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RARE Cross Stitch and Embroidery Books
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Whenever Metallic Thread needlepoint or embroidery comes up, the first name we all think of is Kreinik. Their threads are *the standard*, as far as I am concerned, anyway. Who better to write a book about this than Jacqueline Friedman Kreinik? The subtitle is: A Practical Guide To Stitching Creatively With Metallic Threads. The title page also mentions Ann Caswell as Design Co-ordinator. Although the book is titled for embroidery, almost everything here is applicable to needlepoint. Quoting...
Many of the books in the Country Bumpkin series of A-Z needlework books have been re-written and newly released under the Search Press Classics name.This is one of the original Country Bumpkin books, not the re-issue. It has the familiar spiral binding inside a hard paper cover.
"Here, step-by-step directions and clear photographs show every stitch and technique, with advice from the experts on the ribbons, fabric and other materials you need. There are more than 40 projects, each with an e...
This book was recommended to me by Jane, the master stitcher and all around great lady of The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure Blog. She told me this book was worth looking at and I agree. It features 125 stitch diagrams of Couched or Laid Fillings. This book is rare and hard to get. Each time I search for it, it costs more. My vintage/rare book prices are based n what it costs me to get the book.
To quote from Jean Taggert on the back cover " I assembled this collection of diagram...
A beautiful book, as much for the pictures of the Ribbon Embroidery pieces stitched and how some of them are used. Satin and Silk Ribbon Embroidery is out-of-print and new copies are rare. This is one of the earlier books on Ribbon Stitching, which has become so popular in the last few years. The book begins with an overview on working with Silk Ribbon. Then it shows 5 pages of simple stitches for Silk Ribbon stitching with multiple stitches per page. Next is something I have not seen...
I have recently fallen in love with these gorgeous books on stitching flowers and gardens etc by Diana Lampe. I think there may be more in this series, besides this book and the beautiful book on stitching Pansies I have listed in New Books.
Since I first listed this book it has gone out of print. This is a hardbound used copy of it.This book is Embroidery From The Garden. It contains 2 amazing garden designs to stitch, each with many flowers. Each flower in the garden is unique. There is a O...
I am often asked about books of lettering and monograms for stitchers. There are a few good ones out there but none as comprehensive as this one. This is another of Graham Leslie McCallum's excellent sourcebooks containing 4000 Alphabets & Letters and including a CD with everything on it. The book includes whole alphabets and elaborate initials (monograms) from Roman inscription to modern alphabets for graphic designers. The book also has a visual explanation of the development of l...
Of the many needlepoint design book based on other cultures, Africian design is one you don't often see. The subtitle for this books is: Charted Fort Easy User and indeed the charts are good size, often large in full color. There are no tiny block charts to peer at.
This is a Dover Needlework Series book (or perhaps it should be called a booklet at just 41pages) published in 1976. The designs are very modern, not 1970s looking or colors.
Each design is charted in both black and white and...
This is another of the excellent needlework book from Sally Milner Publishing, The Milner Craft Series.
Helen Dafter is an acknowledged expert on Silk Ribbonwork. She is also the author of The Little Book of Silk Ribbon Flowers, Floral Interpretations for Silk Ribbon, and Silk Ribbon Embroidery: A Workshop Approach For Beginners,
Quoting (and paraphrasing a bit) from the back cover
"Using silk ribbon embriodery, Helen Darter has captured the perfect colors and formations of the flowers, t...
This book was published in association with the WWF, The World Wide Fund for Nature. It has 23 needlepoint designs featuring exotic animals, birds and flowers on the endangered species list. Wildlife in Needlepoint was published in England by Anaya Publishers LTD in 1992. It is a large coffee table size book full of beautiful full color pictures and color guides for each design. What it does not have is Stitch Graphs or Charts showing how to stitch these fine designs. On the "How to Use This B...
This interesting book is about historical lettering applications and lettering design more then an actual instruction book. There are graphs, lettering templates and instructions but design does seem to be most of what this book is about.
It is a Batsford Book, another of thier fine books on stitcery and published in the UK, so the historical design is mostly English. Still is is an interesting read and full of pictures.
The chapters are: History of Lettering, History of embroidered Letters...
This is an interesting book, the Monograms & Ciphers shown are all originals, designed & drawn by the author, A.A. Turbayne and other members of the Carlton Studio. I had never heard of The Carlton Studio so I did a search for it. Several possibilities came back from the search. There is a Carlton College of Art in Minnesota. There is also Carlton Studio, associated TV in Nottingham our The Carlton Studio Winery, Wine Club etc. Then again, the original book was 1906 so it could be anyplace...
Mary Jaene Edmonds is also the author of Geometric Designs in Needlepoint, a very interesting book of designs way ahead of it's time. It has been a constant seller on NewNeedlepoint.com.
This is a very different kind of book. The subtitle is An American Schoolgirl Art 1700-1850.
This is not a design or project book. It is an overview or if you like, an education in these amazing samplers. Most girls were expected top learn stitchery and a sampler was often part of their education...
100 beautifullty Illuminated letters including Parchment, Classical and Harlequin designs. Illuminated Alphabets has 9 original alphabets created for this book.
Illuminated letters and manuscripts are the most beautiful and prized, the possibilities are nedless. These alphabets range from simpler leaf or rose entwined designs to the elegant and classic Harlequin lettering.
Each alphabet is done in full color with basic instructions as well as ideas for variations.
There is a section...
The Graham McCallum books are a wonderful resource for anyone designing, imagining or even looking for a variety of ideas in one place. This is a big heavy book, with indeed 4000 drawings in it. he calls it a Sourcebook and I agree.The contents are divided in an interesting way. Instead of by animal, fish or bird types, it is organized by age or style or I am not sure by what but it is interesting:Stone Age Europe...
With Illustrations by Kurt Loftus. Left Handed Stitching is a very much overlooked subject in needlework. I know of only one other book on the subject, the New York Times Book of Needlepoint for Left Handers and it is so rare it is difficult to find. It is long out of print. This is a more concise book, aimed at Embroiders and useful to Cross-Stitchers. There are instructions for 45 stitches using 96 drawings. In the forward the author, Sally Cowan who is also the author of Left Handed Se...
Ann Benson is a very well known teacher and writer on beading and Beadwork. Her book Beadpoint is still being published and is available here in my New Book category Beadwork.This is her basic, beginner's instruction manual and as someone who does not know much (or anything) about bead embroidery or bead stringing or anything, I was able to look at her book and judge is as, indeed, a beginner.She begins with the basics and then the book is formatted as a series of *How Do I* questions. It d...
When I bought this used book, sight unseen with no description beyond condition I was not sure what it would be. It could have been graphed designs or just traceable shapes. I suppose I should have known it would be shapes to trace for embroidery. And so it is, but I am listing it here anyway. Design books with shapes and designs for fish, marine plants and animals are hard to find and someone may find this book very useful. There are no graphs, embroidery instructions, not needlepoint dir...
Joen Wolfram is a name I recognize. She is also the creator of the very useful Ultimate 3-in-1 Color Tool that I have sold here for man years now.
There is a line of words printed at the top of the cover, I would not call it a subtitle but they dogive you an idera of the book
Depth-Iridescence-Lumonsity-Luster-Opalescence-Transparency.
Quoting and very slightly paraphrasing from the back cover
"Using Nature as her guide, author Joen Wolfram unlocks the mysteries of color, relating color th...
I have noticed a trend in needlepoint, many of the current designs feature people, faces and bodies. While there have always been some designs like this, they do seem to becoming more popular.
I have looked and looked. As far as I can tell there are only 2 needlework books that deal with people. One is a current book by Jan Messant, Embroidered Portraits.
The other is this book, Faces and Figures in Embroidery by Valerie Harding. Both books specify Embroidery in their titles and instru...
Another of the excellent Milner Craft Series books from Australia. Given all the current interest in textured stitches, silk ribbon stitching and raised stitches (stump work), I thought this would be a good book to add to my collection of out-of-print books.
Indeed, this has proven to be a poular book. Leading, once again, to it's increasing rarity. To keep stock in this book I am having to buy it, used, from the UK.
There are no currently in-print books on these stitches, as far as I know...
Hope Hanley is, of course, a very well-known name in Needlework and Needlepoint books. I have been searching for a copy of this book for a long time now.
I would order it, only to be told it was no longer available or what would arrive was so badly foxed that I would immediatly quarantine it (not kidding, foxing is a contagious virus that books and paper gets when it is improperly stored).
Finally, a copy, not only good condition but Very Good condition, it does not have a dust jacket...
Tapisserie is another gorgeous book by Hayat Palumbo. I had never heard of it or even heard it mentioned of referred to when her other book, A Passion for Needlepoint, is spoken of.
This is not a book of patterns you can follow, with charts and directions. What it is is gorgeous needlepoint and tapestry work. Ideas and inspiration. The book is divided into chapters: Slippers Cushions Chairs Stools Rugs Emblems and Novelties Counted Stitch Designs Each page is bursting (yes, that is the right...
I am a huge fan and admirer of the Batsford series of needlework books. This is a book I have never seen before. I knew it existed but I never thought to have one for sale here.
To quote from the back cover:
"This major reference work brings together all the main styles, techniques and terms of hand and machine embroidery. The entries, arranged alphabetically, include important and well-known techniques. Practical instructions are accompanied by clear line drawings of characteristic pr...
The Embroidered pictures used on the covers of this book are beautiful, wonderful examples of Heritage Embroidery. This is not a well-known book, it is hard-to-find and getting harder to find in any kind of decent condition. Elsa Williams was a Needlepoint industry innovator, Master Teacher and a very skilled stitcher. She is mostly known for Needlepoint and her book on Bargello Needlepoint "Bargello: Florentine Canvas Work" is one of the best and most widely known needlework books ever. Quoti...
Margaret Boyles is an excellent needlepoint teacher, her Needlepoint and Bargello books are among the best ever written, in my not so humble opinion. Since I began listing other kinds of Needlework books I have discovered that Mrs. Boyles is also a wonderful Embroidery and Crewel Embroidery teacher as well. Now this book, which is about clothes and accessories for babies. The book has Knitting, Embroidery, Crewel, Cross Stitch, Heriloom Sewing and Quilting designs to make or to use to decorate...
I always like books like this, ones with a huge number of patterns and ideas. Donna Kooler is a well-known needlework author and this book is full of nice design. The design style here is traditional, leaning to country. There are a number of juvenile cross stitch patterns for children. The book begins with 2 pages of General Information. The first section is Flora and Fauna, feauturing...flora and fauna including a wonderful floral alphabet. The next section is Friends and Family with a numb...
The subtitle for this book is : Texture and Color for Quilters and Embroiderers. This is a handsome book full of gorgeous and original designs and ideas. Some of the quilt designs require a sewing machine. It begins with a chapter on: EQUIPMENT NEEDED HAND EMBROIDERY featuring mirror work, embroidery motifs and other embellishments MACHINE EMBROIDERY, PATCHWORK AND QUILTING with free motion machine embroidery, applique, crazy patchwork, cathedral window patchwork, strip patchwork, tumbling blo...
I think borders are important to a *completed* needlepoint project. I know they do not seem to be in favor with designers right now but I maintain that a good border adds to a great design. The other issue here is corners. As someone who admits to being *corner challenged* I am always interested in books like this. I don't know of any contemporary book still in print that addresses this but fortunately there is this classic book (and one other by Sandra Urban, Chartered Borders, Bands and Corne...
Another wonderful needlepoint book by B. Bossuck, the author of 97 Alphabets for Needlepoint and co-author of Picture Your Dog in Needlework. This book surprised me. I was expecting a stitch book but it is not. I should have noticed the title says "Designs" not Stitches. The book is full of needlepoint (also completely adaptable to cross-stitch) design motifs. There are hundreds of borders, corner treatments and over all graphic design ideas in here, indeed 1001. They are fanciful, graphic, f...
As the book's title says Stumpwork is basically just raised or highly textured needlepoint or embroidery. I think it is the awkward name, Stumpwork, that puts people off. I know it makes me wonder.
The fashion in needlepoint (and embroidery) now is embellished stitches, textures and indeed raised or padded stitches.
Quoting (and paraphrasing) from the dust jacket flaps:
"Stumpwork is three-dimensional embroidery where figures are padded with stuffing: pearls and ribbons can be free-f...
I originally bought this book for myself. I love to do borders and corners on the needlepoint and especially the Bargello Needlepoint I stitch. The problem is, I am bad at corners. I rarely get them right on the first try (or 2nd or....)
This book was a big help to me. The subtitle is: 104 Designs For Cross Stitch, Needlepoint, Latch Hooking etc. In fact, in researching it I find that there are no contemporary, in print books addressing this. The only books on borders and corners are out of p...
I am interested in borders added to needlework, they used to be much more common, almost expected for a finished needlewoprk to have some kind of border or enclosure. This seems to have gone out of style but I still love the idea.
I think it *finishes* or completes many types of needlework. It is not right for all designs but many could benefit from borders.
Victorian Decorative Borders and Designs is by Christopher Dresser and Others. There was not room on the title line to say all that...
Faber Birren is a well-known name in the field of Color Theory. He is the author of Color and Human Response and the recently out-of-print Principles of Color.
Principals of Color was a book I sold a number of copies of here before the discontinued it.
The subtitle for this book is:
A Treatise On The Color System of Johannes Itten Based on His book The Art Of Color. Edited and with a forward and evaluation by Faber Birren.
Quoting from the forward
"This present book, The Elements of...
Dover Publishing is known for these excellent design books, this one is subtitled:
For Artists, Needleworkers and Craftspeople.
Quoting from the back cover:
"The combination of elegance and precision characteristics of Far Eastern art enriches this versatile collection of ready-to-use floral designs. Over 90 pages of black and white illustrations capture the graphic excellence of Oriental art in pratical full page designs and spot motifs, adaptable to a wide range of uses"
It goes on to sa...
Jenny Bradford is also the author of the book Bullion Stitch Embroidery: From Roses to Wildflowers (also for sale here on newneedlepoint.com).
Both are published by the excellent Milner Craft Series from Sally Milner in Australia. Bullion Stitch Embroidery is a popular book here, I have sold a number of copies.
Quoting (and slightly paraphrasing) from the back cover: "Textured Embroidery is a companion book to the best selling Bullion Stitch Embroidery. In this book, Jenny Bradford...
This is, strictly speaking, not a Needlepoint Book but I wanted to include it here. There is very little out there about contemporary Jewish stitchery and design for it. But then again, it's my web store and I can list what I want! (how's that for a statement?) The actual subtitle of this books is: Contemporary Jewish Needlework and Quilts. Quoting (and paraphrasing) from the back cover "The New Work Of Our Hands teaches and reinforces the richness of Jewish heritage and tradition through nee...
This book is rare even among rare books. It has taken me years to get a salable copy. The authors are both well-known needleqwork authors.
Marion Broome Pakul is also the author of Needlepoint Plaids, a book I sell out of over and over and New Ideas For Needlepointers which I have for sale here too.
Rhoda Ochser Goldberg is the author of The Dictionary of Needlepoint and Canvas Stitches which I used to list here until it got too expensive. She has also written a knitting and a crochet b...
The subtitle of this book is 40 Fun Designs for Needlework. And they do appear to be fun. Many book's with this kind of title tend to be ponderous and self-important. This book's designs appear light-hearted and not beyond the skills of the average stitcher. There is a Noah's Ark (2 of them, in fact) Garden of Eden Dove Abraham Jacob's Ladder Joseph's Dream Camel (a bib) Burning Bush Moses and the Ten Commandants Naomi and Ruth David with Harp "The Lord is my Shepherd" Family Tree The Horseman...
This wonderful book is from The Peabody Essex Museum. The author is Pual Bradstreet Richter, Curator of Textiles & Costumes.
The Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts (yiou can tell I am from there, I can spell it) with is on the ocean north of Boston.
Actually, Salem was not the site of the famous Salem Witch trials, that was really Danvers, next to it.
I don't think I have been to this museum but I now wish I had.
The book is based on an exhibition called Painted With Thread. Man...
I should not admit this (but here I go). The name Drysdale reminds me of the old TV show "The Beverly Hillbillies". The banker and neighbor was Mr Drysdale with his hysterical wife, Mrs. Drysdale. With deepest apologies to Rosemary Drysdale. Pulled work has it roots in English and Danish embroidery. Pulled Work is the pulling of threads stitched so tight that the ground material, canvas or linen, come together to form artistic holes in your design. This book shows 100 different stitches which...
Thomasina Beck is the author of several gorgeous books on stitched gardens. Not all of them are technique and instruction book. In my own collection I have a copy of her book Gardening with Silk and Gold. It is more a history of garden stitchery and a picture book.
This book is about stitching gorgeous gardens. It too is not a step-by-step project book but there is so much inspiration here that I thought it might be something a stitcher who loves to garden (like I do) might love.
It do...
This is a handsome book with 20 original and very creagtive oriental influenced needlepoint designs.
I had heard of Shelley Faye Lazar but this is the first book of her's I have listed. Her bio on the back dust jacket flap says she studies graphics at Leicester Polytechnic in the UK and had been working with Tapestry and Embroidery for many years. I have not seen her first book, Shelley Faye Lazar's Pictures in Needlework but after seeing this book, I will look for it.
This is not a beginn...
Jan Messant is an exceptional needlepoint designer and author. I carry several of her books here. In my out-of-print books section I have her Designing With Motifs and Borders, which fits in well with my current obsession with borders. Also her new, currently in print book, Embroidered Potraits, a wonderful resource for stitchers working with faces in thier needlewoek (and faces are very popular right now).
As usual, quoting (and paraphasing/editing) from the dust jacket flap:
"This...
This book by prolific needlepoint author, Lisabeth Perrone is based on a years work at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico. the designs are from Folk Art traditions in Europe, Asia, The Americas and Africa. Each design has directions and easy to read charts using 3 or 4 colors, not just black and white and symbols showing the color placements. There are many color pictures throughout the book. All graphs and directions are easily adaptable to either needlepoint or cross...
This looks to be an amazing book, the subtitle is "Needlepoint and Crewel Patterns Adapted from Historic American Images". It also has a foreword by Rose Kennedy (yes, that Rose Kennedy). The designs and charts are based on early American pictures, styles and icons. There is a color picture of each design completed and complete instructions included materials needed and a very readable chart for each. I think the best way to describe this book is to list the patterns: An Alphabet Sampler Gener...
The subtitle for this book is: Embellishing Clothing, Linens & Accessories. On the back of the dust jacket is a photograph of a black tee shirt decorated with small roses in various shades of pink on one shoulder. it is gorgeous. To quote the back cover blurb " If you're searching for an easy way to add elegance or pizzazz to existing clothes, bags, hats and more, look no further - silk ribbon embroidery is the answer. Use a combination of simple stitches to make: a vest blooming with fuschias...
Ann Bensonn is the author of several other very good Bead Work books. Her specialty seems to be beading on fabric, which is just perfect for needlepoint embellishment.
The subtitle for this books is:New Needle Techniques & Original Designs.
The basic focus of this book is beaded jewelry however most of the techniques here can be used to embellish needlepoint. The instyructions are very clear and eay to follow. There are full color pictures of all finished projects and many illustrations...
The subtitle here is
A Comprehensive Guide To The Art of Using Color
Quoting from the back cover
"A comprehensive guide to matching color-in art, in the home, and in the garden-that looks at a wide range of techniques and materials.
Includes step-by-step projects that will build your confidence and a section on common mistakes and special techniques".
The book begins with shirt sections:
Understanding Color
Properties of Color
What Is Color
Responses To Color
Color Character
Color T...
Anyone who has read any of my reviews of Margaret Boyles' excellent needlework books already knows I consider her a consummate stitcher and Master Teacher. The Margaret Boyles Book of Crewel Embroidery is a very well written book. it begins with a chapter on the Materials you will need for Crewel work. Then there is a chapter on the Basics of Good Embroidery, a chapter on Starting Crewel. A chapter on the Stitches and a Portfolio of Designs to stitch. There are 20 projects and finally a chapte...
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