STAMPED LINEN, TEACLOTH

A rare design of cutwork stamped linen for a hand embroidering, a tea cloth of fine white linen, early 20th century.

Written on one side are the words “SEMCO Superior Needlework J 809 36 x 36”.

Vein of one corner leaf is embroidered in satin stitch.

In cutwork, the forerunner to needlelace, the design of leaves, flowers, and figures are surrounded with buttonhole stitch. Areas of the background fabric are cut away. Where there are larger cut out shapes, these are supported by worked bars or brides, known as RENAISSANCE cutwork.

A broad range of stamped designs on fabrics for household articles available in early and mid 20th century. In Perth in the first half of the 20th century, evenweave linen fabrics were very rare, design and pattern books few and far between. Thus stamped linens/cottons were one of the few household articles available for the lady of the house to stitch.

Patterns for household linen, mass produced by Semco (Australia) Myart (Australia), and Deighton (England) were often published in women's magazines such as Australian Home Journal, The Weekly Times and the Australian Woman's Weekly and offered as a mail service to women in country areas.