The Lady’s Album of Fancy Work for 1850 collects novel and elegant designs for the genteel needlecrafts of the mid-nineteenth century, including knitting, netting, crochet, braiding, and embroidery. Clear directions accompany each pattern, guiding the accomplished lady through useful and decorative projects.
Such albums were prized companions of the Victorian workbasket, blending fashion, leisure, and domestic accomplishment. The designs reflect the ornamental taste of the period and the central place of fancy work in women’s daily lives. A charming pattern book of Victorian craft, it is available here as a free EPUB download.