tambour-work

“One day, while this lady was engaged in working a sort of embroidery called "tambour-work," she complained to young Whitney that the frame she was using was too rough and tore the delicate threads.”

Lippincott's Magazine, Vol. 26, August, 1880 of Popular Literature and Science

“Miss Quiney looked up from her tambour-work, with hand and needle suspended in mid-air, and gazed across at Ruth, who, seated at the harpsichord, had been singing softly -- murmuring rather -- the notes of Ben Jonson's _Charis her”

Lady Good-for-Nothing

“She went always voluminously clad in black or shot-silk gowns, their skirts so swelled out by a multiplicity of starched cambric petticoats, adorned with tambour-work, that she was credited with the existence of a crinoline.”

The Dop Doctor

“You must try it, and if the life is too hard, perhaps dressmaking or tambour-work will come lighter.”

Nicholas Nickleby

“A lute lay in one corner; -- tambour-work and embroidery occupied a recess near the window; -- the clothes 'presses showed their contents neatly folded, and carefully set out to the best advantage.”

Traditions of Lancashire, Volume 1 (of 2)

“A slave was sitting near the window, doing some tambour-work, but she did not move.”

Memoirs of Casanova — Volume 03: Military Career

“His wife was engaged with a young girl at tambour-work; I accepted her company on the condition that she would not allow me to disturb her work.”

The Complete Memoirs of Jacques Casanova

“oman as takes in tambour-work, and dresses quite genteel, 'who talks a good deal about' my friend, 'and can't' a-bear anything low. ”

Sketches by Boz, illustrative of everyday life and every-day people