The cloth was displayed at a World Exhibition at the Crystal Palace, London.White work cloth worked by donor's mother and aunt. Border of Irish crochet done by Rose Taylor and embroidery and drawn thread work by Em Taylor. Design depicts roses, birds and butterflies.embroidery, whitework, irish crochet, drawn thread work, cloth

The cloth has the four corners decorated in drawn thread work and embroidery. The border is in filet crochet which echoes the design of the embroidery, some foxing, especially in drawn thread work.embroidery, whitework, drawn thread, crochet

Thought to be made by the donor's mother.White linen table runner with white floral embroidery in stem stitch, bullion, buttonhole and French knots. The flowers appear to be made by inserting pieces of tape lace into fabric (holes) and holding them in place with buttonhole stitchembroidery, whitework, runners, mats, 1900-20, australia, surface stitchery

Said by donor ( (in 1976) to have been warn by 4 generations of her family.Fine white linen with fine sprigs all over. Decorative circle on back, a decorative band around the face in Ayrshire style. Three pin tucks around the face. Nylon ties have been added much later. Machine or handmade?embroidery, whitework, bonnets, late 19th century, ayrshire, scotland

Machine made lace and broderie mounted on net. Wide broderie frill.embroidery, whitework, bonnets, late 19th century, england

Traditionally worked using white thread onto a fine white muslin, Ayrshire embroidery is recognisable by stylised floral motifs with areas of filled in cutwork. Developed from Dresden embroidery (a form of pulled work) and tambour embroidery, it uses a range of stitches, including satin stitch, chain stitch, eyelets and buttonhole edging as well as a range of lace filling stitches. The technique became popular in the early nineteenth century, when the previous fashion of elaborate gowns with hooped skirts was replaced by looser, simpler white cotton muslin garments. Although the elegant simplicity was favoured, women also desired some decoration. However, looms of the time could not create complex designs, so women turned to hand stitching.Using cotton muslin woven in Ayrshire, local women and girls would complete the intricate whitework to help supplement their family income. Mainly produced at home, Ayrshire whitework garments would be initially completed by one person. However, as the technique became more popular and the industry developed, to ensure high quality work, a piece would be passed around so that each embroiderer could focus on completing the stitches they specialised in.It is believed that the designs and motifs used in Ayrshire whitework were inspired by lace filling stitches found within an inset in a French Christening robe that was bought to Scotland by Lady Mary Montgomery, who then lent it to Mrs Jamieson of Ayr. She copied the stitches used within the robe and taught them to her outworkers, and she also produced plain muslin that was stamped with a water-soluble blue ink design that made embroidering the designs neater and more efficient. Ayrshire work became popular quite quickly, and it was incorporated into collars, cuffs and caps as well as children’s clothes and bonnets. Pieces were exported across Europe and the British Empire. As the decades progressed, technology advanced, resulting in looms that could incorporate decoration into the weave of the cloth, reducing the need for hand embroidered Ayrshire whitework.A triple frill of Buckingham lace, followed by two bands of fine embroidery - eyelets and satin stitch, and tucking, with small circle at crown.embroidery, whitework, bonnets, mid 19th century, scotland, garments

Fine cotton, embroidered circle at back of head. 13 tucks with drawstrings to shape the fit. Double frill of net edged with narrow lace.embroidery, whitework, bonnets, late 19th century

Made for the trousseau of Mary Elizabeth Williams, who married in 1874.White cotton, entirely handmade, with sleeves and neck edging of broderie anglais. Front bodice has 3 strips of broderie anglais alternating with tucking.embroidery, whitework, garments, england, late 19th century

Deep band of machine made broderie anglais in a feather pattern, with some tucks, Yoke has bands of machine embroidered insertion sewn with Feather stitch.embroidery, whitework, garments, 1900-20, england, broderie anglais

White cotton fabric dress with bands of machine broderie anglais and insertions. The skirt has tucks between three bands, joined with feather stitch and bodice with shaped panel and wings. Classical garment of late 19 century for 8-10 year old girl.embroidery, whitework, garments, childs, 1900-20, england

This underskirt was very likely made from a cut-down christening gown bodice removed and waistband added.White cotton with panels of insertions in a design of acorns and oak leaves, joined by feather stitching. Skirt also has much pin tucking. Wings at the sides.embroidery, whitework, garments, late 19th century

Purchased by Guild 17/7/1960Fine linen with broad hem stitched border the only decoration. Initials worked in white embroidery stitches.Initials embroidered LMC. Marking ink - L.M. Cochraneembroidery, whitework, late 19th century

Purchased by Baroness Felicitas Weidersperger of Tazovitz, Czechoslovakia at the World Exhibition in Vienna about 1900.Fine cream linen with woven stripes as an outer border. A white work design of leaves and circles twined through the woven stripes. The scalloped edge is buttonholed.embroidery, whitework, scotland, handkerchief, c. 1900

Lawn, with a long shaped front panel of machine embroidered insertion, edging and lace and tucking, all joined with feather stitching. Wings go over the sleeves to form a collar at the back.embroidery, whitework, christening gown, late 19th century, ireland

Shaped collar with a continuous border - floral motifs.embroidery, whitework, garments, 19th century

Fine lawn with design of leaves around inserts of patterned net. Padded satin stitch and eyelet holes. Deep scalloped frill.embroidery, whitework, scotland, early 19th century

Fine cream lawn, edged with bobbin lace to copy the original needlepoint Armenian edge stitching. This prettily shaped collar has floral sprays, and 3 drawn ground panels with voided designs of birds and a rural scene.embroidery, whitework, southern europe

Design of leaves and flowers in padded satin stitch and drawn thread. A continuous border of leaves hsaped to a point at centre and back.embroidery, whitework, drawn thread, mid 19th century, england

Donor's mother bought this from the west of Ireland in 1950. Said to have been embroidered by her grandmother and her ladies in 1780-1800. (This may be a later rather than actual date). Knotting was a genteel pastime for leisured ladies requiring little concentration, so conversation could be carried out. Favoured at Court and practised in England in the late 17th C in William and Mary's reign and Queen Anne's reign in the early 18th C.Knotting was a genteel pastime for leisured ladies requiring little concentration, so conversation could be carried out. Favoured at Court and practised in England in the late 17th C in William and Mary's reign and Queen Anne's reign in the early 18th C. A knotting shuttle, larger than a tatting shuttle, made knots at every quarter inch or 6 mm intervals in string, linen, silk or wool. Mrs Mary Delaney enjoyed knotting and preferred linen thread which was stronger. The Ulster Museum in Belfast holds an embroidered bedcover by Delany, one of the few complete pieces of embroidery made by her. The threads between the knots was dependent on the thickness of the thread. This fashionable occupation was often mocked by men, Sir Charles Sedley, a wit and libertine wrote a verse mocking Queen Mary, the dull Protestant wife of William 111: "Blest we, who from such queens are freed/ Who, buy vain superstition led,/ Are always telling beads;/But here's a queen now, thanks to God/ Who, when she rides in Coach abroad/ Is always knotting threads. In the Spectator of 1712 it was suggested that men might take up knotting. Dr Johnson attempted to learn the skill but told Boswell "I once tried knotting: Dempster's sister undertook to teach me, but I could not learn it." Knotted linen thread couched onto white linen bed cover. embroidery, whitework, bedcover, 18th century, ireland

An 18th-century fichu was a lightweight, typically white triangular or square neckerchief made of muslin, linen, or cotton, worn by women to cover the chest and neck. Popular from the early-to-late 18th century, these versatile garments were often folded, draped, or pinned over low-cut bodices, acting both as a modest covering and a fashionable accessory.  Muslin with embroidered frill - fichu has design of wheat scrolling above the frill and in the corner. Flowers in drawn thread.embroidery, whitework, drawn thread, fischu, early 19th century, france

Fine white linen in envelope shape with a decoration of three dainty flower circles in a garland of floral sprays. Fine padded satin stitch. Hem stitched edge.embroidery, whitework, sachet, 1900-20, flowers

Made by Lorna Law (Guild member) to commenorate the Guild's 50th anniversary.Whitework sampler made to celebrate the Guild's 50th anniversary, featuring drawn thread designs from pieces in the Guild's collection. Mounted on a pale green ground and framed.The Embroiderers Guild Victoria 1960-2010. Worked by Lorna M. Law 2010embroidery, whitework, drawn thread, holbein

Fine white linen mat edged with hem stitching. Central design embroidered using satin and stem stitch. Drawn thread embroidery is at the four corners.mat, embroidery - whitework

Made by a member of the Cochrane family.Decorative edge consists of a central leaf design in padded satin stitch. On each side is a tiny row of eyelet holes connected to rows of buttonholed scallops.embroidery, whitework, garments, 1900-20, scotland

This collar was previously owned by the donor's (Mr N.L.S. Croft) mother, Ethel Williams of Manchester, England.Fine white musline with two large sprays of flowers. Decorative scalloped edging. Seeding in leaves is done by hand.embroidery, whitework, collars, late 19th century, england

Made by a relative of the Cochrane familyDecorative bands with insertion of lace edged with buttonhole loops. Superimposed on the lace are bunches of embroidered grapes.embroidery, whitework, garments, 1900-20, scotland

Fine white linen with an 8 cm band of white embroidery of spots and floral sprays. Edge of finely scalloped buttonhole.embroidery, whitework, 1880-1900

White muslin with a white spray of flowers in satin stitch with lace fillings. This piece may be machine embroidery.embroidery, whitework

Photograph which accompanies this garment shows the apron being worn by Christina Thomson Ball - nee Somerville.Fine white lawn with decorative lace and gathered centre panel. Lace round armholes. Decorated with fine feather stitching.embroidery, whitework, 1900-20, aprons

2 bands of insertion on fine muslin in a scrolled design of flowers and leaves. Embroideery is reversible, and has drawn fabric in flower centres on larger piece.embroidery, whitework