Historical information
The fringed tablecloth is an example of a domestic item brought to Australia by early settlers in the Western District of Victoria as a home comfort.
Significance
The fringed tablecloth helps tell the story of the arrival of European settlers and the small, light home comforts they brought with them to maintain a meaningful connection to home.
Physical description
Fringed and lined square tablecloth. The front is hand embroidered on brown loose weave fabric, the back a pale yellow polished cotton fabric. The edges on the back have been turned and machine stitched. Hand-stitching has been used to join the top to the back and to add the fringe around the edges. The embroidery uses tapestry wool in cream, yellow, brown and green tones. The style is possibly an example of European folk style embroidery. An inscription on a pink ribbon is sewn onto the reverse.
Inscriptions & markings
“S F . 31303 OLIVER - - [undecipherable]”
Subjects
- flagstaff hill,
- warrnambool,
- maritime village,
- maritime museum,
- flagstaff hill maritime museum & village,
- shipwreck coast,
- great ocean road,
- tablecloth,
- fringed tablecloth,
- embroidered tablecloth,
- european embroidery,
- hand sewing,
- domestic object,
- handmade,
- textile,
- silk thread,
- geometric design,
- vintage,
- long-stitch,
- zigzag design,
- decorative,
- home décor,
- domestic linen,
- table linen
References
- Textile Research Centre - Berlin Wool Work An example of European embroidery used on domestic objects.
- Textile Research Centre - Florentine Work A description of Florentine work that could be applied to the embroidery on the cloth. "Florentine work is a type of counted thread embroidery consisting of a series of straight stitches laid out in a specific, geometrical pattern to produce one or more motifs."
