These are the books in my personal embroidery library. If you'd like to acquire a copy of any of them for yourself, click on the links below to order them from Amazon .
History of Embroidery
Arthur, Liz. Embroidery 1600-1700 at the Burrell Collection . London: John Murray, 1995.
Baker, Patricia L. Islamic Textiles . London: British Museum Press, 1995.
Bath, Virginia Churchill. Embroidery Masterworks: Classic Patterns and Techniques for Contemporary Application from the Textile Collection of the Art Institute of Chicago . Chicago: Henry Regnery Company, 1972.
Beck, Thomasina. The Embroiderer's Flowers . Devon: David & Charles, 1993.
Beck, Thomasina. The Embroiderer's Story: Needlework from the Renaissance to the Present Day . Devon: David & Charles, 1995.
Beck, Thomasina. Gardening with Silk and Gold: A History of Gardens in Embroidery . Devon: David & Charles, 1997.
Benn, Elizabeth (ed). Treasures from the Embroiderers' Guild Collection . Devon: David & Charles, 1995.
Bridgeman, Harriet, and Elizabeth Drury, ed. Needlework, an Illustrated History . London: Paddington Press, 1978.
Camille, Michael. The Medieval Art of Love: Objects and Subjects of Desire . New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1998.
Cittone, Elio. Tesori Ottomani del XVI e XVII Secolo . Milan: Grafica Centonze.
The Conservation of Tapestries and Embroideries: Proceedings of Meetings at the Institut Royal du Patrimoine Artistique, Brussels, Belgium, September 21-24, 1987 . Los Angeles: The Getty Conservation Institute, 1989.
Digby, George Winfield. Elizabethan Embroidery . New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1963.
Ellis, Marianne. Embroideries and samplers from Islamic Egypt . Greenville, SC: Curious Works Press, 2001.
Foster, Vanda. Bags and Purses . London: Batsford, 1992.
Freeman, Margaret B. The St. Martin Embroideries . New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1968.
Grape, Wolfgang. The Bayeux Tapestry: Monument to a Norman Triumph . New York: Prestel-Verlag, 1994.
Gudjónsson, Elsa E. Traditional Icelandic Embroidery . Reykjavík: Iceland Review, 1985.
Humphrey, Carol. Fitzwilliam Museum Handbooks: Samplers . New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Jones, Mary Eirwen. A History of Western Embroidery . New York: Watson-Guptill Publications, 1969.
Kay, Dorothea. Embroidered Samplers . New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1979.
King, Donald, and Santina Levey. The Victoria & Albert Museum's Textile Collection: Embroidery in Britain from 1200 to 1759 . New York: 1993.
Kurth, B. Medieval Embroidery . (Ciba Review 50, pp. 1798-1828; includes "The Technique of European Pictorial Embroidery in the Middle Ages," "Genres of European Pictorial Embroidery in the Middle Ages," "The Importance of Figural Embroidery in the Middle Ages.") Basle: Ciba Limited, 1945.
Lefébure, Ernest. Embroidery and Lace: Their Manufacture and History from the Remotest Antiquity to the Present Day . Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1889.
Mayer-Thurman, Christa C. Textiles in the Art Institute of Chicago . Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1992.
Nevinson, John L. Catalogue of English Domestic Embroidery of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries . London, 1938.
Schuette, Marie and Muller-Christiansen, Sigrid. A Pictorial History of Embroidery . New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1964.
Snook, Barbara. English Embroidery . London: Mills & Boon, 1974.
Staniland, Kay. Medieval Craftsmen: Embroiderers . Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, 1997.
Swain, Margaret. The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots . Carlton: Ruth Bean Publishers, 1986.
Wardle, Patricia. Guide to English Embroidery . London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1981.
Learning Techniques and Applications (with brief historical sections)
Ambuter, Carolyn. The Open Canvas: An Instructional Encyclopedia of Openwork Techniques . New York: Workman Publishing, 1982.
de Dillmont, Thérèse (Thérèse Maria Josepha von Dillmont). The Complete Encyclopedia of Needlework . Philadelphia: Running Press, 1972.
Fairfield, Helen. Counted-Thread Embroidery . New York: St. Martin's Press, 1987.
Gostelow, Mary. The Cross Stitch Book . New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
Gostelow, Mary. Mary Gostelow's Embroidery Book . New York: E.P. Dutton, 1979.
Harding, Valerie. Faces and Figures in Embroidery . Newton Centre: Charles T. Branford Company, 1979.
Rhodes, Mary. Needlepoint: The art of canvas embroidery . London: Octopus Books, 1974.
Snook, Barbara. The Creative Art of Embroidery . New York: Hamlyn, 1972.
Stevens, Helen M. The Timeless Art of Embroidery . Devon: David & Charles, 1998.
Tamura, Shuji. The Techniques of Japanese Embroidery . Iola: Krause Publications, 1999.
Blackwork History, Techniques, and Modern Applications
Drysdale, Rosemary. The Art of Blackwork Embroidery . New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975.
Geddes, Elisabeth, and McNeill, Moyra. Blackwork Embroidery . New York: Dover, 1976.
Gostelow, Mary. Blackwork . New York: Dover, 1998.
Pascoe, Margaret. Blackwork Embroidery: Design and Technique . London: Batsford, 1986.
Facsimiles of Period Embroidery Books/Recharted Patterns from Period Embroidery Books
Bassée, Nicolas. German Renaissance Patterns for Embroidery: A facsimile copy of Nicolas Bassée's New Modelbuch of 1568 . Austin: Curious Works Press, 1994.
Newall, Kathryn. Needlework Patterns from Renaissance Germany: Designs recharted by Kathryn Newall from Johan Sibmacher's Schön Neues Modelbuch 1597 . Boulder: Costume & Dressmaker Press, 1999.
Salazar, Kim Brody. The New Carolingian Modelbook: Counted embroidery patterns from before 1600 . Albuquerque: Outlaw Press, 1995.
Shorleyker, Richard. A Schole-House for the Needle: Produced from the original book printed in 1632 and now in the private collection of John and Elizabeth Mason . Shropshire: RJL Smith & Associates, 1998.
Sibmacher, Johan. Baroque Charted Designs for Needlework Engraved by Johan Sibmacher . (Reprint of Newes Modelbuch , 1604.) New York: Dover Publications, 1975.
Vinciolo, Federico. Renaissance Patterns for Lace, Embroidery and Needlepoint: An unabridged facsimile of the "Singuliers et nouveaux pourtraicts" of 1587 . New York: Dover, 1971.
Charted Patterns in Medieval/Renaissance Themes
Bahouth, Candace. Flowers, Birds, and Unicorns: Medieval Needlepoint . 1993.
DMC Library. Assisi Embroideries . Mulhouse: Editions Th. de Dillmont, 1954.
Elder, Karen. V&A Needlepoint Collection . London: Brockhampton Press, 1995.
Foris, Andreas, and Foris, Maria. Charted Folk Designs for Cross-Stitch Embroidery: 278 charts of ancient folk embroideries from the countries along the Danube . New York: Dover, 1975.
Gierl, Irmgard. Cross Stitch Patterns . London: Batsford, 1986.
Houck, Carter. 101 Folk Art Designs for Counted Cross-Stitch and Other Needlecrafts . New York: Dover, 1982.
Roth, Ann. Needlepoint Designs from the Mosaics of Ravenna . New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1975.
Shinall, Meg. 17th Century Style Band Sampler . Sumter: Designs by Gloria & Pat, 1992.
Wainwright, Angela. Medieval Cross Stitch Samplers . London: Cassell, 1995.
Wainwright, Angela. Renaissance Cross Stitch Samplers . London: Cassell, 1995.
Warner, Pamela. Tudor Treasures to Embroider . Lewes (East Sussex, England): Guild of Master Craftsmen Publications, 2002.
Charted Patterns in Celtic Themes
Kliffen, Ina. Celtic Animals Charted Designs . New York: Dover Publications, 1996.
Lawther, Gail. Celtic Cross Stitch: 30 Alphabet, Animal, and Knotwork Projects . Reader's Digest, 1997.
Spinhoven, Co. Celtic Charted Designs . New York: Dover, 1987.
Starmore, Alice. Celtic Needlepoint . North Pomfret: Trafalgar Square, 1999.
Vickery, Mike. Celtic Cross-Stitch . New York: Sterling Publications, 1997.
Wainwright, Angela. Celtic Cross Stitch Samplers . London: Cassell, 1999.
Other Booklists for Medieval and Renaissance Embroidery