Some of the contents of this site includes chapters from the book “Encyclopedia of Needlework” by Therese de Dillmont. It is a walk down memory lane for some and provoke amusement in others because it was written in the time of our grandmothers, where the skills needed in those days were very different to today. In some chapters the author talks about how to darn your socks and stockings! If the global credit squeeze lasts much longer then needlework could be a skill we need to rediscover so that we can create beautiful original pieces that cost a lot less than buying in the stores. - Rosemary
Fancy Work - 2
Balls for trimmings (figs. 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841).—Amongst the crochet patterns are two that are finished off with balls; to make these, begin by cutting a number of rounds of cardboard, two for every ball, with holes in the middle, fig. 836.
If you have a great many balls to make it is well [...]
Fancy Work - 1
Appliqué work on satin set with fine cord.
Miscellaneous fancy work.
As the plan on which this book was constructed rendered a systematic classification of the different subjects it treats of necessary, a certain amount of miscellaneous fancy work, which does not come under any of the previous headings remains to be dealt with in the present [...]
Knitting - A Peek Into The Past
A study of a 13th-century votic knit fragment
by Anneke Lyffland
citicas@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
A piece of a 13th-Century mitten was found in a Votic [12] cemetery in Jõuga in 1949, but remained largely unknown until the beginning of 21st Century. A brief study has been published that describes the properties of fibre, yarn and colour. The knitting aspect of [...]
Embroidery Basics - Part 1
White Embroidery.
We have retained the familiar term, white embroidery, for this kind of needlework, for convenience sake, in spite of its inaccuracy, now that coloured materials are quite as much used for it as white.
It is executed, either on a backing of oil-cloth, or in an embroidery frame, called «tambour-frame». Only skilful workers can dispense [...]
Encyclopedia of Needlework - INTRODUCTION.
The book “Encyclopedia of Needlework” by Therese de Dillmont will be a walk down memory lane for some and provoke amusement in others because it was written in the time of our grandmothers, where the skills needed in those days were very different to today. In some chapters the author talks about how to darn [...]