Vine Leaf was designed as a table cover, according to the annotation on the design drawing. This piece may have been one of four or five versions that were ordered from Morris & Co. in the year that it was designed. Vine Leaf exemplifies May Morris’s approach to design—studying natural forms and then simplifying them to produce an effective, overall pattern. While the majority of the table cover is filled with simple darning stitches, the skill of a professional needleworker is revealed in the way the stitch direction is varied, subtly shifting the play of light over the surface.