace developed its own style from Genoese lace. Maltese lace was shown at The Great Exhibition of 1851 and it became popular in Britain. The style was copied by lacemakers in the English Midlands, and it was one of the sources for Bedfordshire lace. Maltese lace usually has the following characteristics which are useful for identification: It is usually made from cream silk. There is often the 8 pointed Maltese cross as part of the pattern, worked in whole or cloth stitch.The pattern may also have closely worked leaves known as “wheat ears” or “oats”. These are plump and rounded in shape, rather than the long narrow leaves of other types of bobbin lace. Maltese lace edging. It shows the Wheat ears, characteristic of Maltese lacelace, maltese lace, lace tape

Covers were used in the early 20th century to protect milk and sugar from flying insectsSquare net cover edged with alternate blue and white beads. A central bow is surrounded with a circular pattern at the edges. Beads inserted in crotched edgehandicrafts, food protection, jug covers, bowl cover

The Fashion & Design collection of Kew Historical Society includes examples of textiles dating from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Some of the textiles, were used as items of clothing, others as items of household decoration, or simply as travel souvenirs. These textiles were created both domestically and internationally. Predictably with the growth of an ethnically and culturally more diverse community in Kew after the Second World War, textiles, clothing and objects in the collection inevitably reflected this diversity. This form of bobbin lace is made in Malta. It is a guipure style of lace. Maltese lace is worked as a continuous width tape lace on a tall, thin, upright lace pillow called a "Trajbu" and the Bobbins are called "Combini" . Bigger pieces are made of two or more parts sewn together. Lace made in Malta was originally needle lace, from the 16th to the 19th century, when the economic depression in the islands nearly led to the extinction of lacemaking there. But in the mid 1800s, Lady Hamilton Chichester sent lacemakers from Genoa to Malta. They used the old needle lace patterns and turned them into bobbin lace, which was quicker. It was not long after its introduction that the Maltese lace developed its own style from Genoese lace. Maltese lace was shown at The Great Exhibition of 1851 and it became popular in Britain. The style was copied by lacemakers in the English Midlands, and it was one of the sources for Bedfordshire lace. Characteristics of Maltese lace. Maltese lace usually has the following characteristics which are useful for identification. It is usually made from cream silk. There is often the 8 pointed Maltese cross as part of the pattern, worked in whole or cloth stitch.The pattern may also have closely worked leaves known as “wheat ears” or “oats”. These are plump and rounded in shape, rather than the long narrow leaves of other types of bobbin lace. Camisole, made of silk thread Maltese bobbin lace that is constructed of lengths of lace forming two rectangles with a hole for the neck. Shows the characteristic Maltese cross and wheat ears. Fabric is made of tape lace joined togethercamisoles, maltese lace, bodices