It was common for ladies to embroider household textiles in the early 20th century. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseau Circular knitted white doily with petit point embroidered on net centre. doilys, household textiles

It was common for ladies to embroider household textiles in the early 20th century. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseau Circular, white cotton doily with applied netted lace and embroidered border. doilys, household textiles

It was common for ladies to embroider household textiles in the early 20th century. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseau Circular white cotton doily. With applied lace.household textiles, doilys

The Fashion & Textiles collections of Kew Historical Society include a number of art or household textiles manufactured or created in the United Kingdom as well as in Australia. As other cultures opened to Australian travellers in the 20th century, members began collecting and donating textiles produced in a number of other countries.Off-white oval embroidered doily with crotcheted lace edging. Bluebird one end, oval floral garland. Possibly Semco kit.Some of the printed design still visible.doilys, household textiles

The Fashion & Textiles collections of Kew Historical Society include a number of art or household textiles manufactured or created in the United Kingdom as well as in Australia. As other cultures opened to Australian travellers in the 20th century, members began collecting and donating textiles produced in a number of other countries.Off-white embroidered oval doily with crotcheted lace edging. Crotcheted through fabric. Roses and rosebuds. Holes obtained from crochet hook. Possible Semco kit, some of printed design still visibledoilys, household textiles

The Fashion & Textiles collections of Kew Historical Society include a number of art or household textiles manufactured or created in the United Kingdom as well as in Australia. As other cultures opened to Australian travellers in the 20th century, members began collecting and donating textiles produced in a number of other countries.White circular embroidered doily with crocheted lace edging. Three violet pansies with white leaves. Possible Semco kit. Punctured holes. household textiles, doilys

The Fashion & Textiles collections of Kew Historical Society include a number of art or household textiles manufactured or created in the United Kingdom as well as in Australia. As other cultures opened to Australian travellers in the 20th century, members began collecting and donating textiles produced in a number of other countries. Round white cotton doily with crocheted border.doilys, household textiles

The Fashion & Textiles collections of Kew Historical Society include a number of art or household textiles manufactured or created in the United Kingdom as well as in Australia. As other cultures opened to Australian travellers in the 20th century, members began collecting and donating textiles produced in a number of other countries.Circular white cotton doily. Coloured embroidery with tatted edge. Embroidered blue basket of flowers with pink roses and green scrolls with pink rosesdoilies, household textiles

Rectangular white damask pillow sham. Crotched lace one end with row of inserted lace household textiles, household linens, pillow shams, crochet

White rectangular table runner hand-embroidered with coloured flowers. household textiles, household linens, table runners

This bolster sham 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 and household linens - adding her own handmade embroidered or crocheted decorative trim. Most beds during the late 19th and early 20th century had a feather, hair or spring mattress covered by a blanket and topped with an under sheet, an upper sheet, several blankets and a bedspread. A flat bolster could be placed either under the pillows or on top of the pillows with a decorative sham. Washing pillows and quilts by hand would have been a very onerous task (involving heating water and handwashing in a tub or using a copper) and so it became the practise of many housewives to cover the pillows and bolsters with an outer slip (or sham) of washable material which could be easily removed and washed when needed. If the bolster was kept under the pillows it wouldn't need to be very decorative but many shams or slips that were "on show" were often highly decorated with embroidery, pintucks, ribbons or lace. This bolster sham is machine made and quite plain with the exception of some pintucking and eyelet lace on each end which suggests that it would mostly be hidden under the top pillows with just the decorative edges on display.This item is an example of the needlework skills of women in the early 20th century - combining machine stitching with hand embroidery to personalise and embellish a practical domestic object. It is also significant as an example of an early 20th century innovation that helped make the working lives of housewives a little bit easier.A long white cotton rectangular bolster sham, machine sewn, with seven ties and two buttons (plus one missing button) to enable it to be folded over lengthwise and closed. It has two pull string ties near each end to enclose a bolster and is finished with a decorative edge of pintucks and handmade eyelet lace and embroidery.flagstaff hill maritime museum and village, eliza towns, sham, bedding, great ocean road, shipwreck coast, warrnambool, household textiles, sewing, bolster sham, housework, pillow sham, charles towns, nhill, haberdashery, needlework, manchester, handmade, household linen

Square white cotton cut work supper cloth with highlighting in coloured thread.supper cloths, household textiles

White linen hand towel. Embroidered one end scalloped-edged the other. Embroidered with MAK. Salvage both sides. household textiles, hand towels

White cotton embroidered handkerchief sachet handkerchief sachets, household textiles

White cotton laundry bag with tie. Embroidered with the word Linen and leaves. Red embroidered marker at endEmbroidered word: LINENlaundry bags, household textiles

Embroidered white cotton tray cloth. Rectangular floral design reminiscent of black work filled in with red, blue and yellow flowers and green leaves. Crotched lace through punctured holes. tray cloths, household textiles

White cotton octagonal lace edged supper cloth, hand embroidered with white flannel flowers and green leaves. Crotched lace edging into punctured holes. supper cloths, household textiles, table linen

White damask rectangular table runner with drawn thread work designs. table runners, household textiles, table linen

In the early 20th century it was common for ladies to work doilies in lace or embroidered cloth. They were used to decorate sideboards or dressing tables and also on trays underneath crockery and on plates under food. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseauWhite cotton rectangular tray cloth embroidered with boronia, wattle, blue flower and two birds.tray cloths, household textiles

In the early 20th century it was common for ladies to work doilies in lace or embroidered cloth. They were used to decorate sideboards or dressing tables and also on trays underneath crockery and on plates under food. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseauWhite cotton tray cloth, embroidered with a spray of flowers. Montmellick work? Commercial Broderie Anglais lace applied.tray cloths, household textiles

Rectangular white cotton tray cloth with applied commercial cotton lace tray cloths, household textiles

In the early 20th century it was common for ladies to work doilies in lace or embroidered cloth. They were used to decorate sideboards or dressing tables and also on trays underneath crockery and on plates under food. These could be made from purchased kits or pattern books. They may form part of a trousseauSet of three white cotton doilies with crocheted lace borders. household textiles, doilies, crochet

Off-white square embroidered cushion cover with applied meterage lace edging. Basket of flowers, possibly Semco kit. Lace applied before closure so enclosure flap is at top of pillow. household textiles, cushion covers, semco?, embroidery, lace

White linen square cushion cover with crotcheted lace border. Crotched through fabric. Closed with two cloth ties cushion covers, crochet, household textiles, soft furnishings

White linen runner. Crotcheted edge. table runners, household textiles

White linen embroidered tea cosy cover. Broderie Anglais. Crotcheted edge.tea cosy covers, household textiles

Off white cotton cross stitched table runner. Crotcheted edge in brown and pink. Rectangular with triangular ends. Cross stitch design in pink and brown with a few blue stitches. table runners, household textiles

Embroidered tray cloth. Pink and yellow flowers in each corner. tray cloths, household textiles

White tray cloth with cut stitch border, edged with applied lace, gathered at corners. household textiles, tray cloths

White cotton runner. Inserted lace and edged with applied lace.household textiles, table runners, lace