Friday, October 29, 2010

A Sampling of Nostalgia

This post is all about samplers and samplers I have stitched over the years.
I don't tend to spend much time these days cross stitching, however the journey began in the early eighties when my good friend Mechelle Harrison came for dinner one evening and showed me her cross stitch. I couldn't wait to have a go , I remember going to bed that night and I couldn't stop thinking about cross stitching.
Mechelle then introduced me to a delightful shop called Topiary Lane, that was owned by a wonderful needlewoman, her name was Rhonda Townsend.
There was always so much inspiration in her shop and Rhonda was very generous with her help and knowledge, and so the journey began.
I began stitching on Aida cloth and stitched cutesy patterns but I always loved alphabets and script completed on linen and so my love of samplers was born.

Some of the photo's (well most) are behind glass so the quality of the pictures are not brilliant but I hope you get a bit of an idea.

This sampler is unframed and unfinished, I began it some years ago, it is huge and I probably don't want to hang it in my home these days so it may remain a UFO . Quite a part of this verse is crossed using one thread stitched over one thread. Taxing on the eyes :-) these days.
I have gathered a few of these catalogues from Whitney Antiques in England. We visited a couple of years back. I thought I had died and gone to antique sampler heaven. Amazing to think these young girls completed these samplers without patterns and good light.

My love of script and alphabets, not to mention the colour Raspberry.



Oops looks like the next 2 you will have to lie down, lol sorry I am having trouble uploading this morning.




I stitched this in one colour thread (DMC 309) on Natural linen, I had a vision of a room that only contained single colour red (309) samplers, I have only done about 3 to date. This is one of them.

This is a reproduction of a French girl Anna Milet, Anna completed her sampler in 1895.




This is another favourite reproduction, I was fascinated that Mary had added a little cross stitched motif patch to the corner of her sampler and so I authenticated this sampler.
Generally I used the name and date as the original





This sampler is a modern one called pink house by 'Little by Little'. I was stitching the border of this sampler when a member of our family passed away so I added a little memoriam in the border.




This was one of the first samplers I stitched and to date it is still a favourite. Rebecca Waverly.There is quite a large verse stitched one over one

This is also a modern day replication. I think it may be by Goode Huswif not sure.






Grace Gibson, I have stitched this a couple of times as I have given it to friends. I love alphabets along with motifs, very interesting to stitch and see the sampler come to life.


This is also a modern day sampler , also Goode Huswif I think. I know this was a favourite designer.



This is a one colour sampler reproduced by 'The Scarlett Letter' it could be stitched in any favourite colour , green was authentic to the original.


Betsy Wood, also a 'Scarlett Letter' pattern. I used to tea dye a lot of my linen, I was told I was crazy as in time the linen would rot out but I figured it wouldn't be in my lifetime so wasn't too concerned.



I have boxes full of framed samplers that haven't seen the light of day for years, probably a bit sad as many hours have been spent weaving thread through linen.
I have many patterns that will probably never be stitched, silly really but I guess many of you can relate to the 'stash', maybe I will put some on this blog if any of you are interested.
I hope whatever you are stitching it gives you pleasure.
until next time
Happy stitching
j

35 comments:

Donna in SW PA said...

Don't you just love a sampler? Really nice pieces.

Anonymous said...

Jean they are fantastic! and you have done so many!
I can't chose which is my favourite, they all are. Many of us at one time did embroidery before finding our true calling in quilts. I have cross stitch samplers unfinished and wool petit point languishing as well. **sigh** too little time.

Margaret said...

My gosh! Here I've been lurking and enjoying all your wonderful quilts. Now I discover that you cross stitch as well! I'm the opposite of you -- I was quilting, then dropped off with that to pick up my cross stitch again. lol! I still want to quilt though. Your clamshell really inspired me for example. Anyway, I love seeing your stitching. Is that Hannah Pepper that is still not finished?

Miriam said...

Wow!! There are many hours of wonderful stitching there. Thank you for sharing.
I would love to see more.

Kim said...

Jean, they're wonderful! And my word I love the colors in your Hannah Pepper sampler! I hope she doesn't remain a UFO forever..she's a beauty! Great great work!

Cathy @ CabbageQuilts said...

These are just beautiful Jean. I think I love your first one the best. Such beautiful work. xo

Dixie Howard said...

Really enjoyed your sampler show. Can't get enough of them myself. A room full of red samplers would be amazing!

Chookyblue...... said...

OMG these are to die for............I must do a sampler before my eyes are no good.......

Unknown said...

All of your Samplers are Beautiful..I too love them & have one UFO...I'm sure the patterns would be snatched up quick fast if you were to put them on your blog...
Thanks for sharing.
cheers

antique quilter said...

just beautiful
this is something I have always wanted to make , a sampler. I have seen so many antique ones now that I found blogs a year or two ago. They just speak to me and someday I hope to have one hanging in our home
Kathie

KarenV said...

You've stitched some beautiful pieces! I really like the ones with the Pennsylvania motifs.

Sue-Anne said...

HI Jean, I'm sooo glad you showed us some of your samplers. They are gorgeous!!!!! It would be impossible to choose a favourite as I love them all. I hope you show us some more soon.

Nicky said...

I too started sewing cross stitch but it was Danish designs that caught my attention. Your samplers are lovely and I particularly like your red ones with all the different types of lettering. What a shame not to finish that beautiful one at the beginning...?

ranette said...

I love looking at your work Jean. Samplers are a favorite of mine as well. I've only made a couple and found that my eyesight just wasn't good enough to keep it up. That was before I had Ott lights everywhere though.

Thank you for sharing...so beautiful!

Deb said...

Oh my goodness, being a stitcher and a quilter, I just all the samplers that you've done! Especially that first one. Do you have the name of that one?

I have so enjoyed reading your blog because I've always jumped around in my crafts - stitching, quilting, back to stitching and now I do both - just separate my time. But now I'm going a lot of quilting, your blog is a real source of inspiration.

You should post more of your samplers sometime. I think that we'd all love to see them!

Bertie said...

How gorgeous are they!! thank you so much for showing your samplers, I do love them all:)) stitching & quilting is wonderful whatever takes your fancy.

Mannick...91 said...

What a wonderful trip I have done to your beautiful sampler. And thank you again.

Cardygirl said...

I read your post with great pleasure! As with most, cross stitch was my first love...and I still love it though I don't do as much nowadays. They are all beautiful and I love seeing them in homes.

Lynda said...

These are beautiful! I went a similar obsession with Lavender and Lace Angels - some finished, some half done. They are still on the "One Day ..." list.

Shepherd's Ewe said...

I love the red samplers the best. Alphabet have always been my favorite and I enjoyed seeing yours. Linda

broderie said...

noooooo! jean! you can't give up the cross stitch! so many of us started that way and remember all the pleasurable hours spent with that crumpled bit of linen and threads, slow time, think time, making us calm time. can you put them all up on just one wall in your home?

BubzRugz said...

Came a visiting via ChookyBlue - these are just lovely to see and what great works of art..... I love your idea of lots of linen and raspberry samplers in a room. Wonderful - thanks for showing...
Hugz

Anonymous said...

How underful! I just love it. I myself sew from old samplers here in Swedwn. Aina

suzitee said...

Hi Jean! I've popped over here from Chookyblue's and I'm so glad I did :) Your samplers are simply gorgeous...so many hours of pleasure!
I'm a cross-stitcher from way back, but now tend to quilt/scrapbook and do other forms of embroidery. Seeing your beautiful pieces makes me want to go and look at my stash...maybe I'll do just that! Thanks so much for sharing xxx

Sue said...

Wonderful Samplers.

Janine said...

Wow, i can see that you have a lot of fun with your hobby and your doing a great job.

kind regards janine alers
from the Netherlands

Siobhán said...

Your samplers are fabulous!! You MUST finish Hannah Pepper! Her sampler is so pretty. I finished it a few years ago, though the errors in the chart nearly killed me since I blundered right through them. I think samplers and quilts go so nicely together--very complementary of one another. Your work is beautiful--both stitching and quilting.

Nicky said...

Your samplers are stunning, I really love the 'raspberry' coloured one, but they are all beautiful! I love both cross stitching and quilting and you are a master of both! Love your work.
Nicky in NZ

RG said...

Jean these are truly beautiful!!
Works of art and hopefully treasured by somebody after you.. beautiful.
I remember those days too, cross stitching every night and some for samplers of where I worked at the time.
I have many unfinished x stitches too and lots of patterns.....
You work and your tastes inspire me... such beautiful work and lovely to see...and samplers are somehow timeless.
I wonder if you could use some in handstitched quilts or wallhangings???

Fantastic. thanks for sharing!

regan said...

I just found your blog, and can't get over how lovely your samplers are. They are treasures! You definitely need them all 'out'!

I may need to get out my linens and floss that have been packed away for so long! Quilting took over!

Thanks for the inspiration!

Regan

Raylene Smith said...

I just LOVE your samplers...although I have never liked doing cross stitch much, these just make me want to get the needle out and start stitching...they are wonderful...

Leanne said...

OOh I love your samplers.

mmmmm do I need to start a new project???

Love Leanne

Melissa said...

I'm so glad to see your sampler collection! They are gorgeous! I've just started stitching Elizabeth Easton and I'm glad to see you have it too!

Mary Ellen said...

I love all the samplers. I used to do quite a bit of this before quilting completely overtook my life. You do beautiful work!

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