COLOURED DESIGNS FOR TOILECROSSE
O-SF001 Simpkin, Marshall & Co. – Coloured Designs for Toilecrosse No. 3
Twelve pages with cross-stitch embroidery patterns for punched paper. Five colors used. The cover had a pencilled date 1896. Some patterns have backstitches in various colors, so the symbol chart is not complete as all backstitches are shown as solid lines, with no indication of color.
Images donated by etsy seller sewmuchfrippery, edited and charted by Sytske Wijnsma
The back cover shows various strips of toilecrosse paper, suitable for bookmarks. This embroidery was also done on postcards, but for items such as chair backs and pillow covers paper appears to be unsuitable, and few if any such examples have survived. Punched paper was also used for house blessings and religious motifs, the advantage being that the background wouldn’t shrink or fold, and long backstitches could be made that would keep their shape. The disadvantage would be that it’s paper and can’t be washed, folded, or indeed to any practical use. The paper would soften with time as well.
Punched paper was also used to cut out parts of the grid, making a lace-like pattern that was sometimes used as edging for postcards, very similar to what now is done with Pergamano (although there you’d have to make the punches yourself, helped by a metal grid). Every fashion and fad returns one way or another.