Dictionary of Needlework, 1882

Caulfeild and Saward's Dictionary of Needlework, 1989 edition. Caulfeild and Saward's Dictionary of Needlework, 1989 edition.

The Dictionary of Needlework is a late nineteenth century encyclopaedia written by Sophia Frances Anne Caulfeild and Blanche C. Saward. The first edition of the Dictionary of Needlework was published in 1882 (London: L. Upcott Gill) in six volumes.

The full title is: The Dictionary of Needlework: An Encyclopaedia Of Artistic, Plain, And Fancy Needlework Dealing Fully with the Details of all the Stitches Employed, the Method Of Working, the Materials Used, the Meaning Of Technical Terms, and, where Necessary, Tracing The Origin and History of the Various Works Described.

The first edition of the book included 528 pages and c. 800 wood engravings. The main subjects covered include decorative needlework in general, lace making, such as crochet, knitting, tatting, and so forth, but also appliances (tools and equipment), dress making, plain sewing etc. The original book was dedicated to H.R.H. Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne (1848-1939), one of the daughters of Queen Victoria. There was also a companion volume, Supplement to the Dictionary of Needlework Consisting of a Series of Plates or Ornamental and Useful Articles made or Decorated by Needlework (London: L. Upcott Gill), which came out in 1887.

The Dictionary of Needlework has been re-published on numerous occasions, notably as The Encyclopedia of Victorian Needlework (New York: Dover 1972, two volumes) and The Dictionary of Needlework, London: Hamlyn (1972).

The Project Gutenberg has made an edition of this work directly available. Download the text here.

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 8 July 2016).

GVE

Last modified on Monday, 21 November 2016 19:30