Thursday 29 January 2015

My latest find, vintage embroidery books.

Stitching and embroidery mends my soul.


I was so excited yesterday when the postman knocked at my door, they had come, three small vintage embroidery booklets... 

Two are NDS ( needlework development series) and originally they were priced at 1/-  and well worth it I am sure.  I have paid a little bit more than that for them but still very reasonably priced for little bits of history that I am now the custodian of.  The third book is a teaching one I believe and is called An introduction to embroidery stitches by Louisa Judd-Morris.  

I could not wait to open them up and see all the wonderful things inside them.  In the green book the contents shows a list of samplers, which is basically stitches to learn which includes Stem,buttonhole,feather,running and double running stitches.  In addition there is French knots, cross stitch and Roumanian stitch....  


As you can see (just about) the decorative needlework is a syllabus for A graded course in primary and secondary schools at the time. The book I have bought is the third revised addition 1962. 

The pin book pictured above is Embroidery stitches book 2 and is really beautiful, there are coloured pictures and instructions  with stitches such as Stem stitch, whipped back stitch and threaded back stitch. And a little section on items that can be made such as nightdress cases, cushions, work bag, tray cloth and a toy elephant!

The yellow and final book is  book five and is more complicated with
the stitches such as bullion knot, cretan stitch and  flat stitch and interlacing instructions.  There is a black and white photo of a embroidered child's party dress and the stitches include French knots, eyelet holes, hemstitch and fly stitch....  There is even a decorated lampshade for the home!

I am thrilled with my  vintage purchases and they will live happily in my needlework room on my ever growing collection of books.  I love to treasure hunt and when I find such treasures It makes me smile......

I am off now to my stitching room and I have three work baskets on the go.  I have been inspired by the embroidery so I think I will be doing some of that today.  I finished my article for Pretty Nostalgic so it is work on the book time....

Happy Stitching!








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