The Filling Stitches of Point Lace
Beeton's Book of Needlework runs through the fillings of point lace — Grecque, Alençon, Turque, Reprise, Escalier and the wheels — each given as…
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The Mesh Decides the Size of Every Netted Loop
The Dictionary of Needlework's netting vocabulary — knot, loop, mesh, round, row, stirrup — followed by six…
Smocking Patterns Worked Over Gathered Pleats
Mrs Leach's smocking primer: the pleats gathered from a grid of chalk dots, then honeycomb, rope, basket,…
How Marking Stitch Was Taught to a Class of Girls
An 1893 lesson in marking stitch, counted two threads each way on canvas, with every capital letter…
A Puffing Takes Twice the Space It Covers
The Dictionary of Needlework on puffings — bands of material gathered on both sides — and the…
Macramé Lace Knotted on a Pinned Cushion
Two macramé patterns from The Dictionary of Needlework, worked row by row over pins stuck into a…
How Schoolchildren Were Taught to Sew On a Button
A Standard IV needlework lesson from 1893, written for the teacher: how to demonstrate a button, its…