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    Lillie London's Needlework Book: 88 Embroidery Projects and 12 Lessons in Embroidery Stitches
    Lillie London's Needlework Book: 88 Embroidery Projects and 12 Lessons in Embroidery Stitches
    Lillie London's Needlework Book: 88 Embroidery Projects and 12 Lessons in Embroidery Stitches
    Ebook390 pages1 hour

    Lillie London's Needlework Book: 88 Embroidery Projects and 12 Lessons in Embroidery Stitches

    By Lillie London

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Achieve an authentic vintage look by taking lessons with Lillie London, the 1930s embroidery expert. Practice your new skills with 88 projects. Create beautiful tablecloths, tea cosies, guest towels and cushions. Make lovely embroidered pyjamas and underwear in pre-war styles. Craft accessories like bags and belts for yourself, as well as toys for children, gifts for new parents and home-made presents for family members. This book is ideal for the beginner who wants to broaden their embroidery horizons.
    Lillie London’s Needlework Book offers you:

    • 88 vintage projects from the 1930s, illustrated with photographs, line drawings and diagrams;
    • 12 lessons in basic embroidery techniques, wool work and simple toy making. Lillie London gives lessons in a range of skills from cut-work to Italian quilting, needleweaving, petit point and rug-making. The final two lessons give guidance on the basics of embroidery and the most popular stitches used at the time.
    • Words of wisdom from the past that chime with modern trends and fashions – Lillie London speaks to you across the decades with helpful advice, clear instructions and clever ideas.

    Lillie London’s Needlework Book provides inspiration for your vintage homestyling, useful guidance to help you upcycle vintage items and new skills that can be employed to give your twenty-first century embroidery a 1930s twist.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRHE Media Limited
    Release dateOct 15, 2014
    ISBN9781910226216
    Lillie London's Needlework Book: 88 Embroidery Projects and 12 Lessons in Embroidery Stitches

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    • 4/5
      Several projects are worth of re-using I suppose. And some lessons also

    Book preview

    Lillie London's Needlework Book - Lillie London

    Contents

    Author’s Foreword

    Publisher’s Foreword

    Introduction to the Vintage Words of Wisdom series

    Project 1: Many Coloured Daisies on a Linen Cushion

    Project 2: A Set of Mats for the Dressing Table

    Project 3: Settee and Chairbacks In Cool-Looking Green Linen Sewn With a Jacobean Design

    Project 4: A Sundial Design in Cross-Stitch

    Project 5: Flower Posies against a Cross-Stitch Background Adorn this Tea Cloth

    Project 6: Demure Flower Borders Adorn These Guest Towels

    Project 7: Loop Stitch - So Simple to Work - Adorns This Effective Tea Cloth

    Project 8: A Cross-Stitch Background Helps To Make an Unusual Design for Crash Chairbacks

    Project 9: A Very Quickly Worked Luncheon Set in an Unusual Design

    Project 10: Sewn on Poplin: A Runner and Nightdress Case to Match

    Project 11: This Blue Runner is Embroidered with Shaded Threads

    Project 12: Hemstitched and Embroidered in Delicate Shades

    Project 13: Tea Cloth and Cosy Cover Worked with Hemstitching and Simple Embroidery

    Project 14: Flower Baskets on Colour-Bordered Guest Towels

    Project 15: An Exquisite Supper Cloth for Bridge Evenings

    Project 16: Cross-Stitch on a Gay Little Morning Set

    Project 17: Interesting Stitches Adorn a Linen Cushion

    Project 18: A Tea Cloth Gay with Lazy Daisies

    Project 19: Just Simple Darning Stitch But it Looks so Effective on Cushion and Curtains

    Project 20: Net Darning Makes an Exquisite Cushion and Curtain Set

    Project 21: Tea Cloth, Tray Cloth and Cosy All to Match

    Project 22: A Square Cushion Needlewoven with Wool

    Project 23: A Crash Bag with Bands of Needleweaving to hold your Sewing and Accessories

    Project 24: Needleweaving and Simple Darning Stitch are attractive on An Oblong Cushion

    Project 25: Bands of Needleweaving on a Table Scarf

    Lillie London Lesson 1 : A Lesson in Needleweaving and Some Simple Needleweaving Designs

    Project 26: An Effective Runner Quickly Worked With Wool

    Project 27: Hemstitching and Applique Combine to make this Charming Set of Supper Cloth and Napkins

    Project 28: Chairback - and Settee-Back to Match

    Project 29: Just Simple Running Stitch - But used so effectively on this Cushion

    Project 30: A Runner Worked with Wool In Interesting Stitches

    Project 31: A Trio of Pochettes Worked in Tapestry Stitches

    Lillie London Lesson 2: A Lesson in Petit Point Work

    Project 32: Simple Cut-Work Shows to Advantage in this Effective Chairback

    Project 33: Cut-Work and Applique Make This Unusual Cushion and its Matching Chairbacks

    Project 34: A Modern Dressing Table Set in Cut-Work

    Lillie London Lesson 3: A Lesson in Simple Cut-Work

    Project 35: Cut-Work is Lovely on Household Linens

    Project 36: The Charm of Coloured Applique - A Beautiful Set of Tea Cloth, Tray Cloth, and Cosy - All Worked in Coloured Applique on Fine Linen

    Project 37: Cut-Work and Applique Join Forces In an Unusual Table Runner

    Lillie London Lesson 4: A Lesson in Applique

    Project 38: Pillowcases In White Embroidery and Broderie Anglaise

    Project 39: All Sewn in Lazy-Daisy Stitch - Tea Cloth, Cosy Cover, and Table Mat

    Project 40: A Very Quickly-Worked Morning Set

    Project 41: An Unusual Chairback Sewn With Several Most Interesting Stitches

    Project 42: Flower-Sewn Mats For The Luncheon Table

    Project 43: Round Nightdress Sachets Are New and Smart

    Project 44: A Dainty Tea Apron Of Finest Organdie

    Project 45: A Morning Set In Embroidered Organdie

    Project 46: The Special Charm of One-Colour Embroidery is shown in this Cross-Stitched Tea Cloth

    Project 47: In Jacobean Design - A Smart Table Runner

    Project 48: Garden Aprons In Serviceable Crash and with Big Roomy Pockets

    Project 49: Two Lovely Examples of Effective Stitchery

    Project 50: A 19-Piece Luncheon Set Embroidered on White Linen

    Project 51: Sachets - One for Handkerchiefs and One for Pyjamas

    Project 52: An Effective Cushion Cover In Linen Crash

    Project 53: A Square Tea Cosy in Italian Quilting

    Project 54: Baby’s Matinee Jacket - In Italian Quilting

    Project 55: Two Cushions of Quilted Silk

    Project 56: A Quilted Nightdress Sachet

    Project 57: Italian Quilting In Delicate Colourings Makes This Cot or Pram Cover

    Lillie London Lesson 5: Quilting is Delightfully Easy To Do - A Lesson In Italian Quilting

    Project 58: A Nightdress Trimmed With Cut-Work

    Project 59: Pyjamas - One Set Embroidered the Other Trimmed with Applique

    Project 60: Simple Cross-Stitch on a Vest and Knicker Set

    Project 61: Cut-Out Petticoat and Knickers with Lace Edgings and Dainty Touches of Embroidery

    Project 62: Touches of Embroidery Give Added Beauty to Step-ins and Dance Set

    Project 63: A Cut-Out Satin Dressing Jacket

    Project 64: A Nightdress with Magyar Sleeves

    Project 65: Appliqued on Net is the Square Neckline of this Charming Puff-Sleeved Nightdress

    Project 66: A Two-Piece Set For Best

    Project 67: A Deep-Pile Rug In Lovely Colourings

    Project 68: Modern Designs for the Modern Home

    Project 69: The Charm of A Semi-Circular Rug

    Project 70: A Quickly-Worked Rug In Unusual Design

    Lillie London Lesson 6: A Lesson In Deep Pile Rug Making

    Project 71: Light-Weight Rugs Worked In Cross-Stitch

    Project 72: A Tapestry Cosy Worked with Wool

    Project 73: A Roomy Beach Bag Gaily Embroidered With Wool

    Project 74: Bags in Tapestry Stitches

    Project 75: Tapestry Stool-Tops A New Note in Decoration

    Lillie London Lesson 7: Tapestry Stitches Used for the Gnome Wool Articles on the previous pages

    Project 76: Amusing as Toys or Mascots These Funny Little Figures Are Made of Wire and Scraps of Wool

    Lillie London Lesson 8: How to Make Toys with Wire and Wool

    Project 77: Quaint Little Soft Toys To Make with Wool

    Lillie London Lesson 9: Clipped Wool Balls and Toys

    Project 78: Who Would Guess This Little Fellow Was A Nightdress Case?

    Project 79: A Noah’s Ark Makes Such an Exciting Pyjama Case for the Children

    Project 80: Gay Feeders [Bibs] for the Very Small People

    Project 81: Amusing Embroideries For the Nursery

    Project 82: Embroidered Pictures Are New and Very Charming

    Project 83: Here Is Another Picture In Quaint Design and Gay with Colour

    Project 84: Medallions of Petit Point Make Most Unusual Book-Ends

    Project 85: Galleons All Worked In Back Stitch Make another Attractive Pair of Book-Ends

    Project 86: Such a Useful Work Bag Embroidered in Wool and with Wooden Handles

    Project 87: Made With Macramé Twine

    Project 88: Many Lovely Stitches in Wool Embroidery Make This Chairback

    Lillie London Lesson 10: Effective Stitches to Use for Wool Embroidery

    Lillie London Lesson 11: First Steps in Embroidery

    Lillie London Lesson 12: Embroidery Stitches

    AUTHOR’S FOREWORD

    At this time, when embroidery and fancy sewing of all descriptions take up such a large share of our time and interest, I am very pleased to be able to offer to you this book on the subject.

    Embroidery has undoubtedly gained a fresh lease of life, and women everywhere are realising the pleasure and contentment to be found in the creating of beautiful hand-work, and the joy of having one’s own work all about one in the home.

    Not everyone can afford to spend a great deal of time on fine stitchery, and not everyone cares to tackle large, intricate, and difficult pieces of work. My aim, therefore, with this book has been to give you embroideries that are as beautiful and attractive as modem art can make them, but which can be worked both easily and quickly.

    Nothing that is shown in these pages is too difficult for even the comparatively inexperienced embroidress to tackle, and every stitch and process that is used in every article shown is described in detail and by sketch or photograph.

    The planning and preparing of these embroideries and the presenting of them to your notice through these pages has been marvellously interesting–I hope that to you the results will be of equal interest. I know that the embroidering and the sewing of those articles you choose for yourselves will be.

    Yours very sincerely,

    Lillie London

    PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD

    Lillie London’s Needlework Book was first published in the 1930s. Part promotional publication and part beginner’s guide to embroidery, it was produced to sell ‘ready to sew’ needlework patterns and materials (fabric, stencils, thread, etc.) to homemakers between the wars. Selling kits in this way was not new, even in the 1930s. Such promotional methods enabled the average housewife to tap into the latest fashion trends and reproduce the modern style in her own home.

    Obviously, these ready-to-sew kits are not available today. However, the instructions given in the book are very detailed, including guidance on colour schemes and lessons on the techniques used to create the projects described. Therefore, we have adapted the book so that it provides 88 projects and 12 ‘Lillie London Lessons’ for inspiration, instruction and information. What better way is there to achieve a 1930s look for your vintage home than by creating items based on original projects from the time?

    The book covers everything from basic coloured embroidery to Broderie Anglaise, taking in cut-work and appliqué, as well as tapestry work, deep-pile rug-making, underwear and toys for children. There are embroidery designs for cushions, tablecloths, towels, aprons, pyjama cases, nightdresses and pillow cases. The projects are made up using a wide range of interesting stitches and guidance on these is provided in 12 lessons that cover techniques for all the projects including Italian quilting, needleweaving, petit point and tapestry stitches, as well as the basic embroidery stitches used throughout the book. Therefore, this really is a practical ‘how-to’ book.

    The illustrations have been taken from the original book and are an early example of colour printing in two colours, red and blue (the frontispiece is a full colour photograph that shows the true colour of several of the finished articles). There are photographs and diagrams, not up to today’s standard of illustration to be sure, but attractive nonetheless so we have included them as they add to the overall vintage feel of the book. The language used is also charming and reminiscent of 1930s newsreel presentations delivered in a ‘cut-glass’ British accent – quaint but evocative for today’s readers.

    Some of the materials recommended by Lillie London may not be familiar today. Therefore, here are some definitions that may be helpful.

    Crash – several items in this book are made using this fabric – particularly those that need to stand up to hard wear and washing. Crash is any of several rugged fabrics made from yarns that

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