Non-fictional works

Non-fictional works

Art in Needlework, A Book about Embroidery was published in 1900 by the British decorative artist, Lewis Foreman Day (1845-1910), in collaboration with Mary Buckle (apparently because the author was afraid he would not be taken seriously as a man writing about a 'female' subject). Day was an important figure in the Arts and Crafts Movement.

Isabelle Beeton (1836-1865) wrote Beeton's Book of Needlework (1870), which the Gutenberg Project has made directly available. Dowload it here. WV

Church Embroidery and Church Vestments. A complete and practical guide to this fascinating art, written by Lucy Vaughn Hayden Mackrille is made directly available by the Gutenberg project and can be downloaded here in five parts (Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4, and Part 5).

Church Needlework: with practical remarks on its arrangement and preparation was published in 1844 by Miss Frances Lambert, who in 1842 had published her Hand-Book of Needlework. In her book, she provides the reader with practical information as to where the decorations should be applied to the garments and other ecclesiastical textiles.

Church Needlework. A Manual of Practical Instruction, was written by Hinda M. Hands and published in 1907 by G.J. Palmer and Sons, London. The book can be downloaded here.

Church Needlework: Ancient and Modern was published in 1867 by Mrs Anastasia Dolby. The ensuing year she published Church Vestments: Their Origin, Use and Ornament. Some years later, in 1872, Mrs Dolby became one of the founders, together with Lady Victoria Welby, and the first director of the Kensington School of Needlework, later to become the Royal School of Needlework.

Church Vestments: Their Origin, Use and Ornament was published in 1868 by Mrs Anastasia Dolby. The previous year she published Church Needlework: Ancient and ModernSome years later, 1872, Mrs Dolby became one of the founders, together with Lady Victoria Welby, and the first director of the Kensington School of Needlework, later to become the Royal School of Needlework.

The Collections of the Textile Manufactures of India is a series of books on the textiles and textile production in India from the second half of the nineteenth century. The books are particularly noteworthy because they contain c. 700 samples of actual textiles and a description of each piece. The volumes were printed for the India Office under the editorship of Sir John Forbes Watson.

"Opus Anglicanum - the Evelyn Thomas Database of Medieval English Embroidery" is the full title of a photographic index of English medieval embroidery, with an emphasis on opus anglicanum. The database is part of the Index of Christian Art (Princeton University), which was founded by Prof. Charles Rufus Morey (1877-1955) in 1917.

The Dictionary of Needlework is a late nineteenth century encyclopaedia written by Sophia Frances Anne Caulfeild and Blanche C. Saward. The first edition of the Dictionary of Needlework was published in 1882 (London: L. Upcott Gill) in six volumes.

Embroidery or the Craft of the Needle was published in 1899 by W.G. Paulson Townsend (1868-1941), in cooperation with Louisa Pesel. The Preface was written by the artist, Walter Crane (1945-1915). Townsend was design master at the Royal School of (Art) Needlework.

An Embroidery Pattern Book was published in 1917. It was written by Mary E. Waring. It includes a foreword by W.R. Lethaby, Professor of Design at the Royal Colllege of Art, South Kensington. To download the book, in various formats, click here.

The Encyclopédie des Ouvrages de Dames is one of the most famous nineteenth century European decorative needlework encyclopaedias. It was written by Thérèse de Dillmont and first published in 1886 by Dollfus, Mieg et Companie (DMC; Mulhouse, France [at the time in Germany, 1871-1918]).

English Medieval Embroidery is a classic study from 1938 writtten by Mrs Archibald H. Christie. Its subtitle is: A Brief Survey of English Embroidery Dating from the Beginning of the Tenth Century Until the End of the Fourteenth : Together with a Descriptive Catalogue of the Surviving Examples : Illustrated with One Hundred and Sixty Plates and Numerous Drawings in the Text.

Hand-Book of Needlework was published in 1842 and written by Miss Frances Lambert. The book contains brief historical introductions to the various technical details. The book, published simultaneously in England and America, was an immediate success and went through a series of reprints and revised editions, including various pirate editions in the USA, including The Ladies' Complete Guide to Needlework and Embroidery (1859).

The Handbook of Embroidery, not to be confused with a book with the same name published in 1842 by Miss Frances Lambert, came out in 1880. It was written by Miss Letitia Higgin, secretary of the School of Art Needlework, which later became the Royal School of Needlework. It was dedicated to the School's President, H.R.H. Princess Christian (1846-1923), of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess of Great Britain and Ireland.

In a medieval written inventory, reference is made to an embroidered mantle of King Edward the Confessor (r: 1042-1066), the last Anglo-Saxon king of England. King Edward is depicted at the beginning of the Bayeux tapestry.

Needlework as Art is the title of a book by Lady Marianne (Marian) Compton, Viscountess Alford (1817-1888), which was a major influence on late nineteenth century British urban embroidery and how embroidery was perceived. The book was published in 1886 by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington of London.

Needlework Through the Ages. A short survey of its development in decorative art with particular regard to its inspirational relationship with other methods of craftsmanship was published in 1928 by Mary Symonds (Mrs Guy Antrobus) and Louisa Preece. This book includes embroideries from parts of the world outside of Europe; embroidery is regarded, not only as aesthetic and historic, but also as ethnographic.

Stitch Stories: Personal Places, Spaces and Traces in Textile Art was written by Cas Holmes. It helps the reaxder to use his or her personal experiences, sketchbooks, photographs etc. to create personal narratives that can be used for stitched textiles.

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