First place I usually go is the crafters' section. I found Creating Historic Samplers by Judith K. Grow and Elizabeth C. McGrail, 1974 First edition (127p). It is quite an instructional book with Four Samplers to Make. There are also several photos of antique samplers from the 1700's which are lovely works of art.
The other book is Mother Goose in Stitches by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen, 1976 First edition (96p). It, too, has some instructional pages, with over 40 patterns and images.
The next is Needlepoint by Design ~ Variations on Chinese Themes, by Maggie Lane, 1970 (114p). There is a lot of instruction and history here, but the artwork is so pretty, and I believe the charts can be used for cross stitch as well as needlepoint.
One of my favorites that I got recently at the Flea Market is, The Kate Greenway Treasury, An Anthology of the Illustrations and Writings of Kate Greenway, 1967 (320p). I stumbled upon this wonderful book while browsing through paperbacks. It was stuck at the back, still in a box. The gentleman said, 'Do you know that has been here for three years, and I think you're one of the first to even pick it up'. I'm so happy that I did! It has so many of her wonderful verses, but also her wonderful illustrations!! This old book still has the dust jacket, but underneath on the cover is a beautiful gold stamping that I'll try to show you - and in my favorite color combination. Also, on the inside front and first page - usually blank - is a great image.
There are others that are not nearly so interesting, a few of J.D. Robb Death series that I'm reading now and a couple of Kathy Reichs that I want to try. She's the Temperance (loosely) from Bones. On the back cover it says, "Kathy Reichs blasts into Patricia Cornwell territory..." I love Cornwell, so we'll see...
