By the 1840s, needlework manuals and women’s magazines such as Godey’s Lady’s Book were carrying instructions for perforated cardboard projects. Needlework and craft supply businesses advertised perforated cardboard pre-printed with popular mottoes ready for women to personalize with their choice of threads, colors, and stiches. The past-time was so popular that it was referenced in several novels in the 1850s and 1860s. God Bless our Home was the most popular choice for decorative mottoes in the late 19th century. Home, Sweet Home was another popular choice.
Image from Mottoes and Designs for Embroidery on Perforated Card Board (1870s) available full-text from Archive.org.
To learn more about historical home and family, see Investigating Family, Food, and Housing Themes in Social Studies.