This design was released at the Nashville Needlework Market in March 2019.
Nicola tells us: "Elizabeth made good use of her linen choosing many beautiful motifs to fill her sampler. There are three sections contained within a meandering vine which is heavily laden with a profusion of violas, star flowers and snowdrops. In the top section flanked by baskets and urns filled with a profusion of flowers and fruit is one of our favourite verses ~ “Next unto God Dear Parents I address …….” This verse was very popular with school girls to stitch on their samplers. It first appeared in 1695 in an educational manual entitled “The Young Man’s Companion: Or, Arithmetick Made Easy” by William Mather. The book was an encyclopaedia of “practical lessons and useful information applicable to many professions and was intended for the use of both the schoolmaster and the self taught”.
Dividing the top and middle section is a beautiful floral border of violas, carnations, roses and star flowers. In the middle section there are various birds including a distinguished green parrot and what could be a chaffinch. They all face towards a particularly pretty central cartouche which surrounds Elizabeth’s name and age. The last two digits of the year have been removed. This may have been done by Elizabeth later in her life to conceal her true age. Samplers where the date has been deliberately removed are known as “Vanity Samplers”.
On the bottom section we find the highlight of Elizabeth’s sampler. A magnificent Temple of Fame nestled between two lofty fruiting trees. Two angels with trumpets signifying that they are the voice of God hover either side of the temple. Butterflies, moths, bugs, birds, crowns, stars, deer, dogs and lions fill this section.
The stitch count is 433 W x 449 H.
This sampler has been reproduced with Au Ver à Soie d’Alger silks and the skein quantities calculated based on 1 strand on 36ct fabric. We have provided conversions for DMC based on 2 strands and Needlepoint Inc. based on 1 strand. The original sampler was stitched on linen closest in colour to DMC shade 422 and measuring approximately 16.25” x 20”.
Elizabeth executed her beautiful sampler in cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads, satin stitch and 4 elongated lazy daisy stitches. Whilst this is a large sampler, it is suitable for all levels of ability.
We suggest stitching on a hand dyed linen from Lakeside Linen in a count ranging from 36 to 46.
Chart is designed using Soie d’Alger silk floss. A DMC
conversion is included.
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