Welcome to the VTNS Facebook Fan Freebie Friday post. Today we have a lovely Christmas slipper pattern from the Victorian Era.

The Pompadour Bow Slipper from Peterson’s Magazine November, 1870.

The paragraph included with the pattern states:

“In the front of the number we give a colored pattern of a new and stylish ladies slipper. It is called the Pompadour Bow Slipper, and is worked, as will be seen, in Berlin wool and Beads. No description is needed. The cross-lines, it is hardly necessary to say, represent the threads of the canvas on which the slipper is to be worked.”

Berlin wool work is a style of needlepoint and was very popular during the Victorian era. The slippers were worked on canvas such as linen, cotton, wool or silk and then stitched using brightly colored soft untwisted wool yarns. The uppers were usually embroidered at home and then were taken to a shoemaker to be made up.

It is usually worked in a single stitch, such as cross stitch or tent stitch but many other stitches can be used for Berlin work. These pieces of embroidery were normally very durable and could be used as furniture covers, cushions, bags, or even on clothing. Many of the pieces still survive today.

There is some very good information on Berlin Work on the Wikipedia site: Berlin Wool Work

And in the American Needlepoint Guild Inc website’s Archives:  Berlin Work

I’ve tried to enhance the grid lines a bit on the first file, but the copy is still a little hard to follow and will need to be re-graphed onto your own paper. I found a website that allows you to print out a piece of graph paper in different sizes.

You may prefer the second PDF file which has little or no graph lines.

The patterns are in PDF format so to download either of them you’ll need the Adobe Reader software on your computer. Most computers come with it, but it is free and can be found here.

Download Instructions: Right-Click the link below and select either “save target as” or “save link as” depending on what browser you are using.

Petersons Magazine Berlin Work Bow Slipper Pattern

Petersons Magazine Berlin Work Bow Slipper Pattern No Graph

Enjoy!