Volume 2
 This Dover edition first published in 1972, is an unabridged republication of the second edition (1887) of the work originally published A. W. Cowan, London, in 1882 under the title 'The dictionary of Needlework: an Encyclopedia of Artistic, Plain, and Fancy Needlework. Volume 2 is M-Z and supplement, with over 1200 illustrations giving Full precise descriptions of stitches, techniques for all types of needlecraft and lace.
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Embroidery is never just embroidery nor is lacemaking simply lacemaking. There is embroidery on the stamp, low or plain, white, in the satin stitch, darned, drawn and damascene; and there is guipure d'art lace, reticella, honiton, hollie point, barcelona, bedfordshire, brilliante, belgioan, etc. NOr is knitting, knotting, netting, crocheting, braiding, crewel, needlepoint, applique, cord work, crepe work, frame work, canvas work, patchwork or any other of more than a dozen needlecrafts or one type only. To each and every needlecraft belongs multitude of stitches, which when combined form uniquely different patterns and when worked upon various materials produce entirely different effects.
So many possibilities are there in fact that a veritable encyclopedia, devoted exclusively to the needlecraft arts, would be needed to record,define, describe and illustrate all the stitches, materials, patterns, methods and operations of each needlecraft. Back in the 1880s just such  comprehensive collection was achieved in the work of Caulfield and Saward, and not in the near-century since its publication has another fuller, more detailed, more accurate work supplanted it.
Inclding every needlecraft from ordinary sewing to the most intricate pillow lace or church embroidern and from a wide range of cultures - contemporary Victorian British, ancient Egyptian, traditional continental, Oriental, Greek, Venetian, Spanish, Moorish, etc - this set of volumes is equally valuable to the practitioner and the collector. In addition ;to full and precise descriptions of stitches, explanations of techniques, definitions of terms, identification of materials, specific projects with detailed stitching information, step-by-step instructions for patterns, more than 800 figures illustrating the text, and a supplementary section of 159 plates depicting nearly 550 objects to be made, there is much material of specific interest to the antiquarian, pertaining to the history and ethnography of individual needlework techniques and designs.
Mostly of the high Victorian period, these illustrated artifacts provide the collector and antiques dealer with singularly fine stylistic criteria against which to authenticate similar "finds" and the sophisticated craftswoman with authentic and perhaps never-before-seen designs and patterns to imitate. For the beginner as well as the experienced needleworker, however, this i>Encyclopedia is an exceptionally lclear working manual, a rich source of suggestions, and in many instances the last record of many otherwise forgotten needlecraft specialties.

Unabridged republication of the full six volumes of the second (1887) edition, formerly entitled The Dictionary of Needlework: An Encyclopedia of Artistic, Plain and Fancy Needlework. Over 800 figures, 83 plates pulse 159 supplementary plates.
total of xxii + 697 pp. Two volumes