This is an unworked small tablecloth, with a cute Sunbonnet Sue design (I don't consider this a Crinoline Lady). I've been trying to decide how to stitch this one - it could look good as a kind of redwork, ie. just done in one colour using outline stitch, because the lines are very simple. But it could look equally as nice using a variety of stitches and colours. Any suggestions?
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From the same opshop mentioned previously, this tray cloth was only $2!! The writing says "Hullo! Good Morning" and the koala and gum blossom are the only motifs on it, but the crochet edge finishes it off nicely.
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I bought this Crinoline Lady doiley at an opshop that was posing as an antique dealer. Even though the design is lovely and the stitching well executed, the crochet edge is coming away, and you can see on the bottom left of this picture where there is a hole torn in the material, thus ruining that part of the embroidery. The saleswoman charged me $5 for it! In a better state I would have been happy to pay $25, but as it is....still, it is nice.
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I'm not sure what this item was meant to be used as, because this is only one end of it - the material has been cut across the other end, so I'll never know if it was a runner or table topper. Had to have it though, for the lovely stitching in this corner. $2 at the opshop!
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Half of a centrepiece, beautifully stitched in crisp blues and white on linen.
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This is stitched on a very light almost sheer material, in a traycloth size, but it is so fine, I would never consider using it for that purpose! She must have been an expert embroiderer; this stuff would be so hard to work on, and the stitching is perfect.
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One of a matching pair. The blue stitch has me so curious - it looks almost like Chicken Scratch, which is normally stitched on gingham.
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On seeing this pair, one of my friends said "ugh, how tacky" - I think she was remembering those flying ducks ornaments that used to be so popular mid 20th century! But this traycloth/placemat and matching napkin caught my fancy...and the stitching is perfect.
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Unusual tray cloth; I've folded it so you can see the opposite corners. Never seen a Spanish dancer on one of these cloths before.
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Forgot to include this older style centrepiece when I was scanning the others yesterday. Nice, isn't it? I have lots of cloths with tiger lilies, but not in a cocktail glass/vase!
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Top half of a cute doiley..
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...and the bottom half!
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One corner of an unfinished tablecloth. Pity the material is such an awful yellow.
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Lovely cushion cover on that brown cloth that seemed to be around during the 1940's...was it because of the War and they could't get proper linen?
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So many new additions to my linen!

I'm sure Ken thinks I have doubled my collection over the last two weeks - the house has had linen draped over everything in nearly every room. I have been cleaning another lady's collection for her, as I mentioned on here last week, which has meant putting as much as I can fit into the laundry tub every evening, leaving it to soak overnight, and hanging it out on the clothesline the next morning. Later in the day, I bring it all in (wet or dry) and drape it over clothes horses and anything else until I'm ready to iron it, usually after tea. Our house looks like something from my linen reference books - they have photos of European manor houses and castles, with their linen draped elegantly over the furniture. Mine wasn't really elegantly draped, but I did love seeing it everywhere, while Ken just got sick of it! Just thought of something - I should take some photos of it while I still have it around.
Mind you, 'K' has collected it from here twice, and I've taken some back to her too, so it's not actually accumulating into unmanageable heaps. 'K' is pleased that one of my friends has been buying some after seeing it here, as it is cash in hand for her without having to list on eBay and then wait for it to sell. Mind you, I've been allowed to choose which items I want to buy first! So, while my collection hasn't doubled, it has certainly increased, helped along with a few more wins from other sellers on eBay...here are some photos to keep my readers happy. I'll post the rest over the weekend.

Square doiley with neat and pretty stitching in one corner.
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Centrepiece featuring an unusual design, very dainty stitching.
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Centrepiece with art deco style floral work.
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More gorgeous stitching on this centrepiece - lovely vibrant colours like the others in this lot.
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Centrepiece doiley with an interesting design...art deco again?
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