Vintage French Needlework: 300 Authentic Cross-Stitch Patterns—Flowers, Borders, and Alphabets from Antique Textiles

This slight debut compendium from Maillard brings together hundreds of cross-stitch patterns she collected from old manuals. The majority of the designs are for alphabets, since the patterns are lifted from books intended to help women initial their household linens. Disappointingly, Maillard doesn’t provide any further details on the originating manuals, or even what eras they date from. The letter styles are ornate, and they retain some antiquated irregularities (“The I and the J are often conflated into one letter,” she notes). Maillard dispenses a few basic tips, recommending that readers count out stitches from the center of the fabric before beginning, to ensure they have enough room, and that they “slip the last inches of thread through some stitches at the back to stop them from fraying when washing.” Unfortunately, there’s no written or illustrated step-by-step instructions, just designs overlaid onto grids, making this feel more like a look book than a guide. There are a few intricate pictorial motifs featuring the Eiffel Tower, flowers, swans, and teapots, but the hundreds of alphabets feel like overkill. The retro designs have their charm, but this comes across as a one-trick pony. (June)