Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work: Directions and Patterns from the Civil War Era

Discover the techniques behind museum-quality pieces and treasured heirlooms with this guide to antique needlework and handcrafts. Originally published in 1859, The Ladies’ Hand Book of Fancy and Ornamental Work offers well-illustrated instructions for making the kinds of highly decorated items prized by Victorian homemakers: quilts, doilies, cushions, and ornamental knick-knacks as well as embellishments for collars, hair ornaments, purses, and other items. More than 262 engraved patterns, drawn from English, French, and German sources, encompass a tremendous array of handcrafts: applique, bead work, braiding, crochet, embroidery, knitting, knotting, lace-work, netting, patchwork, quilting, tapestry, tatting, and many other techniques. A rich source of authentic patterns, this volume also provides a historic view of the lives of nineteenth-century women in terms of their pastimes and their forms of creative self-expression.