American Needlework by Rose Wilder Lane

I know that I've mentioned it before, but I like to stop by the used bookstore not far from my previous place of employment and check out their old books. They get things from all sources, and sometimes have the most amazing things there. Libraries are getting rid of books that are no longer read or things are donated from private collections. I have gathered some seriously fine books this way.

Along the way I came a cross the Woman's Day Book of American Needlework by Rose Wilder Lane. I'm still debating if I was excited to see this book because it was written by Rose Wilder Lane who was the daughter of my favourite childhood author, Laura Ingalls Wilder (who I still read at least once a year) or because books like this are a unique collection of fibre arts and crafts.

The book, like many others of its day, were not devoted to one craft. They tried to cover most of the things people did at that time. The book includes general embroidery, crewel work, candlewicking, cross stitch, needlepoint as it covers thread arts. It covers patchwork, applique, and general quilting as it covers quilted arts. It covers two styles of rugmaking, and weaving before finally getting to knitting and crochet.

Much of the book is a history of the craft, but there is also a detailed discussion of how to do each craft, and then finally one project. That is the sad part. Only one project. I suppose that this came about because each book section probably began life as something for a magazine article for Woman's Day Magazine. Usually the project they have included is not one I would have chosen. Usually I'd have picked something else from among the many projects pictured.

This book is why it was an absolute delight to come across The Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann. Mary Schiffmann had a hand in providing the lace samples, and is the person who wrote up the knitting instructions for American Needlework. Wandering through the Woman's Day book, looking for clues of Mary Schiffmanns work, I immediately found these. the first is from American Needlework, and the second is from the Lacy Knitting of Mary Schiffmann. In the first book, only the pictures are shown, and in the second, Mary Schiffmann says her pattern is an adaptation from the first piece. The design actually was knitted about 1890, and is now at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Museum in Mansfield Mo., and is part of a luncheon set. I have no doubt that somewhere in Mary's collection of patterns, there are the written instructions for the other edging patterns in this book too.

If you should happen to see the book at a second hand sale, you may want to pick it up. Some of the history may be out of date, but some is right on target. Some of the projects look a little dated, but these days we are calling old styles 'retro'. For a couple bucks, this is an interesting book. Pick it up. I rank it a half double crochet.