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. Cream crocheted bodice with pearl buttons. A net band has been attached at the waistline to facilitate the garment being tucked in. There are some machine made elements hand tacked on but the garment is mainly hand made. Most of the garment is diamond mesh with picot. The yoke is crotchet mesh with applied daisy motifs. Large daffodils and daisy motifs are applied to the main body of the garmentlace, women's clothing

An item forming part of a collection of costumes, photographs and documents relating to the Weir family who lived in a mansion, originally named Illapa, at 84 Princess Street, Kew, from c.1917 to 1950. This historically significant collection includes items relating to both George Weir (1866-1937), his wife Edith Mary Weir (1867-1948) and their children. George Weir attained national prominence in the mining industry, becoming General Manager of the North Broken Hill Silver Mining Company in 1903 (later renamed North Broken Hill Mining Company 1905-12, and North Broken Hill Ltd 1912-1988), and subsequently President of the Mine Owners Association. He was to remain General Manager of North Broken Hill Ltd until his retirement in 1926.This garment is part of a collection of women’s clothing, owned and worn by Edith Mary Weir (nee Betteridge) - born in Clare, South Australia 1867, died Kew 1948 - and also by her daughter. The garments date from the 1880s to the 1930s. The collection includes day dresses, evening dresses, evening coats, capes, and undergarments. As the wife and daughter of a mine manager, the collection includes representative examples of clothing worn by upper middle class Australian women in domestic circumstances, and at social and civic events. A number of the costumes from the 1920s to the 1930s are of a particularly fine quality, being both rare, representative and intact examples of Australian fashion of the period. The garments in the Weir Collection were donated to the Kew Historical Society by a granddaughter of Edith Weir in 2017.Ornamental cream crocheted bodice of ribbing, flowers and leaves.edith mary weir (nee betteridge), illapa -- 84 princess street -- kew (vic.), women's clothing, weir collection, bodices

Child's clothing accessory owned and worn by a baby in the Piesse family of Kew. Later owned by Margaret Hollis (nee Piesse) of Castlemaine.Crocheted baby's bonnet.baby wear, bonnets, crochet

White cotton short sleeve short top. Button up front with extensive crochet work and pink lace detailing.No visible markingscostume, female, top, clothing, white, cotton, crochet, lace.

White girls nightgown. Long with short sleeves with extensive tiered crochet-work down the front of the dress. The back of the dress laces up with white ribbon.No visible markingscostume, children's, nightgown, clothing, sleepwear, white, crochet.

White cotton short sleeve short top. Button up front with extensive crochet work.No visible markingscostume, female, top, clothing, white, cotton, crochet, lace.

White cotton long women's nightgown with long sleeves. Crochet detail along the collar and front.No visible markingscostume, female, cotton, crochet, clothing, nightgown, sleepwear, white.

Possibly belonging to Mrs Jack Crowe of Yambuk. Owner of the Yambuck general store in later years. Lace top of an undergarment or night attireCottom trim irish crochet work for a petticoat. 3 buttons to fasten in frontlocal history, handcrafts, crochet, lace, top

Hand worked by Grandma Tassel, donated by Neil and Cheryl Tassel.A cream coloured silk hand crocheted baby bonnet. One inch (1") of single crochet edging is a feature. No ties are attached.baby bonnets, baby clothing

The dress is on doll.A handmade cream coloured fine wool dress. It has blanket stitch hemming and crocheted lace around the neck, sleeve and hem.baby dresses, baby clothing

Two white baby bibs: one is silk crocheted and the other is made of white cotton with two embroidered outlines of ladies wearing purple bonnets - c1920.baby clothing, baby bibs

Used at St Brigid's Crossley during 20th CenturyWhite linen tunic reaching to the knees, with moderately wide sleeves. Crocheted lace trim with pascal lamb symbol and crossecclesiastical clothing

A green covered paperback knitting book with the title printed in white letting at the top c.1940's. The front cover depicts three photographs - a child wearing a knitted jumper and cap holding a teddy bear, a person wearing knitted mittens putting on a knitted sock, and a pair of white cotton crocheted ladies prettily decorated gloves. Inside are various patterns for clothing - caps, sleeveless pullover, waistcoat muffler, armlets, man's socks and mittens, kneecaps and scarves. non-fictionTwo knitting pattern booklets for home knitters, c.1940's. The Wool Department on the Ground Floor at Ball and Welch in Melbourne offered free advice for knitting problems. These booklets were collected over 15 years and were used for exhibition at Memo, Gallery Healesville Friday 23rdOct to 18th November 2015.knitting, knitting patterns, knitting equipment

Made by Mrs. J. PenwillCream baby's bonnet crocheted from rayon.baby bonnets, baby clothing

Used by Dorothy Wilms in 1911.Cream baby bonnet and bib in mercerised cotton, with crocheting around the egde of bib.baby bonnets, baby clothing, baby bibs

Brought from Scotland in 1905 and worn by her son Alwyn in 1946. Given to Mrs. Mavis Henderson (nee Hunter)One pair of cream crocheted bootees.booties, baby clothing, baby shoes

White cotton night gown, long, with crochet trim on sleeves and around square neckline. Sleeves short (above elbow).No visible markingscostume, female, nightgown, clothing, white, crochet, cotton

White cotton pants; 3/4 length used as sleepwear. Crochet detail on bottom of pants and tie-up waist.No visible markingscostume, female, white, sleepwear, nightgown, crochet, cotton, clothing, costume.

White girls nightgown. Long with short sleeves. Crochet detail on top of back with one button. Crochet detail also on the edge of the sleeves and collar.No visible markingscostume, children's, nightgown, clothing, sleepwear, white, crochet.

Hand knitted to resemble crochet. Simple crochet edging is placed around the garment. The jacket is closed with pearl colored buttons.c1990 hand knitted baby christening garment.Cream silk knitted matinee jacket for a babyNilbaby christening, clothing, handmade, knitted

Debra Jarred only daughter of Rex and Joan Jarred, of Broughton, married John Barber second son of Basil and Val Barber of Nhill, on 8 March 1980, at the Uniting Church, Broughton.Nhill family wedding; representing style of wedding dresses in 1980Wedding dress made by Cassandra Gowns; shoe string strap daisy lace bodice, with stand up collar of daisy lace and pleated skirt, elegantly covered with a cuffed long sleeve blouse, over skirt & belt of chiffon, flowing graceful soft train, finishing with a head-dress decorated in daisies attached to a long fine silk net veil.(2007.01.1) - Bouquet of white silk roses & ribbon(2007.01.2); white high heal lattice toe shoes with delicate ankle strap (2007.01.3), Blue lace garter & assorted crocheted bells, horse-shoe, and slippers, of satin ribbon (2007.01.4)daisy lace trim on cuffs and necklinewedding dress, 1980, broughton, debra jarred, debbie jarred, john barber, uniting church, rex & joan jarred, basil & val barber], nhill

BHS CollectionBlack woollen shawl, with an 8 cm fringe along two sides. Crochet has a fan-like pattern worked in treble crotchet and chain stitch. This gives an open effect.costume, female, black crocheted shawl

BHS CollectionFine patterned black syntheticed? Thread jacket. Long sleeves have been hemmed back with a generous seven cm hem. This maybe to form a turn-back cuff if required. High fold-back collar fastens with two narrow velvet ribbons. No fastenings at centre front opening. Extended sleeves in one piece with the front and back. Collar, front, and ;lower edges finished in a curved, shell shaped pattern.costume, female, black crocheted jacket

Made by Isobel McNamara from recycled silk. Hand embroidered & crochet edging. Infant silk petticoat made from night dress. C 1965 -1967. Embroidered with hand crochet edging. Nilinfant clothing, silk embroidery, recycled clothing, heather mcnamara

Thirty two page knitting pattern book featuring black and white printed graphics and text. The colour cover shows a man, woman and girl wearing knitted clothing.front: [printed] Vol. 4 / Embassy / Knitting Magazine / Patterns for the family in knitting and crochet. / Embassy / Knitting yarn exclusive to COLESknitting, pattern, fashion, knitwear, women

This corset cover is one of several linen and clothing items that were made and belonged to Mrs. Eliza Towns and donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Eliza was born Eliza Gould in 1857 in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill) and in 1879 married Charles Towns. In the early 1880's they moved to Nhill in western Victoria and remained there for the rest of their married life. Charles was a jeweller and later became an accountant and for many years was involved with the Shire Council, the local show committee (A & P Society), the Hospital Committee and the Board of the local newspaper (the Nhill Free Press). They had three children and lived a life that would be regarded as comfortably "middle class". Eliza probably had a treadle sewing machine and would have made many of her own clothes as well as clothes for her children - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. This corset cover is an excellent example of an everyday clothing item with the decorative trim favoured by women in the late Victorian era. Eliza Towns has added pintucks, embroidered feather stitch and a highly decorative hand crocheted lace trim to the neckline, sleeves and front of the bodice. Corset covers (sometimes called camisoles) began to appear in women's fashion around 1840 and continued through the late Victorian decades into the Edwardian era. The long chemise was considered too bulky to cover the corset and so the corset cover was developed to be short and light and was worn over the corset and under the bodice of the outer garment. A woman would dress into her chemise and drawers first, followed by her corset and finally her corset cover as a final layer under her dress. Corset covers served several purposes. They provided protection against sweat (and the need to regularly wash the corset), helped smooth the lines of the corset and increased a woman's modesty.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the late 19th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery and crochet to embellish an item of personal underclothing. It is also significant as an example of a practical solution to the difficulty of hand washing a corset in the Victorian era.A short (waist length) corset cover of fine cotton. Short sleeves fall from a square neckline and are gathered into a wide crocheted lace trim with a band of embroidered feather stitch. The same crocheted lace design and feather stitching are also on the square neckline which is finished with a drawstring ribbon. The bodice has a front opening with five buttons and is bordered on each side with four pintucks. It has a drawstring ribbon at the waist and an extra layer of fine cotton lining has been added to strengthen the corset cover under the arms. The back has two bands of three pintucks running vertically from the neckline to the waist.flagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum & village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, nhill, wimmera, eliza towns, underclothing, corset cover, camisole, machine sewing, hand sewing, crocheted lace, pintucks, feather stitch, embroidery, underwear, victorian era underclothing, victorian era corset cover

This item of underclothing, called a "combination" is one of several linen and clothing items that were made and belonged to Mrs. Eliza Towns and donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Eliza was born Eliza Gould in 1857 in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill) and in 1879 married Charles Towns. In the early 1880's they moved to Nhill in western Victoria and remained there for the rest of their married life. Charles was a jeweller and later became an accountant and for many years was involved with the Shire Council, the local show committee (A & P Society), the Hospital Committee and the Board of the local newspaper (the Nhill Free Press). They had three children and lived a life that would be regarded as comfortably "middle class". Eliza probably had a treadle sewing machine and would have made many of her own clothes as well as clothes for her children - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. Combination undergarments combined the chemise and drawers into one garment. The combination is divided, or bifurcated, from the waist to the crutch for easier urinating. This one-piece type of underwear was worn by females from the 1860s and into the early 1900s. The 19th Century garments had front button closures like this one, and those made in the 1900s more often had back closures. Combination underwear was popular because the all-in-one design had far fewer gathers and bulk, making the other clothing look much smoother. Their primary use was to protect clothing from perspiration and because they were made with cotton or linen, were easy to wash. Although they were worn under the corset, next to the skin (and therefore not meant to be seen), they were often decorated with lace and embroidery. Although these combinations are made with a plain cotton fabric, Eliza Towns has incorporated pin tucks, hand embroidery and crocheted lace to embellish her garment. The collection of women’s late-19th-century undergarments is an example of clothing that women would include in their wardrobes. The garments add to the study of the evolution of women's fashions and practicality for the early Australian settlers. The careful needlework in these handmade garments and hand-worked lace trims reflect the maker’s dedication to making even serviceable garments beautiful to look at and wear.Women’s white cotton and lace all-In-one combination undergarment. The handmade underwear is a combined chemise and bloomers. It has three buttons in the front and a handmade drawstring cord around the square neckline. It is trimmed with crocheted lace (with a floral design) on the neckline, sleeves and pants. It had pintucks and feather stitching on the bodice and the left and right sides are divided from the waist to the crutch. The back of the garment is plain with a gathered section at the lower back.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, maritime museum, maritime village, warrnambool, great ocean road, victorian era, combination undergarment, all-in-one underwear, combination, ‘combinations’, one-piece underwear, one-piece undergarment, chemise and bloomers, combination chemise and bloomers, divided, bifurcated, split, chemise and drawers, women’s underwear, ladies’ underwear, undergarment, women’s clothing, women’s fashion, lingerie, 19th-century undergarment, handmade clothing, handmade lace, crocheted lace, towns family, nhill, eliza towns

This nightgown is one of several linen and clothing items that were made and belonged to Mrs. Eliza Towns and donated to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village. Eliza was born Eliza Gould in 1857 in South Melbourne (Emerald Hill) and in 1879 married Charles Towns. In the early 1880's they moved to Nhill in western Victoria and remained there for the rest of their married life. Charles was a jeweller and later became an accountant and for many years was involved with the Shire Council, the local show committee (A & P Society), the Hospital Committee and the Board of the local newspaper (the Nhill Free Press). They had three children and lived a life that would be regarded as comfortably "middle class". Eliza probably had a treadle sewing machine and would have made many of her own clothes as well as clothes for her children - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. This nightgown is machine sewn by Eliza Towns and she has added a detailed design of pintucks and broderie anglaise lace to the front yoke and cuffs as a decorative element. The 1800's bought a shift in attitude towards modesty as the Victorian era progressed and by the mid to late 1800's it had become more acceptable ladies to wear simple, modest nightgowns. They tended to have a very loose fit and were usually made of linen, cotton or flannel, which had the advantage of providing warmth and also being easy to wash - a necessity for a garment worn next to the skin. Although the basic design of the nightgown was fairly simple, the wearer was free to add various types of trim e.g. lace, crochet, pintucks, embroidery etc.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the late 19th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery to personalise and embellish a practical item of clothing. It is also significant as an example of a practical solution to the difficulties that women of this era faced with regard to the washing of clothes and household linens.Lady's long, white, cotton nightgown with a V shaped bodice decorated with bands of nine pintucks alternating with strips of broderie anglaise lined with pink ribbon. The opening front placket and neckline are bordered with a simpler broderie anglaise lace. The long sleeves are gathered into cuffs with a matching V shape, pintuck and broderie anglaise design. The front placket fastens with three cream buttons although one is missing. The back of the nightgown has gathered fabric on a plain, narrow V shape yoke. A narrow gusset has been added to the both sides at the bottom of the nightgown.Noneflagstaff hill, flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, warrnambool, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, victorian era clothing, victorian era nightgown, nightgown, nightdress, eliza towns, nhill, wimmera, textiles, clothing, machine sewing, hand sewing, pintucks, broderie anglaise, sewing