Band samplers of the 17th century exhibit the widest range of stitches and techniques. Counted thread stitches on linen were artfully combined with panels of floral, geometric, or figural cut and drawn work- a technique where the background threads of linen are carefully bound, then cut and pulled... Read more
Note from the designer: "This northern German sampler consists of random symbolic spot motifs, with a simple zigzag border. Religious symbols are commonly found on continental samplers. On this example, we find the wreath carried by angels (the wreath as a symbol for eternal life): the ship... Read more
This sweet little American sampler features two little houses above alphabets and a short verse:
Would you be wise
Each moment prize
It is surrounded on four sides by a double sided satin stitched sawtooth border. Stitches used include cross, outline, stem filling, counted... Read more
Fanny Hancock's father, Ebenezer Hancock, was cousin to the famous John Hancock. Born in 1785, Fanny sewed her sampler at age 11. She married Nathaniel Parker of Boston in 1803, and died in 1834. The colors on the back side of her sampler retained much of their original brilliance, and are... Read more
Note from the designer: "The characteristic that readily identifies the origin of this sampler is the distinctive vine and rose border, configured such that a leaf on one side and a rosebud stem on the other give the illusion of a double vine. It is almost always found executed in cross stitch... Read more
What makes this early Victorian English sampler so intriguing are the wonderfully naive figures of Adam, Eve and St. Michael flanking the Tree of Life. St. Michael's sword is drawn to slay the serpent, but he hardly looks formidable with his large feet and doughy body. Playskool-like Adam and Eve... Read more
Note from the designer: "This sampler was probably made in Rhode Island, a poor sister, perhaps, to the magnificent creations coming out of the girls' schools in Newport, Providence and Bristol at this same period, but bearing some similar "signatures". The squat, long-tailed bird at the... Read more
This sampler features two uncommon verses taken from the book Sentences and Maxims Divine, Moral and Historical, in Prose and Instruction of Human Life: and Particularly for the Improvement of Youth in Good Sence and correct English by George Shelley, published in London in 1712.
Note from the designer: "Who would love this world or prize whats in it
that gives and takes and chops and changes every minute.
This brilliant English traditional band sampler comes from the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Drawing on traditional sampler motifs of the 17th... Read more
"Jesus permit thy Gracious name to stand as the first effort of an infant hand. And while her fingers on the canvas move, engage her tender thoughts to seek thy love. With thy dear children, let her have a part and write thy name thyself upon her heart."
Note from the designer: "Hannah Mosher was born March 12th, 1786, in Hollis, New Hampshire, the fourth and last child of Abijah and Hannah Mosher. On March 7, 1813, she married the Rev. Walter Chapin of Woodstock, Vermont. Apart from this sketchy biographical information, found in the History of... Read more
Note from the designer: "From Dover, Massachusetts, comes Harriot Boardman's sampler, originally worked on a distinctive green linsey-woolsey found only on some North Shore samplers. A three-sided sawtooth border surrounds alphabet and numeral tests with geometric cross bands, two deer with... Read more
Note from the designer: "The flight into Egypt is a biblical event described in the Gospel of Matthew. Soon after Mary and Jesus were visited by the Magi, who had learned that King Herod intended to kill the male infants in that region, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee... Read more
Note from the designer: "This Scottish sampler features many distinguishing characteristics of samplers made in that country, most notably the arcaded pansy band across the top third, the four-sided floral border with double running stitch flourishes, and the famous mansion house. Of this large... Read more
Displaying the traditional color scheme of Scottish samplers, this beautiful and delicately stitched piece also employs a variety of interesting counted thread stitches including queen, doublerunning, four-sided, back, counted satin filling, cross, Algerian eyelet, and cross over one (petit... Read more
This is a very finely stitched classic Scottish sampler featuring three complete rows of beautifully illuminated letters, an arcaded floral band as well as other traditional motifs including peacocks, birds drinking at the fountain of life, feather trees and family initials. A four sided berry... Read more
Note from the designer: "This small and brilliantly preserved band sampler demonstrates a wide variety of stitches found on many seventeenth century samplers. The beautifully shaded flower heads and leaves are filled in with connecting tiers of trellis stitch."
Agnes Binnie was born in Stirlingshire, Scotland, on March 22, 1808, to Robert Binnie and Mary Addie. She married James Barclay on March 16, 1832, in Falkirk, Stirlingshire. The couple had at least six sons and three daughters. Around 1870 they emigrated to Scotland Township in McDonough, Illinois.... Read more
This wonderfully symmetrical English sampler features a pair of silky floating swans and large twin sunflowers, executed in a rich natural palette of color. Birds fly over the tops of three flower-trees in the top third. A sumptuous basket of fruit is stitched between the golden swans, and towering... Read more
This is a reproduction of an English sampler made in Bradford, Yorkshire, that shows distinct influences of Scottish needlework traditions, particularly in the illuminated alphabets. The bold primary colors were reproduced from the front of the original sampler, which retains its amazing... Read more
This design was excerpted from the top of an early nineteenth-century English sampler. It features an unusual and amusing hunting scene with a solo hunter on horseback pursuing a single hapless stag with a pack of ten spotted hounds on its trail.
The verse reads:
Give me O Lord thy early... Read more
This mid-eighteenth-century Scottish band sampler features many classic seventeenth-century patterns, executed in cross, eyelet, double running, counted satin, back, and queen stitches.
The virtually unfaded color was reproduced from the front of the sampler. Six pattern bands precede... Read more
Note from the designer: This primitive marking sampler just captured my heart. The colors, the tone on tone, the rich patina and the whimsicalness of it. How can a marking sampler be whimsical you ask? Well, just look at the script K, L & M. They seem to be kicking up their heels and skipping along.... Read more
This primitive garden scene was stitched over two threads on 36 Ct. Meadow Lark Linen. using Gentle Art Sampler Threads. Stitch count: 66W x 65H. Design Size: 5" x 5"
A brown bird stands guard in the newest design in Bent Creek's Sampler Collection. Model stitched on 28 Ct. Lambswool Linen using Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Art Sampler threads. Stitch Count: 76W x 120H. Design Size: 6" x 9"
Stitched on 28 count Americana Blend Linen with DMC floss and Classic Color Works threads. The stitch count is 103W x 125H. Finished size is 7.36 in wide X 8.93 in high.
"The dew upon the berry, reflects the morning sun. It glistens like a diamond, until the rabbits come." Stitched on 28 count Natural Pearl Linen with Classic Colorworks floss. The stitch count is 53W x 204H.
Note: The designer did not provide a DMC conversion for Classic Colorowrks Dulce de Leche
A cat keeps watch over a tall and skinny home with "snap" smoke coming from the chimney. Welcome to the Snapperville series. Model stitched on 32 Ct. Natural linen with Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Weeks Dye Works. Stitch Count: 50W x 50H. Design Size: 4" x 4". Can be stitched individually or together for the series.
From Bent Creek's new "Snapperland" series. Take a walk in a Winter Snapperland with this cozy little chalet. Model stitched on 32 Ct. Country Grain linen with Weeks Dye Works and The Gentle Art Sampler Threads. Stitch Count: 50W x 50H. Design Size: 4" x 4" Includes silver snaps to be used as embellishments. Can be stiched individually or all together.
This representation of Fall is stitched over two threads on 36 Ct. Barn Owl Linen using Weeks Dye Works. Stitch count: 293W x 383H. Design Size: 17" x 22"
"A bird does not sing because it has an answer...it sings because it has a song." Model stitched on 32 count jobelan using DMC floss. Stitch count: 151x70. Book # 128. Finished size is 9.44 in wide X 4.38 in high.
Chart pack contains all 26 letters, the border, and an optional "R" block.
The model was stitched over two threads on 32 Ct. Dark Cappuccino Linen from R&R Reproductions with Gentle Art Sampler threads. Stitch Count: 235x293. Design Size: 15" x 19">
Model stitched on 35 Ct. Straw linen by Weeks Dye Works using one strand of Classic Colorworks Belle Soie silk over two threads. Stitch Count: 110W x 138H.
Model stitched on 40 Ct. Pearled Barley from Lakeside Linens using one strand of Needlepoint Inc. Silk over two threads of linen. Stitch Count: 181W x 125H. Design Size: 10" x 7"
"Now I know my abc's, next time won't you sing with me". Model stitched on 28 ct Vintage Examplar from Lakeside Linens using DMC & Classic Colorworks, (formerly known as Crescent Colours). Stitch count 78x142.
French sampler from Reflets de Soie. Yvonne embroidered her sampler in 1905 in Agnires, in the Pas de Calais, not far from Arras. High in color, generous flower friezes, animals and charming scenes.
Model stitched over 2 threads on fabric of your choice with Au Ver a Soie Soie d'Alger silk... Read more
Model stitched over 2 threads on fabric of your choice with Au Ver a Soie Soie d'Alger silk floss(or DMC floss 162, 3823, 422, 3033, 322, 930, 3348, 895, 581, 733, 3047, 819, 3782, 520, 839, 3031, 3363, 371, 3756, 840, 3774, 225, 407, 800, 798, 3817, 712, 3822). Also required, but not listed above... Read more
Model stitched over 2 threads on fabric of your choice with Au Ver a Soie Soie d'Alger silk floss (or DMC floss 833, 3746, 931, 927, 3810, 524, 834, 832, 400, 3746, 522, 3011, 3363, 760, 3722, 3726, 3042, 3041). Also required, but not listed above 1343 from Soie d'Alger. Stitch Count: 253x264. Design Size on 32 Ct. Fabric: 16" x 17"
Model stitched over 2 threads on fabric of your choice with Au Ver a Soie Soie d'Alger silk floss (or DMC floss 304, 815, 962, 930, 904, 733, 3821, 677, 728, 613, 3041, 3741). Stitch Count: 255x257. Design Size on 32 Ct. Fabric: 16" x 16"
Model stitched over two on 40 Ct. Tycho using Soie d'Alger (or DMC floss 729, 826, 841, 938, 3033, 738, 613). Also required, but not listed above #3436, and #F16 from Soie d'Alger. Stitch Count: 443x257. Design Size: 22" x 13"
Model stitched over 2 threads on fabric of your choice with Au Ver a Soie Soie d'Alger silk floss (or DMC floss 209, 550, 164, 986, 500, 3078, 975, 840, 746, 728, 159, 803, 3865, 355, 3779, 760, 815, 814, 3802, 3774). Also required, but not listed above (2) 1345, 0933 and 4646 from Au Ver a Soie Soie d'Alger. Stitch Count: 237x255