Sampler Progress

I have made significant progress on MARION ROBERTSON 1834 from Scarlet Letter. It is a beautiful antique Scottish Sampler. I really like the colors and I used a left over piece of 40 ct Belfast Linen. However, I will have to put this project aside to continue on my TN sampler for now.

Queen Anne's Lace keeps on calling me to start....Right now I have 3 UFO's and I think that is a lot?!?!? DH says it's my time, my hobby so do what I want there should not be so many rules. We'll see...

I'm in Love

On Saturday my family and I visited Gatlinsburg, TN. It is only about 1/2 hour from where I live in TN. Of course, I stopped in the LNS Dixie Darlin. As soon as you walk in the shop is a display of finished Lavender and Lace ladies. I have visited this store before, but I never saw Lavender and Lace Queen Anne's Lace before. It was outstanding and gorgeous, to say the least. Everywhere we walked in the shop I couldn't take my eyes off her. Finally, I said to DH What do you think of her? He said she was beautiful but very detailed and intricate. He thought I was going to get away from all of the detail work. Well, not now...I bought the pattern and the thread kit. Yeah!! Down side is I will not start her until I finished two UFO's. That may take me until April or May..that's okay though.

Funny thing is how different some pattens look so amazing in person, yet you wouldn't give them a second look from a photo.

Montenegrin Stitch

Jane Turner is on hold as I await a book that I am borrowing from a friend written by Amy Mitten, Autopsy of the Montenegrin Stitch. I need to learn how to do the montengrin stitch in an up and down and diagnal direction. It is a complex stitch and if I am doing it I might as well do it correctly . I also think I will need to replace the spiral trellis stitch with the bullion stitch. I need to research that more closely also. I didn't realize that this sampler had so many complicated stitches when I started it. Now that I am about 70% complete I am determined to finish it. I also think I have the trellis stitch down after practice and practice.

It is snowy and cold here this morning in TN perhaps I will start a new project later this afternoon, just because... I have this one from Scarlet Letter kitted and ready to go.

It is called MARION ROBERTSON 1834

Received New Pattern

I received my pattern called Quaker Angel from A Mon Ami Pierre.
I really like te pattern and it looks great as a small pillow. I won't frame this one. I really can't wait to start it, but not until I finish one of my three projects on rotation. I don't like to have more than three projects in the works at a time. I really like the blue. Generally my color is cranberry so maybe I will do a mix of cranberry and blue...we'll see.

Another problem in Jane Turner and that is the dreaded montenegrin stitch. I will describe in detail my problem later....

Jane Turner Continued

Thank you for visiting new friends. I do hope you are enjoying my array of samplers..I spent my free time this weekend reading a Harlequin novel that I picked up at K-Mart which completely caught my attention. It was a great little story and I couldn't put it down.

I also made significant progress on Jane Turner. I still do not understand fully how to do the Spiral Trellis stitch. If anyone has done this stitch or has directions for this stitch. Please let me know.....

I practiced and practiced the Trellis stitch. Also there is very little cross stitch in this sampler. This sampler as did most of the early 17th century samplers uses Montenegrin stitch. It is similar to the long legged cross stitch but very, very time consuming. It took 7 Montenegrin stitches to make 2 cross stitches.

Nevertheless, I am working solely on this sampler now even though I am somewhat concerned about the Trellis stitches.

Here is my progress on the lower half of Jane Turner.


And here is another sampler I have in waiting for me to start..from The Essamplaire


It is called Augusta’s Bristol Orphanage Sampler circa 1870 and it is spectacular. Most of these patterns are sold as kits. However, I am changing the fabric on this one. Until next time, friends...

Back to 17th Century Jane Turner 1668

I decided to do a rotation of the three UFO's I have so I have begun to work on Jane Turner 1668 from The Essamplaire. It is a very detailed (like most of the samplers I like to do) sampler. I had to research the spiral and trellis stitch in order to understand and stitch them correctly. A stitching friend of mine had an Elizabethian Stitchery book and I found very good directions there. This is an outstanding sampler that I hope to finish soon.



Small vs. Large Projects....I enjoy doing small projects because of the quick satisfaction from completing them, but the lasting impression of a large, detailed sampler is more important to me. Generally after stitching a large sampler I will do something quick and fun.. Small designs or large designs, which do you prefer?

Happy Friday to all..

Rhapsody in Blue

Thank you for all of your comments on the Jane Parish sampler. It is at Hobby Lobby now getting framed. They do an excellent job framing and their prices during the framing sale are great. I usually chose the same frames, thin ornate black frames. I never frame them myself. I tried and tried but I am not a professional framer and by the time I buy the supplies it costs about the same.

Here is my progress on ELIZABETH THOMPSON (1787). This is a very detailed sampler. I love working in silk. This is a kit from The Essamplaire. I probably would have changed the pinks to reds. This way by not changing the colors it is truly as the designer intended...very authentic.



And lastly for today...I have my eyes on Rhapsody in Blue from Fouroaks Designs.



Just beautiful...

Enjoy!!

Ann Parish Scarlet Letter Finished

Yesterday I finished the huge Scarlet Letter Ann Parish project. Truthfully, I don't love it, but it was a lot and I mean a lot of work with all of those eyelet stitches so I am determined to have it framed.

Next time I start a large project I need to be absolutely sure I love it or else it's just not worth it.
Here is a partial scan of the sampler. Oh I wish I had my digital camera. I think I put it in storage when we moved from FL to TN thinking we would find a house immediately. I was wrong. We are still in an apt with a lot of stuff in storage.

Winners Silkweaver Contest

The winners of the Silkweaver contest are out. Go check them out. The angels and mermaids in the large category are outstanding and I just love Linda McNally's The Hunt on the overdyed linen. Beautiful!! Perhaps I should submit something for this year's contest. Worth a try, friends...

Thank you for posting in my comments. I appreciate it. Please leave me your blog url so that I can add it to my sidebar.

Yes, I started a new sampler yesterday since I had a few free hours between driving my daughter's back and forth. It is from The Essamplaire. It is ELIZABETH THOMPSON (1787). This is a large sampler and will take quite a while to do.


I will tell you more about this sampler. Have a great day...