| Antique Embroidery Designs |
Discussion:
I know this is a bit off topic, but as I use embroidery as part of my spiritual practice — and it’s my website — indulge me!
I just came across this great new embroidery resource via the In A Minute Ago blog. It’s a complete scan of an old “Fancy Work” book. The book can be distributed for free, because it’s long since passed copyright expiration. Sharon, of In a Minute Ago, also pointed readers to the Antique Pattern Library where she found this great book.
I love books like this because they are a great way for me to connect to my ancestors of blood and spirit. Seeing the stitches they used, how they would have learned them, and using them myself just connects the dots for me. I also love it because it’s part of women’s history. It’s a part that we don’t honor as much because it’s part of what used to be “women’s work.” But that work was astonishing. Just because we have many, many more options doesn’t mean we shouldn’t honor the work of those who came before us.
As the book can be distributed freely, I thought I would pass it along.
Fancy Designs: Ornamenting Oriental Work (pdf)
Technorati Tags: embroidery, patterns, designs, resources, women’s history, fancy work
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2 Comments so farLeave a comment
Since when do you read my blogs? That makes me very happy!!!
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I think you can guess already that I absolutely love the Antique Pattern Library, and have downloaded more books than I’ll ever manage to use.
I’m right with you when you say that it’s fascinating even just on the basis of being women’s history… but of course I love the patterns too. I’m about to download this one!