Cover of The Dictionary of Needlework, an encyclopedia of artistic, plain, and fancy needlework, dealing fully with the details of all the stitches employed, the method of working, the materials used, the meaning of technical terms, and, where necessary, tracing the origin and history of the various works described. Published in London in 1882, it contained entries on plain sewing, textiles, dressmaking, appliances, and terms by Sophia Frances Anne Caulfeild, and entries on church embroidery, lace, and ornamental needlework by Blanche Catherine Saward. They collaborated on several books about needlework.
The book was dedicated “To her Royal Highness, The Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne . . . in acknowledgement of the great services which, by means of her cultivated taste and cordial patronage, she has rendered to the arts of plain sewing and embroidery.” Princess Louise (1848-1939) was the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. She was a sculptor and artist, and a supporter of the feminist movement.
Frances Glessner, a highly skilled needleworker, owned more than a dozen books on various aspects of needlework which remain in the library today. She would have consulted the dictionary often, in researching and preparing her embroideries, many of which are displayed throughout the house.