Baby Wore White by Heather Toomer features christening gowns and other special baby robes from the 19th century. The first section compares baby gowns with adult clothing from the same era. The main section of the book features details of more than forty baby gowns in both public and private collections. This book is profusely illustrated with photographs of elaborately embroidered and embellished gowns.
Baby Wore White (2004, 168 pages, softcover) $48.00
Embroidered with White by Heather Toomer is a book about 18th century whitework embroidery, primarily Dresden lace. Dresden lace is the name given to a form of extremely fine pulled thread embroidery. Many samples of 18th century whitework embroidery are illustrated in this lovely book. Little has been written on this subject and this well-researched book is very welcome.
Embroidered with White (2008, 180 pages, softcover) $49.00
The Embroideries at Hardwick Hall by Santina M. Levey is no longer available.
Of Household Stuff: the 1601 Inventories of Bess of Hardwick by the National Trust is no longer available.
Art of Embroidery: History of Style and Technique by Lanto Synge, Royal School of Needlework, is sadly out of print and out of stock.
The Bayeux Tapestry by Wolfgang Grape is one of many books that have been written about what is perhaps the most famous embroidery in the world. The Bayeux tapestry is so fascinating because it tells the story of an historical event that can be said to have affected all our lives down to this day (the invasion of England by William the Conqueror). It also depicts many details of everyday life in the 11th century. Needleworkers especially can appreciate the effort that must have gone into completing this extremely long piece of needlework (as we complain about how long it takes us to complete our little 12" x 12" designs!). The first half of this book is a scholarly examination of the "tapestry" including the historical and artistic milieu in which it was made. The second half of the book is a complete illustration of the entire tapestry, together with text which describes what is being portrayed.
The Bayeux Tapestry (1994, 174 pages, soft cover) $29.95
The Conservation of Tapestries and Embroideries by the Getty Conservation Institute is a collection of papers which were delivered at a conference held in Belgium in 1987. About half the papers are about conservation and restoration of woven tapestries and the other half is about the conservation and restoration of embroidered pieces. Authors of the papers are reporting on specific items under conservation. This book contains the MOST INCREDIBLE PICTURES of the highest quality embroidery. My heart almost stops when I read about how several of these very old pieces of embroidery, stitched with silk and real metal threads, were washed to remove centuries of grime. There are very few places where you can find photographs of needlework this old; this book is a gem for those interested in the embroidery of the 15th and 16th centuries. Please note that this book is not a "how-to" for individuals to care for their own textiles; rather it contains information about the challenges and solutions pertaining to specific items in museums being care for by professionals.
The Conservation of Tapestries and Embroideries (1989, 117 pages, softcover) $40.00
Girlhood Embroidery by Betty Ring is available in limited quantities. This two volume set will be of interest to those of you who enjoy learning about American samplers and other forms of embroidery that young women learned in school. Please note that supplies are VERY limited and the few copies that remain, although brand new, are not in perfect condition (problems are mostly limited to dustcovers and slipcovers). Remember, this book was published 16 years ago so the fact it is available at all is highly unusual.
Girlhood Embroidery (1993, 583 pages total, hardcover) $175.00
The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery by Jane Zimmerman is a slim book about the type of embroidery that was typical of Elizabethan England. About half the book consists of historical information, while the rest of the book consists of stitch diagrams. The book has a few black-and-white pictures of historical examples (the photo reproduction is not great quality but still interesting) and clear, black-and-white drawings of stitches. This is NOT a project book as it does not include designs to stitch. It is a welcome addition to the body of work on this subject.
The Art of Elizabethan Embroidery (1999, 31 pages, wirebound softcover) $20.00
18th Century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh is interesting to me because, like the author, I consider the embroidery from this century to be some of the best ever. It was a time when embroidery was considered art as well as craft, when highly talented artists created embroidery designs, and when those who executed the embroidery were highly skilled. Chapters in this book cover different stitching techniques such as metal thread embroidery, silk embroidery, quilting (as used on clothing), whitework, crewel work, and even a chapter on the rare English needlelace technique known as hollie point. Every page of this book is illustrated either with photographs of samples in museums (primarily British museums), or drawings of embroidered clothing or design elements. The only thing that could make this book better were if it included more examples from continental Europe but that is a minor quibble.
18th Century Embroidery Techniques (2006, 192 pages, hardcover) $24.95