This handmade item represents an important pastime of Australian women of the late 19th to mid 20th century. Women's focus was the home and its decoration was important. Embroidery and crochet work was an affordable way to personalise and add aesthetic value, and examples of embroidered and crocheted pieces could be found in most Australian homes, decorating or protecting furniture, floors and walls, and keeping off flies and insects from food.Small square cream coloured hand crocheted sugar bowl cover. Word "sugar" is patterned into it. The beaded fringing is blue and white.food-cover handcrafts crochet

Crochet covers for milk jugs, teacups and bowls were produced to repel the dreaded Australian blow fly. They were typically decorated with Australian flora and fauna and commemorative motifs and sometimes edged with beads, shells and other three dimensional forms, not only for appearance, but also to weigh down the crochet so it would stay safely in place on the jug. The three dimensional parts were stiffened with sugar syrup, or sometimes starch, paraffin or gelatine. The main sources for crochet cover and other needlework designs available to women were in journals, magazines and pattern books. In the first half of the 20th century women's focus was the home and its decoration was important. Embroidery and crochet work was an affordable way to personalise and add aesthetic value, and examples of embroidered and crocheted pieces could be found in most Australian homes, decorating or protecting furniture, floors and walls, and keeping off flies and insects from food. Small square milk jug cover that has been hand crocheted with crown, flag and date patterned into centre. It has a red, white and blue beaded fringe.cover milk-jug-cover handcraft tableware

Purchased at a fete by Pat Richardson in the 1990sWidely used in Australian homes to protect milk from insects until the advent of bottled milkWhite crocheted milk jug cover, with blue glass beads at regular intervals around edge to weight the coverdomestic items, food storage & preservation, handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work

White lace round milk jug cover with white shell on outside edge.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

White cotton crocheted round milk jug cover. Stand up crocheted cup and saucer in centre edged in red. Red and cream beads around outside edgehandcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Round cream crocheted milk jug cover heavily encrusted with green beads in a triangle pattern.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Square white cotton crocheted milk jug cover. 'Milk' crocheted in centre and white and green beads around the edge.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

White milk jug cover. Two layers placed diagonally one on top of other to form corners. Red and milky beads.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Round white cotton crocheted milk jug cover with intricate pattern of blue beads.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Triangular shaped white cotton crocheted milk jug cover with a pattern of red beads in each corner.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Round white and blue cotton milk jug cover with blue beads around rdge.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

White cotton crocheted milk jug cover edged with yellow. Crocheted stand up cup and saucer in centre and yellow beads around outer edge.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

White cotton crocheted milk jug cover. Round with crocheted stand up cup and saucer edged in pink in centre. White and pink beads around outer edge.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Hand crocheted with crystal beadsdomestic items, food storage & preservation, handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work

Hand crochet and decorated with blue glass beads with one in centre.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Betty Jones Collection.Square milk jug cover, crotchet with the words the Sun in the centre. Edge trimmed with eight red and yellow beads in corners.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Square cream crochet milk jug cover decorated with green and red beads.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Square crochet cotton Milk Jug Cover with birds in patternhandcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

From the estate of the late Jean Ord, mother of the donor.Square fillet crotchet in white cotton with blue and pink beads around the edge. Square block pattern with milk written in centre.domestic items, food storage & preservation, handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work

Fine cotton, hand crochet milk jug cover.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Fine cotton double crochet jam pot cover.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Small round crochet milk jug cover with small blue beads.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food & drink consumption

White cotton mesh milk jug cover withe green beads.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food & drink consumption

Part of the Bette Jones Milk Jug Cover Collection.A cream crotchet round milk jug cover with green glass beads and a centre crocheted cup and saucer in cream with a green edge.handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Cover for milk jug; used during 1930's and 1940's before refrigeration, by Betty McPheeCrocheted circular piece, cream cotton centre; bordered edge 4 cm wide with 16 glass beadshandcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Milk jug cover used pre-refrigeration during 1930's and 1940's, by Betty McPheeRound ecru/croom crochet cover , centre 3-dimensional cup with yellow edge, yellow edge also surrounding saucer; trimmed with yellow glass beadshandcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Milk jug cover such as used pre-refrigeration during 1930's and 1940's. Owner Betty McPheeCream double net square with green stitching at edge. 3 cm crocheted border trimmed with cream and pink beadshandcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Milk jug cover such as used pre-refrigeration during 1930's and 1940's. Owner Betty McPheeCream, oblong crocheted milk jug cover; 4 cm shell pattern edge trimmed with red glass beadshandcrafts, crocheting or crochet work, domestic items, food storage & preservation

Milk jug cover used by Betty McPhee during 1930's and 1940's.Cream crochet, 25 cm milk jug cover as used in 1930's and 1940's before refrigeration. Design: rings of yellow and blue glass beadsdomestic items, food storage & preservation, handcrafts, crocheting or crochet work