Dear group,
I was sent an image of the piece itself, and can definitely say it
was crocheted, and probably was a challah or matzoh cover, dinner
napkin or tea towel. It is a finished piece with this strip inset
near one edge, not a scrap of fabric. The work is definitely
hand-done, quite nicely.
The style of crochet is called "filet crochet", and crocheting names
into an object such as this was popular at least in the 1910's.

I would guess that it was either a gift to someone with the Ashkanase
family name (perhaps a wedding gift?), or done by someone already in
that family - maybe as part of a trousseau. It might have been part of a set.

Hilary Henkin
Marietta, Georgia