The following text
from the book Maybole, Carrick's
Capital by James T. Gray.
"In the eighteenth century the women of Maybole were famous for their
needlework and their specialty was "flowering", in which some were
expert, and their work was much sought after throughout the whole country. Two
women were the acknowledged mistresses of this craft and these were Ann
Jenkinson and Janet Inglis, both of whom lived in the Kirkwynd. This was the
start of the famous Ayrshire embroidery and this unique style of white
embroidery on muslin and cotton gave work to a large number of the local
womenfolk whose husbands worked the looms which made the cloth to be
embroidered."
An example of this work is a Christening Gown circa 1850-1860. It measures 36" long....20" around the yoke and the sleeves are 7" long. The sleeves and neck are edged with bobbin lace and the back closed by two drawstrings. The front panel and the bodice panel are made of the most exquisite stitching so minute you can hardly see some of the stitches. The point on the bodice has a hole behind it, so if it is a boy baby the point is left out and if a girl baby the point is tucked in.
