Weldon's Practical Bead-Work eBook

PieceWork magazine is pleased to present this electronic pattern book which opens a window on another time and another place. The time is the turn of the twentieth century and the place is London, England. Needleworkers of that era would be amazed to see their favorite beading patterns in a virtual format of which they could never have dreamed.

In an effort to bring needlework to the emerging middle class, Weldon's, a paper pattern producer of the Victorian era, began to publish monthly newsletters devoted to various crafts (beading, knitting, patchwork, and the like). These newsletters were typically 14 pages and cost 2 pence. Later, they were collected into book form, titled Weldon's Practical Needlework.

We have reproduced for you here the beading material from Volume 4. The 27 projects range from simple to ornate, from tassels and buttons to sash ornaments and bonnet crowns. The instructions might perplex a contemporary beader accustomed to detailed charts and succinct directions, but the patterns are often ingenious, and many of the objects transcend the century-plus span of years since they were devised.

This pamphlet serves as a curiosity, an inspiration, a resource, and a link to a time beyond our memories. In using and enjoying it, you keep the craft alive.