Edward VIII : coronation : tablecloth with flowers & coat of arms

A pretty floral-edged tablecloth made to celebrate the coronation of Edward VIII - floral emblems and the coat of arms.  I wonder what the stitcher thought when he abdicated?  She didn't undo her stitching and change the king's name; and she didn't finish it.  It was apparently found wrapped in newspaper in an older lady's home.  Measures approx 32inches square.  Probably sold as a pre-printed tablecloth with the edges already hemmed, just needing embroidery.

I wonder if there are almost-identical examples with George VI on them instead of Edward VIII?

If you know any more about the source/designer/publisher/producer of this design, please do leave a comment to add to the information available here.

Elizabeth II: coronation: floral emblem tablecloth

According to the seller, this was done in 1952 to celebrate the Queen's coronation (in 1953) on linen.  It features the floral emblems of the British Isles, and measures 40in x 42in.

If you know where this design was published, or any more information about it, please do get in touch by commenting. 

Elizabeth II: coronation: from transfer to sampler

So imagine you have a book of transfer patterns like this:

and another one like this:

What could you do with it?

Perhaps this.

From a private collection.

It's perhaps a pillow sham sort of size.  Maybe a table centre?  Not big enough for a table cloth, but too big for a single table mat for dining (and such things are more likely to be decorative than useful).  It does seem more likely to have been displayed flat, rather than vertically.  The fringe is woollen, in patriotic red and blue.  Perhaps it was a child's work? - one motif at a time and the satisfaction of seeing each complete to spur you on.  Even though patterns/transfers are being used, the individuality of the maker comes through in the choice and placement of designs and the nature of the stitching itself (more room for variation in embroidery than the more charted confines of cross stitch or tapestry).

It was rather fun to put the two together and see the origin/source of the stitched designs.

The collector sourced this sampler from the US.  Perhaps a post-war British migrant, nostalgic for home?

Sadly, like most of these British patriotic samplers and embroideries, there is no stitcher's name or any other clue to their identity.

Elizabeth II: coronation traycloth with crown and flowers

A little traycloth commemorating the coronation of Elizabeth II, that was on eBay.  I do wonder with these if they were used or just made and put away for a 'good' occasion that never came.  It looks as though it was done using a transfer design.

If you can shed any light on this - was it a transfer printed traycloth which came with the delicate crochet edging already worked, I wonder? - design source, who sold this etc: then please leave a comment.

George VI: coronation tablecloth, 1937

From a past eBay auction, all four corners of the tablecloth featured this design.  It measured about 33in x 34in and was in good condition, according to the seller, and sold for 17.78GBP.

I do wonder, with tablecloths, whether people really sat down to eat with their special coronation cloth on the table.  Was it made before the coronation, and used on the day?  Ever used after?  And always interesting, in relation to this particular coronation, is the switch from Edward VIII to George VI.  Was this design always George VI and Elizabeth (as the scrollwork names would seem to imply), or was it originally Edward Rex?  I know of one sampler design that I've seen done with elaborate initials that are ER (for Edward) in some versions and GR (for George) in others.  I don't know the lead time that manufacturers/designers/newspapers/magazines would have needed or worked to in those days.

I also wonder, with tablecloths and traycloths, whether they were more likely to be bought as preprinted linens rather than as transfers.  For a sampler, the embroiderer may well have a suitable piece of fabric, but a tablecloth sized piece, being larger - a preprinted and possible already-hemmed linen (or cotton) piece might have been the method of sale.  It would also make the placement of the transfer easier (eg. for this one, aligning all four in the corners diagonally).  Then again, a measurement of 33in x 34in is less than 36in, which has been a standard fabric size. 

If you know more about this design - where it was published, whether it was a transfer or a preprinted linen etc -  please leave a comment.