Grandmother's Doilies

by Kathy K McClellan

Title

Grandmother's Doilies

Artist

Kathy K McClellan

Medium

Photograph - Photographs

Description

Grandmother's Doilies by Kathy K. McClellan is a photograph taken for Day One of the Three Day Anything Goes Challenge.

These doilies were handmade by someone's grandmother. They were crocheted, which is a needle working artistic craft.

Doilies are created with openwork designs, allowing the background to show through. They have been used for binding flowers, head coverings, china and metal tray protectors, food service presentation, furniture protectors and ornamental decor.

The use of a doily will dictate what material is used (fabric, thread or paper) and how it was made. Antimacassars were most likely not handmade and were used to protect the back of stuffed furniture from Macassar, an oily hair grooming aid used in the 1800s. Later, they were used to keep the arms of stuffed furniture clean and were sold as chair sets.

Chair Sets were promoted to help you keep your furniture clean as well as suggesting that your home would be welcoming and would encourage your guests to linger. On a practical note the furniture doilies were often used to hide worn or torn chair arms.

In Victorian times flower arrangements were either wrapped in a doily or placed through a hole in the center of the doily.

Doilies are used in food presentation on or under trays, plates and vases. Their placement can be dictated by etiquette.

Some people think of old, dark, musty houses when they see doilies. But there are others that are overcome with nostalgia. They can smell that roast beef that Grandma made every Sunday. They feel the love and warmth of their family when gazing at old doilies.

Grandmother's Doilies. A trip down memory lane.

This image has been featured in the following FAA/Pixels groups:

Challenge Addicts Club 09/05/2021

Your Very Best Photography 11/16/2021

Uploaded

September 1st, 2021

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