La Vera Perfettione del Disegno, Giovanni Ostaus

La Vera Perfettione del Disegno, Giovanni Ostaus, Venetia, 1591. Pressmark 95.0.39

La Vera Perfettione del Disegno
Giovanni Ostaus
Venetia
1591
Pressmark 95.0.39

Most pattern books included sections on lace and cutwork as well as embroidery and were small enough to be easily handled. The patterns were mainly floral or geometric, suitable for repeating as borders, but sometimes whole scenes were drawn out, such as the one shown here.
 

Model-Buch Dritter Thiel, Rosina Fuerst

Model-Buch Dritter Thiel, Rosina Fuerst, Nurnberg, 1676. Pressmark 95.O.16

Model-Buch Dritter Thiel
Rosina Fuerst
Nurnberg
1676
Pressmark 95.O.16

An embroidery design with pinholes caused by 'pouncing'.

Pouncing was a technique which involved pricking out the outline of the pattern with a pin, attaching the page to a piece of fabric, then rubbing soot or charcoal through the pin holes so that when the page was removed, the pigment would be left in place.

Embroidery design from Das Neue Modelbuch, 1593

Embroidery design from Das Neue Modelbuch, 1593, St. Gallen. Pressmark 95.O. Box 1

Embroidery design from Das Neue Modelbuch
1593
St. Gallen
Pressmark 95.O. Box 1

This embroidery design was to be transferred by pouncing.

Pouncing was a technique which involved pricking out the outline of the pattern with a pin, attaching the page to a piece of fabric, then rubbing soot or charcoal through the pin holes so that when the page was removed, the pigment would be left in place.

Squared paper from A Schole-House for the Needle, Richard Shorleyker

Squared paper from A Schole-House for the Needle, Richard Shorleyker, London, 1623. Pressmark 95.O.50

Squared paper from A Schole-House for the Needle
Richard Shorleyker
London
1623
Pressmark 95.O.50

Squared paper, such as this from A Schole-House for the Needle, was provided to scale up embroidery drawings from the book.

Embroidery design on squared paper from Il Monte, libro secondo

Embroidery design on squared paper from Il Monte, libro secondo, Giovanni Bindoni, Venetia, 1559. Pressmark 95.O.38

Embroidery design on squared paper
Il Monte, Libro Secondo
Giovanni Bindoni
Venetia
1559
Pressmark 95.O.38

An example of an embroidery design created on squared paper.

Symbolorum & Emblematum, Joachim Camerarius

Symbolorum & Emblematum, Joachim Camerarius, Nuremberg, 1593-1604. Pressmark CLE.C.13

Symbolorum & Emblematum
Joachim Camerarius
Nuremberg
1593-1604
Pressmark CLE.C.13

As women got more skilled at embroidery they could move from using patterns from embroidery books to patterns designed for bookbinders or calligraphers and, for the really inventive, herbals and emblem books such as this.