This sampler is brought to you as part of a series of designs that are available as either a .PDF download by Hands Across the Sea Samplers or a Printed Chart.
Those familiar with the Hands Across the Sea Samplers’ portfolio will recognise the names of the sisters Ann and Isabella Uffindell. It was whilst we were reproducing the sisters that Ruth Bates found us.
A sampler, badly in need of cleaning and repair that was stitched by a Ruth Bates when she was just eight years old, came up for auction. Ruth’s sampler had so many similarities to Isabella’s that there had to be a connection. We were able to make contact with one of Ruth’s descendants, a medieval archivist who had some information on the family’s history. Ruth was born in Plaistow, London, on August 16, 1815 to Joseph Bates and Esther Bates, née Cartwright.
The most interesting rabbit hole that Ruth’s sampler took us down was how Isabella and Ruth came to stitch two similar samplers six years apart at a time when children were educated in many different ways, or not at all, depending on their parents’ financial situation, social class, religion, and values? We believe the connection is the governess Elizabeth Bates, Ruth’s unmarried paternal aunt. Whilst Ruth’s father was alive it would have been natural for his unmarried sister to live with the family and assist with the care and education of his young daughters. Elizabeth probably taught Ruth to stitch using her own childhood sampler to work from.
There are 4 versions of the pdf. You will be able to download any or all of the following versions of the pdf and the graph:
Version 1 ~ A pdf with a twenty-five-page colour chart.
Version 2 ~ A pdf with a one-page colour chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Version 3 ~ A pdf with a twenty-five-page black and white symbol chart.
Version 4 ~ A pdf with a one-page black and white symbol chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
The design is suitable for intermediate and advanced needleworkers but is not beyond a determined beginner. The stitches used are cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads and satin stitch.
Stitch count is 296 W x 395 H.
Ruth’s sampler has been stitched with a palette of twenty-four colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie d’Alger. We have provided conversions for Soie 100.3 and DMC. Estimated thread quantities for varying linen counts and the number of strands of thread used have been listed below.
Please note that on 40ct linen and above when stitching the verse and dedication (cross stitch over one thread) we would recommend substituting the Soie d’Alger 3446 for Soie 100.3 627.
The model was stitched on 46 count Parchment hand dyed Bergen Zweigart linen from Weeks Dye Works. We have also suggested a few other counts in this linen as alternate choices.
Please check the boxes above to add the PDF chart OR Printed chart, linen and threads to your order.
