A Victorian Floral Alphabet

From anemone to zinnia, the author provides patterns for an alphabet of flower designs along, with instructions for making pillows, wall hangings, a panel for a mirror, a layette basket, a project folder and many others.

“A flower is not a flower alone; a thousand thoughts invest it.” Daffodils signal new beginnings, daisies innocence. Lilacs mean the first emotions of love, periwinkles tender recollection. Early Victorians used flowers as a way to express their feelings—love or grief, jealousy or devotion. Now, modern-day romantics are enjoying a resurgence of this bygone custom, and this book will share the historical, literary, and cultural significance of flowers with a whole new generation. With lavish illustrations, a dual dictionary of flora and meanings, and suggestions for creating expressive arrangements, this keepsake is the perfect compendium for everyone who has ever given or received a bouquet.

Culled from two popular American women's magazines of the Victorian era, here are alphabets, initials, monograms, and common names in various letter forms — script, floral, geometric, Old English, block, ornamental, more.

This language of flowers book contains original floral art, classic floral poems and texts, and extensive floral dictionaries. Twenty-eight colour Literary Calligraphy paintings by popular artist Susan Loy are included. Each painting incorporates flowers and hand-lettered poems or texts expressing meanings related to love, nature, peace, serenity, friendship, and many more. Each illustration is accompanied by text relating to that flower's origin, name, cultivation, and habitat. Two floral dictionaries (2,900 entries) present an Language of Flowers by flower and by sentiment. Eight poems describe the language of flowers. Appendix includes dictionaries from twelve American, three British, and one French, Victorian-era language of flowers' books.

-40 easy-to-stitch alphabet and sampler designs in cross stitch and other counted techniques-Features celebratory projects for births, weddings, and Christmas-Attractive and decorative ideas for using single initials -Superb color photographs and easy-to-read charts

The Victorian woman put initials on nearly every piece of linen and clothing she owned ? everything from handkerchiefs and blouses to tablecloths, napkins, and towels. The modern needleworker may not be quite so avid about initialing everything, but initials and monograms are still attractive and popular ways of decorating common items. This book brings you a large selection of alphabets, initials, monograms, and common names from Godey's Lady's Book and Peterson's Magazine, the most popular American women's magazines of the Victorian era. Each is available in a variety of letter forms, so that you may find the most suitable for your sewing needs: scripts, floral, geometric, Old English, block, ornamental, and many more. Although eminently usable for embroidery, there are also a number of alphabets for crochet and needlepoint. You will find these motifs of the highest quality ? both easy to use and productive of professional-looking results. For traditional embroidery and sewing needs, these alphabets, monograms, and names are ideal but you will also find them applicable to a number of modern uses: for decorating blue jeans and hats, for patches, and even a variety of non-sewing needs.

Contains alphabetical lists of flowers and the meaning associated with them.

Andrew Sheffield's letters help us better understand the full range of behavior among women in the Victorian South & the limits of Southern womanhood near the end of the nineteenth century.