Patchwork, c 1884

My employer at the bookstore gave me a lovely surprise today; this little booklet of CQ stitches. The date on the front says 1884, and it was priced at 15 cents, which was probably a fair amount to spend on such frivolity in 1884.

As far as being "instructions", I'd have to say they leave a lot to the stitcher's previous experience. There are drawings of stitches, but few "how-to"s.

Here's the text on the first page:
It is very popular to make Tidies, Mats, Sofa Pillows, Afghans, Bed Spreads, etc., of small pieces of Silk and Satin.

Take a piece of some firm goods the size you want the article. Upon this baste the silk and satin pieces in all sorts of irregular shapes, turning in the raw edges. Then work the edges of each piece with different designs of the POINT RUSSE stitches. In working these stitches, use embroidery silk. That called "waste" embroidery silk, that comes (mixed colors) in short lengths, is the best and cheapest to use.

The Silk and Satin pieces are much prettier with snow flake stitches, sprays of flowers and outline deigns of children's heads, bugs, etc., worked on them. Work the designs before joining to the other pieces.

We think the illustrations, in this book, of Crazy Patchwork, Point Russe and Snow Flake stitches will give you a better idea of the work than any explanations we can write.



It is quite a little treasure!