Fancy Needlework Illustrated

I love the illustrations in this Fancy Needlework Illustrated Magazine, Novelties Number.  It was published by the Northern School of Art-Needlework, Manchester.

The magazine dates from probably the early 1920s.

The advertisements for needlework supplies are so pretty.

Look at this little "Clarice baby bonnet", cute or what.  Such a lot of work!

There are also tips for decorating hats for girls or ladies.

Hope you have enjoyed these visions of an earlier age.

Love, Liz

Vintage linen tray cloths

I decided to venture into my box of vintage linen and find out just how many embroidered vintage tray cloths I had.  (I wrote about one just a few days ago - here.)

I was quite surprised at just how many I had - I even ironed them for their photoshoot!

Find out more about this one here.

All of these were rescued from charity shops and I paid very little for them.  (I'll try and link to my original blog post about each one.)

This one is actually yellow althoug it is not showing up well in photograph!

These are all hand embroidered and I just wonder about the women who sit stitching them and if they were even used.  Tray cloths were put on a tray when the hostess was serving her guests tea.  I suppose they were also used on tables - so that the fruit bowl or flower vase wouldn't mark the wood.

Read how I found this one here.

This one with the hunter makes me think of Downton Abbey shooting parties - the family and their guests being served tea on the moors!

I love the delicacy of this one.

Last but not least is this lovely embroidery - more of a table runner than a tray cloth, but hand embroidered just the same.

I hope you have enjoyed this little rummage through my linen box.  I've lots more to show you - some other time!

Don't forget to visit me on Instagram - I'm Scottish Stitcher.

Love, Liz