Dating from around 1520 and probably conceived as a pattern book, this manuscript is best described as a 'herbal and bestiary' and contains images of flora and fauna together with stylised, floriated ornaments and coloured alphabets. MS Ashmole 1504, which can best be described as a 'herbal and bestiary', contains images of flora and fauna together with stylised, floriated ornaments and coloured alphabets. Dating from around 1520, the manuscript was probably conceived as a pattern book for a variety of decorative media, including wall painting, stained glass, painted cloths and embroidery.Dr Martin Kauffmann, Head of Early and Rare Collections at the Bodleian Libraries, and Dr Lynn Hulse, Co-Founder of Ornamental Embroidery, explore MS Ashmole 1504 and the project inspired by it: The Needle's Art, an exhibition of contemporary stitch, on display at the Weston Library until 30 January 2022.