They are ordered and ordered and then it stops. Of course, this usually happens just after I buy a supply of them, after I ordered them over & over 1-at-a-time.

The first book this happened with was very soon after I started selling rare (used) books in October/November 2009. The book was Fannie Highsmith’s The Ups & Down of Needlepoint.

and my synopsis:
“This is a very rare, almost unknown book by Fannie Hillsmith. I think I have bought every copy out there, this is the 3rd. The other 2 sold very quickly. Each time I replace this book it costs me more, go figure.

As far as I can tell, this is her only book on Needlepoint. It was published in South Brunswick and New York by A.S. Barnes & Co. and in London by Thomas Yoseloff LTD in 1976.

The book appears to be a “soup-to-nuts” needlepoint reference. The first chapter is titled “What Is A Stitch? and goes for 56 chapters more including a chaopters on the wools used, a bibiography and an index.

This really does look like an interesting book by someone who knows of what she speaks (rare enough these days).

The book has very few full-color pictures but it does have many, many B&W charts and drawings, each thing she talks about is well illustrated. There is even a chapter on Left-Handed Needlepoint.

An interesting book that I suspect is ahead of it’s time, plus I love the title.
“The Ups & Downs of Needlepoint” indeed. That is what it is and what we do, in one form or another.

There is a great section in here on the basics of doing circles in needlepoint. We all know how difficult your first few stitched circles can be.

Fannie Hillsmith was born in Boston and at the time this book was printed, 1976, lived in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. She was trained at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School, The Art Students League and Atelier 17. She is a painter, a jewelry designer, a printmaker, as well as a needlepoint designer and teacher.”

I sold quite a few, fast then nothing.

The next was The Beatrix Potter Needlepoint book by Pat Menchini.

“This is the 3rd copy of this wonderful needlepoint book I have listed here, so far. This is the English version of the book so there are a few differences. The cover is different from the second one but it is the same as the 1st one. Other then that, it is the same book.

Anybody who has seem the marvelous movie, Miss Potter, knows that Beatrix was engaged to Mr Warnes before his early and tragic death. I think it is interesting that these books, all these years later are still being published under the direction of Frederick Warnes for the Penguin Group. This feels right to me, I like it.

This book is in excellent, gift quality condition. It looks as if it was barely opened or read. There is no dust jacket with this one, as there wasn’t with the first one that had this same cover. it is possible that only the special edition sold at Miss Potter’s home, Hilltop, had the dust jacket as well as the different cover

As well as Beatrix Potter’s well known paintings, used in her books, the author of this book had access to some of her little known work. Some it still unpublished.

As well as a writer of her lovely books, Beatrix Potter was a talented artist. Her paintings are well executed and gently humorous.

Each Needlepoint design in this book shows the design stitched and finished, the original drawing it was based on, an expanded, large full-color graph of the pattern and a color list, by number as well as directions.

The threads used for these projects varies, mostly the wools preferred by British designers but also some like Twilley Lystra Stranded Cotton etc. I found some Anchor Cottons too. I think it will be easy to adapt them to other threads and yarns.

In addition to these charming needlepoint designs there are 2 knitting projects in the book and an embroidery project, as well. There is an extensive section on techniques and stitches and well as all the relevant information needed. This book really is very well done, a class act.

The Beatrix Potter Needlepoint Book was published by Penguin Books in association with Fredrick Warne in London in 1990. This is a very lovely book.”

I sold many of these, a lot of them at Christmas time last year. Only 1 has sold since then.

There was a huge run on this book: Bargello: An Explosion in Color by Margaret Boyles. So much so that my buying so many of them in the used book market caused their whole price to rise to 15 times what it had been when I first started buying them. I have 2 copies of it now, the one listed below is priced $48, which is terrible (imo) but reflects what I paid for it.

I think this is the best Bargello book I have ever seen, still I know that is a lot of money.

“If you have read many of the used book listings here you know I taught myself Needlepoint & Bargello Needlepoint from books. This is the #1 book that taught me to stitch, and stitch correctly, Bargello Needlepoint.

Margaret Boyles is a Master Teacher, her directions are concise and clear. her graphs are in full color and good size you don’t have to peer at them with a magnifying glass.

I have sold 4 copies of this book so far. I had trouble finding another in good condition> Each time I replace this book, it costs more than the last time. I know the price is high, it reflects the “market”. Bargello: An Explosion in Color is becoming very rare and very expensive.

The book is set up in sensibly, going from easy to stitch all the way to advanced & 4 Way Bargello. It took me 3 months to go from easy to fairly advanced but I will admit there are some patterns that are still beyond me and I haven’t yet managed a successful 4-Way Bargello.

Ms Boyles begins the book with a primer on materials, then stitches. Then Bargello tips and understanding Bargello design. My first Bargello project, after Ripple of course, everyone does Ripples first, was Canvas 11 from page 45.

I stitched my way through the book. Not full size projects but sample sizes to learn the stitches. As I finished Canvas 52, an Average Level Florentine Embroidery Flat Top Pattern on page 104 I began to get very busy building NewNeedlepoint.com.

But I wanted to try an Advanced Pattern. I stitched Canvas 53, on page 106. It came out very good, good enough that I offered the pattern in my (now closed, never sold even 1) Bargello Category.

The book has further sections on Mitred Bargello, which is what she calls 4-Way Bargello and finishing & mounting instructions.

Anyway, I know I am talking about myself here. I want you to understand how great this book is.”

Then there is Trianglepoint by Shirlee Lanz. This book flew off my shelves, to the point where I can’t get a really good condition copy for love or money (which is why the price has not shot up). I no longer have even one that still has a dust jacket in stock.

I did a Trianglepoint border on one of my Bargello samples, it came out well except for the corners. Recently I was contacted by Shirlee Lanz, someone had told her that my listing said something that was not correct but this turned out to be a misunderstanding, it was not my web store that was meant. The friend had sent her the wrong web address. I still sell one of these occasionally but not like the run I had on them.

The same for Bargello Antics by Dorothy Kaestner. I could not keep these in stock and now…dead as a doornail

and both Elsa Williams Bargello: Florentine Canvas Work

And Dorothy Kaestner’s 4 Way Bargello. I even have the very rare Revised Edition of this.

Finally Your House In Needlepoint by Susan Higgens. I sold many of these, so many in far that I have to get them from the UK now. I have 3 marvelous condition copies from the UK sitting and moldering on my shelves, when before they were bought in any condition, from not so good to good. Odd.

“I have become a fan of Susan Higgenson Needlepoint books. I kept her excellent small needlepoint stitch book from my very first order of books. It is comprehensive and the perfect size to slip into a tote bag.

I have lost count of how many copies of this book I have sold here, so many that they are getting very hard to get and much more expensive. I apologize for the price increase, it reflects what I am paying for this book, now.

The author, an experienced author & needlepoint teacher, takes you through all the stages of planning and executing a needlepoint picture of your home.

The book includes stitch descriptions and diagrams plus sections about special effects, choice of materials, alphabets and presentation.

There are also 18 different and detailed designs fully illustrated and described including graphs of the stitches used.

This hardcover book was published in England in 1990.”.

Then there are the books which should sell, but do not. Creating Contemporary Bargello by Iona L. Dettelbach is a new book but extremely rare. It took me forever to find a distributor. In fact, before I did find one (and the reason I went looking) was someone emailed me through NewNeedlepoint.com asking if I had this book.

I eventually sold one to that person and 1 other copy but that is all. I have 5 new copies sitting here now with no visible demand (5 is a lot for a very small operation like mine)

“Subtitled ” A Designers Guide”. Although this is a new book, it was hard to find in stock. There are 4 and 1 half pages of full colors pictures just in the cover pages, before you even get to the title page of this book. There are more color pictures on the back cover as well.

The Bargellos in this book were designed and stitched by Iona Dettelbach and Susan Seabright. There is a certain amount of “design as you stitch” in most finished bargello needlepoint canvases, I am sure that is why both stitchers are named.

Once you get inside the book, the picture (and there are tons of them) go to black & white but using 4 tones of black & gray plus differing stitch placement directions ( I mean the lines pointed in different ways) the author makes even a complex bargello pattern easy to read and follow.

The chapters are:

SUPPLIES, TOOLS AND HELPFUL HINTS
GETTING STARTED
BACKGROUND STITCHES THAT COMPLIMENT BARGELLO DESIGN
Suggested Stitches
Stitch Diagrams (with 9 stitches shown)
THE HEART OF BARGELLO DESIGN
THE SOUL OF BARGELLO DESIGN
Color
The Techniques of Shading
The Teaching Samplers
Expanding Design From Projects
PROJECTS AND POSSIBILITIES
Advanced Projects 12 projects
Possibilities 3 projects
FIBERS & ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE TO TODAY’S BARGELLO ARTIST
CONCLUDING CHAPTER.

This appears to be a complete and detailed book, The instructions take you from beginner (or someone who does needlepoint but is unfamiliar with Bargello) all the way to Bargello expertise and art.”

I never thought books would come in & out of fashion like this, I remain surprised.

My own reading has taken a turn that surprises even me. When I was reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield the main character was a passionate reader. At one point in the book she listed some of her favorite books.

That stuck with me. I was just finishing *another* Amanda Quick novel and I was feeling tawdry from reading them, the same stuff over & over in a different frame.

So, I took myself to amazon.com and ordered some unusual books. Jane Austen’s Lady Susan, which is a short novel done all in letters. I have finished that and it was amazing.

Next up is
Maria Edgeworth’s Belinda (1800-1810, no one is sure exactly)

Then
Evelina by Frances Burney (1778)

And Samuel Richardson’s famous novel Pamela (1740)

Also Jane Austen’s Sandition, which I never read. This novel was unfinished at her death and later completed by “another lady”

Interesting, I wonder if my speech will become more archaic as I read?