Part 1: Gingham (Chapters 1 – 9)

‘A cotton fabric varying in quality depending on the type of yarn, fastness of colour and weight. Can be woven into a range of patterns. A durable fabric if treated appropriately. Various uses, from grain bags and curtains to house dresses and suits’ – Fabrics for Needlework

Myrtle Dunnage arrives in her rural hometown of Dungatar. Sergeant Farrat, the local law enforcement, recognises a grown Myrtle from anywhere and offers to give her a ride in his patrol car from the bus station to her house, The Hill. As they drive, the Sergeant briefly considers how much the young girl he once knew has changed from when he last saw her, years ago as she was sent away from the village. She has returned – a chameleon now calling herself Tilly, wearing a couture outfit and claiming to be ‘seamstress and dressmaker’. Upon arriving at her family home Tilly finds her mother, Mad Molly, living in squalor. Upon seeing her daughter, Molly does not recognise Tilly leading readers to come to the conclusion that she suffers from memory loss or the onset of dementia. Tilly cleans her mother up, feeds her a nutritious meal and surveys the old town she has returned to, observing very little has changed. Nearby, the impoverished McSwiney family live in a cluster of caravans and Tilly learns that Mae McSwiney and her eldest son Teddy, of whom Tilly attended school with, look in on Molly and make sure she is well enough. Amidst a town full of obdurate gossipers, Teddy and his humble family prove to be a friendly relief.

As we meet the rest of the town, we learn that a dark secret surrounds Tilly Dunnage (then Myrtle) and her return to her hometown is met with shock and outrage. In addition, the town’s meddling women and pious men are unrelentingly horrid and intolerable – Beula Harridene, constantly ostracises the McSwiney children, referring to them as ‘scoundrels’ and Council Pettyman is a known harasser of women who mistreats his wife.

On the eve of the town’s weekly football game Tilly attends the dance with Teddy McSwiney, the full forward of the team, and the other women at the dance disguise their jealousy over her gorgeous hand-made dress with thinly veiled contempt that she had the cheek to attend.

Part 1 Quotes

‘They’ll just have to get used to you,’ he said and shrugged.
‘No,’ she said. ‘I’ll have to get used to them.’ (Teddy and Tilly speak about the townsfolk after the Saturday night dance) Part 1

‘Jealousy is a curse and ugliness is worse.’ (Fred Bundle to his wife Purl about the other women of the town) Part 1

‘So you are going to kill me,’ she cried.
‘No,’ said Tilly and wiped her sweaty palms on her trousers. ‘The others were happy to let you die, I saved you. It’s me they’ll try to kill now.’ (Molly and Tilly) Part 1

The disease that crippled Mrs Almanac was rheumatoid arthritis. Her face was lined from pain – some days even her breathing caused her dry bones to grate and her muscles to fill with fire. She could predict rain coming, sometimes a week ahead, so was a handy barometer for farmers – they often confirmed with Irma what the corns on their toes indicated. Part 1

He was a man who touched women, leaned in close to talk, licked his lips and at dances pressed his partners tightly, ramming his thigh between their legs to move them around the floor. The ladies of Dungatar were polite to Councillor Pettyman… but they turned their backs when they saw him coming, busied themselves with a shop window or suddenly remembered something they had to do across the road. Part 1

Tilly kept her eyes to the middle distance. She knew it was a mistake, it was too soon, too bold. A feverish nausea swamped her, guilt, and she said to herself, It wasn’t my fault, but moved to step back anyway. Teddy held her firm, his strong arm about her waist. (Tilly and Teddy attend the social dance together) Part 1

Part 2: Shantung (Chapters 10 – 18)

‘A fabric woven plainly with irregular wild silk yarn, having a textured effect. Its natural cream colour is often dyed in strong colours, producing a vibrant effect. Slightly crisp to handle and with a soft lustre. Suitable for dresses, blouses and trim’ – Fabrics for Needlework

Teddy and Tilly’s affection for one another rekindles and Teddy’s roguish charms are seen when he commissioned his simple-minded brother Barney to ask out Tilly, in a ruse to trick Tilly on a date with him.

Gertrude and William, a young man and girl of the town agreed to a hasty marriage as Gertrude falls pregnant outside of marriage. Gertrude tasks Tilly to make her wedding gown and when the women see the amazing transformation of the plain Gertrude, they weaken their resolve against Tilly and begin commissioning her to make extravagant creations for them also.

It is revealed that Tilly was sent away from the small town after the savage death of a young boy named Stewart Pettyman, who would relentlessly tease her at school. Aside from calling her ‘Dunnybum’ and ridiculing her mother, one afternoon the Pettyman boy primed himself to charge toward her like a bull but she instinctively moved aside and the boy slammed head first into the brick wall, killing him instantly.

Sergeant Farrat’s secret penchant for cross-dressing is revealed when he delivers some supplies for dressmaking to the Dunnage household and ravels in the assortment of fabrics, jewels and feathers. Rather than drawing attention to the scandal, Tilly and Molly accept the revelation and little fuss is made about it.

When Teddy and Tilly attend the Dungatar Social Ball. Whilst they are enjoying the evening, the vindictive Beula tells Marigold that her husband Evan, a known philanderer, is Tilly’s real father. The town scorn Tilly, spitting insults like ‘bastard’ and ‘murderer’ at her until she leaves. That evening, Teddy and Tilly sleep together and pledge their love to each other. They are as happy as can be and Teddy openly expresses his complete adoration to her and offers to abscond with her from the town, taking Molly and Barney with them. But in a vain effort to convince Tilly that the ‘curse’ from her had been forever lifted, Teddy dives into the grain silo, a reckless game he and the other farm boys have done before, but he fails to resurface as he’s done so many times before. Teddy suffocates inside the silo and Tilly is powerless to help.

Part 2 Quotes

The town will be quiet again and the children will go back to the creek to play. The adults will wait for football season. The cycle was familiar to Tilly, a map. (The town will revert back to normal after the annual harvest and store in the silos takes place) Part 2

In the morning she found the materials on Muriel’s counter, at inflated prices. The haberdashery counter had expanded its range of buttons, zips and beads which Alvin imported from specialist shops in Richmond, while he purchased accessories from wholesalers in Collins Street then sold them at 100 percent markup to the highly competitive locals. Part 2

These days women made their housecoats from ‘imported’ brocade with ivory or diamante buttons, and swanned about their country bungalows in pastel silk chiffons or tapered velvet pants with cummberbund waists and high-necked jerseys, like movie stars. Part 2

Tilly, professional and gracious, took each of her clients one by one to the dining room to discuss their need and visions. She noted the members of the newly formed Dungatar Social Club had acquired an accent overnight – an enunciated Dungatar interpretation of queenly English. Part 2

He [Sergeant Farrat] kissed her [Tilly’s] hand and then wrapped the magenta silk organza about his shoulder… walked[ing] gracefully to the mirror in imaginary stilettos. He twirled, enjoying his reflection… Part 2

‘Why don’t you get that scandalous Tilly what’s-her-name to make you some new things? She’s cheap I hear.’ (Lesley trying to convince Mona to begin wearing some different outfits) Part 2

The women of Dungatar dressed astonishingly well, strolling from the library to the chemist and back again in luxurious frocks… relaxing in the park in sun frocks with asymmetric necklines common to European couture. Part 2

She wondered how Paris had found its way to the dilapidated confines and neglected torsos of banal housewives in a rural province. (The stranger who arrives from the city to offer Tilly a job considers the usual fashions of the ladies in Dungatar) Part 2

He was her good friend and he was her ally. (Tilly about Teddy) Part 2