Folder of dressmaking coursework

Physical description

Folder of dressmaking coursework etc. as completed by Edith Prescott
when a student at the Woolwich Polytechnic Institute 1923-25:
1. folder made up of paper cover from an edition of "Chic Parisien"
containing twenty-four pages of white drawing paper mounted with
hand-worked needlework exercises. Approx. 39.8 x 30 cm (closed)
2. bone casing, worked on a rectangle of white linen, with all edges
neatened. Max. 25 x 18.5 cm
3. bone casing, worked on a rectangle of white linen, with all edges
neatened. Max.25.5 x 19 cm
4. hemstitched sampler worked in pink, maroon and aquamarine
threads on white embroidery linen, showing lines of a variety of
decorative patterns and stitches (including running, satin and chain), laid out in two vertical columns. 25 x 22.7 cm
5. hooks and eyes, worked on a rectangle of white linen, with a central
bound and boned opening closed by metal hooks and eyes (the eyes
worked with buttonhole stitch), and with all edges neatened. Max.25.3 x
20.3 cm
6. hooks and eyes, worked on a rectangle of white linen, with a central
bound and boned opening closed by metal hooks and eyes (the eyes
worked with buttonhole stitch), and with all edges neatened. Max.25.3
x 19.4 cm
7. beading exercise (unfinished), worked on a rectangle of écru silk
mounted on brown paper: the neatened edges are stitched with a line of
metallic beads to match those used in outlining the pattern of overlapping lozenge shapes tacked out in the centre of the panel.
Max.27 x 16 cm
8. bodice lining worked in white linen cut as a bodice front, with a bound and boned edge, and a boned padded dart, and with all edges
neatened. Max. 31.5 x 15.5 cm
9. bookmark consisting of a rectangular panel of point paper with a
moulded edge, embroidered in brown and green silks with a frame
around the name "Elizabeth Prescott" & two lozenges in cross-stitch, the
panel mounted on a length of magenta ribbon. Max. 48.8 x 3.8 cm
10. smocking, worked in red thread on a rectangle of peacock-blue
cotton, and including honeycomb, cable and feather stitches. Max. 21
x 10.3 cm
11. pin-tucking worked in horizontal rows on a rectangle of white net.
35.5 x 21.5 cm
12. gauging, worked in horizontal rows on a rectangle of white linen.
17.4 x 22.2 cm
13. shirring, worked in horizontal rows on a rectangle of white linen.
17 x 10 cm
14. (dried) wedding corsage, consisting of white chrysanthemums,
smilax, asparagus fern, sprengeri and white heather, decorated with
silver-paper horseshoes. Approx.36.5 x 23.5 cm
15. tucking of various depths, worked on a rectangle of white linen.
Max 35.4 x 21.5 cm
16. shell and pin tucks, faggotting and insertion, worked on a
rectangle of white linen. Max. 40 x 20.6 cm
17. hem stitch, in green silks on white lawn. 21.3 x 2.6 cm
18. cross-stitch, in green silks on white lawn. 21.3 x 2.4 cm
19. wheatsheaf stitch, in green silks on white lawn. 21.2 x 2.8 cm
20. Italian stitch, in green silks on white lawn. 21 x 2.6 cm
21. hexagon stitch, in green silks on white lawn. 21 x 2.8 cm
22. acorn stitch, in green silks on white lawn. 21.2.5 cm
23. panel of filling work, in green silks on white lawn and tape, with
strips and loops of tape connected with bar and buttonhole stitches
and faggotting. Max. 21.7 x 6.1 cm
24. panel of fastenings, in green silks on white linen, showing loops,
eyelets, and metal bars, eyes and hooks. Max. 20.4 x 7.2 cm
25. panel of "arrowheads" for finishing tops of pleats, etc., worked in
green silks on white linen. Max. 20.7 x 6.2 cm
26. panel of stitched buttonholes worked in green silks on white linen.
20 x 6.2 cm
27. panel of bound buttonholes, in green silk on white linen. Max.20.8
x 6.3 cm
28. panel of bound buttonholes, in green silk on white linen with
arrowheads embroidered in yellow. Max. 20.9 x 6.4 cm
29. jabot frill, in white book muslin bound with green silk and mounted
on white drawing paper. Max. 14.5 x 8 cm
30. lines of horizontal stitching on white linen. 21.3 x 6.4 cm.
31. rectangular panel of white linen with a narrow binding of green silk round the edges. Max. 22.3 x 7 cm
32. rectangular panel of white linen with a broad binding of green silk
round the edges. 22.2 x 7.2 cm
33. rectangular panel of black woollen twill bound with black braid and
worked with laid-and-couched black braid in arabesque patterns. Max.
23 x 6.4 cm
34. colour lithograph of Jesus the Good Shepherd wearing a pink-toned robe & black cloak, carrying a lamb & a crook, & leading a flock of sheep out of a stone building with a rolling green landscape in the background. The image, of portrait proportions, is captioned "JESUS PASTOR BONE/ K.F.Z. Printed in Switzerland". 25.6 x 18.7 cm
35. rectangular panel of ivory silk, worked with a satin-stitched
six-segmented circle between two chain-stitched hoops with diagonal
bullion crosses in mauve and yellow silks; the upper edge is worked with overlapping herringbone stitch in mauve and yellow, and the lower
edge with herringbone stitch in yellow and blanket stitch in mauve.
Max. 21 x 7.5 cm
36. square panel of white sateen with the edges stem-stitched in white,
and with an inlaid central spiral of reseda green silk and faggotting.
18 cm sq
37. rectangular panel of brown crepe with a row of five cut-out rectangular panels finished with buttonhole stitch in ivory silks, the whole laid over a panel of ivory crepe. Max. 21.5 x 7 cm
38. certificate of graduation from the Woolwich Polytechnic Institute
(portrait proportions) printed in brown & black on white, with a deep
rectangular border of branches of the tree of knowledge & scrolls
labelled ART, SCIENCE, LITERATURE, EDUCATION, ENGINEERING,
CHEMISTRY, COMMERCE, & INDUSTRY; a scene at the top shows
students at work and a carpenter and a dressmaker graduating. The
certificate, dated 31st March 1925, states that Edith Prescott, aged
sixteen years and five months, has completed the two-year course of
special instruction for dressmaking; on the reverse are details of the
preparatory trade training courses in dressmaking and tailoring. 25.2 x
17.2 cm
39. letter from Lady Moira Combe offering Edith Prescott a position as
lady's maid; the letter is hand-written in ink on Truslove & Hanson's
"antique azure" notepaper, from Lady Moira's address in Cadogan
Square, and dated May 15th (probably 1925). 22.7 x 17.7 cm

Date

1923-1925 (made)

Materials and Techniques

Fabrics and techniques as listed, mounted on white drawing paper

Object history note

References:

Assembled by Edith Prescott (born October/November 1908) when a student at the Woolwich Polytechnic Institute 1923-25.

Descriptive line

Folder of dressmaking coursework; British, 1923-25

Production Note

Made by: Work of Edith Prescott
Britain

Categories

Children & Childhood; Education & Learning

Collection code

MoC