Sampler
1875-1900 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This felt ‘sampler’ book contain 12 doilies. This type of small ornamental mat was placed under food on serving plates. These doilies are hand-knitted using a fibre from the Azores cactus plant seed and each shows a different pattern.
Peasant knitters in the Azores islands, west of Portugal, used to specialise in making delicate lace items such as shawls and dresses. Instead of wool, they used cactus plant-seed fibre. According to an article in Harper's Bazaar (1893), doilies like this one were knitted on ‘five, very fine, slightly curved, barbed needles’.
Peasant knitters in the Azores islands, west of Portugal, used to specialise in making delicate lace items such as shawls and dresses. Instead of wool, they used cactus plant-seed fibre. According to an article in Harper's Bazaar (1893), doilies like this one were knitted on ‘five, very fine, slightly curved, barbed needles’.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Hand knitted fibre of the Azores cactus plant seed |
| Brief description | F, British, 1875-1900, 12 knitted lace doilies of yarn from the Azores cactus plant seed |
| Physical description | A grey felt sampler with pinked edges, pages sewn together, featuring 12 doilies of two sizes in knitted lace made of fibre from the Azores cactus plant seed |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs Mary Medlam |
| Summary | This felt ‘sampler’ book contain 12 doilies. This type of small ornamental mat was placed under food on serving plates. These doilies are hand-knitted using a fibre from the Azores cactus plant seed and each shows a different pattern. Peasant knitters in the Azores islands, west of Portugal, used to specialise in making delicate lace items such as shawls and dresses. Instead of wool, they used cactus plant-seed fibre. According to an article in Harper's Bazaar (1893), doilies like this one were knitted on ‘five, very fine, slightly curved, barbed needles’. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.389-2001 |
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| Record created | September 5, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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