Bonnets (B1 to B14)

B2 Collection of six girl’s bonnets, 1910-1920. Handmade with simple ruching; edging and some inserts of machine made lace; fine cotton lawn, one possibly in early rayon. Provenance: part of collection of Kilmarnock lady met after a talk by Mrs Bryson; legacy in 1970s/80s.

B3 Four women’s bonnets, all from same Kilmarnock source as B2 above.

1. Fine white cotton weave: “tartan”; front frill, finely gathered, with machine lace edging, also to crown.
2. Very fine cotton lawn, slightly yellow. three bands of finely ruched cotton with inserts of fine machine embroidered tape with pulled thread strip down edge (cf B3.iv for pulled edges to band). Front frill. Finely gathered with machine lace/net edge.
3. White, fine cotton. Head design divided into three strips, one with cutwork flowers joined by embroidered sprigs (possibly machine). Corded seam to crown with detached asymmetrical eyelets. Front flounce of layers of net. Net lappets/tails.
4. White dense cotton. Head two finely ruched bands with hand embroidered band; very fine “vine” with eyelets and pulled edges ( possibly hand)

B4 E. W. THOMSON COLLECTION Child’s bonnet, very fine lawn. Head: design banded towards front with four surface cords drawn through eyelets; bands of eyelets and sprigs, all hand embroidered. Each of three layers of machine embroidered net frill seamed by fine cotton tape. Head drawn to circular crown with sprig design, hand embroidered, also buttonhole edge. Net frill at neck. Added tapes/ribbon, yellowed.

B5 Baby’s bonnet, unknown provenance Darned net: geometric designs on front band. Head dotted embroidered, crown star design. Thin ribbon strings. Front ties.

B6 Baby’s bonnet, unknown provenance Fine lawn; handmade lace inserted bands, also crown; double gathered brim/flounce in lawn to front; lawn neck frill. Linen tape ties.

B7 Baby’s bonnet, unknown provenance Head fine cotton lawn with two front machine lace bands. Two gathered lace front frills. Crown two lace bands ladder stitched together.

B8 Baby’s bonnet, lawn Head seam to crown overstitched; seven overhead strings, five plain fabric frills. Appears in Ayrshire Needlework, p15, Fig 4.

B9 Baby’s bonnet/nightcap, very small. NB warm and plainer bonnets meant for night wear. Coarse weave cheesecloth type; head double thickness with gathered band to crown; plain cloth frill, machine lace edge. Single layer for sweating. Tapes not string.

B10 Baby’s bonnet Two draw strings; two added handmade tapes. Three plain flat frills towards front each edged by slim machine lace. Plain crown.

B11 Baby’s night bonnet, very small Very fine lawn, six draw strings; crown with tiny hand embroidered sprigs and inserted in open style with very fine whipped threads. three plain cloth front frills.

B12 Lady’s bonnet, possibly for wedding Flattish triangular style rather than bonnet shape. Hand sprigged eyelet cloth, motifs and scallops; band of pulled thread with sprigs; three heavily gathered front frills with machine embroidered motifs at ends, machine lace round long sides; wide ties hand made. Altered or remade? – further investigation needed. Provenance: Mrs Harvey of Hill House Hill, Fenwick, by Kilmarnock, 1970s.

B13 Lady’s bonnet, large, possibly for wedding Hand sprigged (similar motifs, possibly pre-stamped) on crown (needlepoint filling not worked) and head; pre-made frill/double flounce, different material. Machine lace edgings. Some fillings unfinished or not done in spaces in sprigging. Lappets hand-edged and with sprigs including motifs. Gathered fabric neck frill and brim; two sets of strings.

B14 Flat bonnet (possibly afternoon wear) Lightly gathered premade frills with finished edges double across front; draw string round back of neck. Decorated front of head with front to back bands of alternate corded lacing (perhaps awaiting fillings) with eyelet pattern. Also ties/lappets with lacing, eyelet edge and scalloped edge. Provenance E. W. Thomson Collection, perhaps but not certainly.