Bonnet, natural straw woven into lace with pink roses and plaid ribbon ties, 1880s, woven straw detail

1880s. Bonnet made of natural straw woven into lace strips and sewn together. The entire edge is supported with wire.
The straw lace is made in a strip 2.9 cm / 1.125 in. wide, with a structure of two-ply narrow straw cord woven together with thread, finished on one side with a pattern of eight loops of cord extending past the edge to form a decorative picot. Beneath each picot are two stacked chevrons of flat straw woven into the lace. The finished straw lace strips are worked in a series of expanding arcs starting from the back, with each arc sewn to the next. Three arcs of lace form the back, four form the sides of the crown, and three form the brim. The brim edge is smoothly rounded and the crown makes a sharp angle as it transitions from its sides to the back panel of the bonnet.
A wired spray of green fabric rose leaves is sewn across the brim, with three pink fabric roses on left side.
Two lengths of cream, green, and black plaid plain woven silk ribbon are sewn inside the brim for the bonnet ties, and a small bow of the same ribbon is sewn to the bottom of the bonnet in back. The brim lined with brown velvet, gathered lightly at base of brim inside. The crown is lined with glazed cream cotton. Hand-sewn.

The Irma G. Bowen Historic Clothing Collection digital catalog was produced by the UNH Library Digital Collection Initiative, supported in part by a grant from the Mooseplate program and New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. Additional funding provided by the E. Ruth Buxton Stephenson Memorial Fund.

Photography copyright, Astrida Schaeffer.