Cartonnage Brodé by Sophie Delaborde and Sylvie Castellano is a book of counted cross stitch box designs. The boxes in this book are charming, and include many boxes with a stitching theme (a thread storage box, a ribbon box, a lace box, a button box, a project box, and many more). The graphs are usable by anyone who can do counted cross stitch. The box construction techniques may require that you can read French or find someone to help you with the translation - or a willingness to figure out the construction on your own.
Cartonnage Brodé (2004, 95 pages, hardcover) $33.00
Minuscules & Majuscules by Valérie Lejeune is no longer available; sorry.
Répertoire des Motifs by Valérie Lejeune is another offering from this French author. Following on her two incredible books of alphabets (Le Livre des Lettres d'Ici et d'Ailleurs and Le Livre des Lettres) this book contains over 1200 symbols to be done in counted cross stitch (of course they would also work for counted needlepoint and other techniques that make use of a grid). Designs in the book are either one or two colors (the color choices are left up to you) and all of them come from sources dating prior to 1930. It is hard to imagine what she has left out of this book. An abundance of animals, flowers and plants, decorative motifs, crosses, crowns, musical instruments, cherubs, playing card motifs, household items, and much, much more are clearly charted. Best of all, for designs that do not face you "straight" on, she gives both a left-facing and right-facing version of the same motif. This book would be an excellent resource for those who wish to design their own samplers, but there are a myriad of other uses for the motifs in this book.
Repértoire des Motifs (2002, 224 pages, softcover) $44.00
Les Belles Lettres d'Alexandre by Véronique Maillard is currently not available to us.
Lettres Anciennes Entrelacées by Véronique Maillard is a book of graphed monogram designs. While most alphabet combinations appear in this book (for example, an A juxtaposed on a B, on a C, on a D...) the letters "I" and "W" appear to be lacking because they were lacking in the historical originals that this book draws from. This is a lovely book.
Lettres Anciennes Entrelacées (2010 reprint of 2003 book, new cover, 127 pages, hardcover) out of print and out of stock
Rouyer: Ses Plus Beaux Motifs et Alphabet Anciens (Rouyer's Most Beautiful Motifs and Old Alphabets) by Véronique Maillard is a book of graphs that are taken from old designs by the French firm Rouyer, founded by Alexandre Rouyer in the 19th century. Similar to the designs in her earlier book Sajou (see below), these designs in some cases come from a slightly earlier time. This book contains a varied assortment of designs taken from the old Rouyer publications. Designs include alphabets; small scenic designs; small fruit, floral and animal designs; repeating allover patterns; borders; as well as some small samplers and phrases. All of the designs in this book have the charm of a bygone era. Most designs are monochromatic, allowing you to stitch them in the color of your choice (or to put a more modern twist to them, to be stitched in an overdyed thread). A few designs with more complex colors are coded to be stitched in DMC floss.
Rouyer: Ses Plus Beaux Motifs et Alphabet Anciens (2005, 159 pages, hardcover) $45.00
Sajou: Passion des Alphabets Anciens by Véronique Maillard is no longer available from us
Alphabets Anciens by Véronique Maillard
Alphabets Anciens by Véronique Maillard (2011, 133 pages, hardcover) $56.00
La Collection de Point de Croix de Regine de Forges by Regine de Forges is no longer available from us.
Schwalm Embroidery: Techniques and Designs by Christine Bishop is an English-language book on this lovely technique (see also our two German language Schwalm books by Thekla Gombert). This is a lovely book which includes a very brief history of Schwalm embroidery and explanation of its design motifs and symbolism. The bulk of the book consists of specific projects and techniques. Schwalm is a lovely form of drawn-thread embroidery traditionally done in white on white (samples in this book are done on colored linen so that visually the needlework shows up better on the contrasting fabric). It combines both counted and non-counted techniques. Samples in the book are stitched on readily available cross stitch linens; however, please keep in mind that we stock a more traditional linen fabric that is often used in Germany for Schwalm embroidery. Samples are stitched in coton à broder (which is a thread that is not readily available in the U.S.). We would like to suggest that people also consider trying linen thread for this type of embroidery.
Schwalm Embroidery (2008 reprint of 1999 book, 112 pages, softcover) $17.95
Art of English Blackwork by Jane Zimmerman is not currently available.
Beginner's Guide to Blackwork by Lesley Wilkins is a nice, basic introduction to this very old form of needlework. This book contains enough basic instructions and design motifs (including individual motifs, borders and filling patterns) for you to create your own designs. It is not too overwhelming and the style of blackwork depicted is the very traditional style, rather than a modern interpretation.
Beginner's Guide to Blackwork (2002, 64 pages, softcover) $17.95
Casalguidi Style Linen Embroidery by Effie Mitrofanis is an Australian publication (where would we be without those Australians!) on a traditional form of Italian needlework. It is difficult to describe, but most recognizable if you have ever seen it. Done on linen, it combines pulled thread stitches with some very raised stitches, including buttonhole stitches, and a stitch known as "padded raised stem band." Very little has been written on this technique so this book is very welcome. This book includes 26 projects, both traditional and non-traditional (hence the name Casalguidi Style).
Casalguidi Style Linen Embroidery (1996, 128 pages, softcover) $30.00
Ruskin Lace & Linen Work by Elizabeth Prickett is a reprint of a book originally published in 1985. Ruskin lace is a form of drawn thread embroidery which incorporates a lot of needleweaving and buttonhole lace techniques. This reprint has been made into a wirebound edition so that it will lay flat while you use the book - a very useful feature.
Ruskin Lace & Linen Work (1997, 119 pages, wirebound paperback) $29.95