Two New Starts

Hi All,

I have started two of the samplers I mentioned in my last post.  I think I am only going to start three rather than the four to five I posted before.

Here is my one weeks progress on Janet Carsels.  I love Scottish samplers because of the elaborate alphabets and the red and green which is characteristic of a Scottish sampler.  I chose Janet because I love the pink that she added to her sampler.  She is coming along nicely and I had a hard time moving on to Rebecca Robinson.

Janet Carsels

Here is a partial weeks progress on Rebecca Robinson.  I loved watching Faye's progress on this sampler and knew I would have to start her soon.  I am enjoying working on her.

Rebecca Robinson

I will work on Rebecca for a couple more days and then move to Elizabeth Shephard for a week.   I am not sure which sampler will be my focus as I am enjoying working on each of them.  I may just have to keep switching off.

 As usual I am enjoying following everyones progress.  Keep on stitching.

Dawn M

My start on SL Continental Sampler

I just started this sampler, but am really enjoying it.  I'm stitching it in the AVAS on 35 ct linen.  Hope to have more for you to see soon.

After a month or so, I picked up Pattern Record this past week and completed one more band. I am slowly creeping towards the finish line.  I still have ways to go.

Diligence is finished

I know, I can't believe it myself!  I just couldn't put this down. Here it is in all its glory.

 

Diligence

35ct linen, supplied with kit

AVAS silks, supplied with kit.

Started - 16th January, 2013

Finished - 15th May, 2013

 

I added my initials and the year.



 

Any other additions/alterations were entirely accidental my own personalisations!

 

There were a lot of first for me with this project;

 

The first time I've used AVAS silks (I like).

 

The first time I have stitched on such a large piece of linen.

 

The first time I have stitched "in hand" (I only have hoops and they didn't work for me).

 

The first time I have posted to a blog.

 

The first time I have created my own blog.

 

Thank you, Nicola and Jo, for setting up this challenge and pushing me waaay out of my comfort zone.

 

It may be a while before I stitch such a large project again but I have been looking at the pocketbooks on the Scarlet Letter website and may choose one of them for my next Scarlet Letter stitch.  In the meantime, I'm going to catch up on some other stitching but I will still be looking at all the amazing stitching going on in the two blogs.

 

Regards,

Anne.

 

 



Finish. 40 count linen from Permin with cotton from DMC.

Mary Ann Hutton progress

Mary Ann is no longer a Christmas sampler. I switched out the Christmas carol verse for another. This verse is actually on the Scarlet Letter sampler Simile. I saw the last two phrases on another sampler and when I was doing some on line research to find a possible origin of the verse the Scarlet Letter website popped up. Since this is my first sampler I want to display it all year and not have it be seasonal. I now am working on adding some of the remaining motifs to both side of the new verse.



Happy stitching all,
Cheri


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Elizabeth Harbone - Day 3...
did not get much stitching done today - not feeling well, spending way too much time on the computer on Ning groups, avoiding decisions about the colors of this sampler... so, here is today's "progress"...notice that I avoided making a decision on the light blue /dark blue dyelot.... I figured that if I stitch some of the other colors and bands in, it will make it easier to decide... the green is 'interesting'...wish  the photograph provided with the chart was bigger...

Earlier this afternoon... the rest of the 2nd band has to be stitched in light blue  

Finished stitching band 3 in the last half hour...

Apologies everyone, I have been missing in action. My other stitching took over for a little while but now I am back with a vengeance and the Pattern Record has been picked up again. I love working in monochrome, it is such a nice change. Got 2 five hour train journeys coming up soon so hoping to get a lot more done then.

Also hoping to get more work done on Flamestitch. So will update when have got something to show.     Still loving looking at everyone's work, what an amazing idea you had Nicola, well done!

And so it starts... Elizabeth Harbone, 1647... thought to be the earliest example of an English band sampler with a verse stitched on it.  It uses a variety of stitches which is what drew me to it - the other SL samplers that I often wonder about 'collecting' are Dorcas Haynes (work in progress), Margaret Gatis 1711, Rachel Jarratt, Eleanor Wycks, Transitional s. and of course Ann Scutt.

So, in January I was still debating if I should buy 40ct. or 35ct. linen in lambswool color... or just use things from my stash...I had already placed AuVerASoie silks into the chart packet long time ago.  Anyway, yesterday the decision was made fairly rapidly thanks to Nicola's incentive/giveaway!  I am using 32 ct. Cream linen from my stash. 

I will try and post pictures of my start... please forgive me if this doesn't quite work out... this is just my 2nd time 'blogging'...
so here goes:
Day 1
May 16,2013

Starting to set up...

The chart... wish the picture was larger 

Band 1... the light blue silk is very light...

A close up... the thinking begins...

Raided my stash to see if the next color # will be better..... problems already - it is very close to the dark blue silk... shown on top in the picture below... 

so then how does DMC compare?...

not much of a difference ...

 decided that I definitely did not like the band in the light blue silk.... did not like the washed out appearance .... so I took it all out...

..next idea was to try alternating the light blue silk with the medium shade I had taken out from my stash..

Completed band... not sure on this either....

End of day 1 (started setting up the sampler at 8pm, had dinner, stitched, took out stuff etc.  and went to bed wondering why I had added this to my plate at this time ....)

Day 2.... decided that I don't particularly like the alternating colors but decided to stitch on ....

then went back to my stash and took out all the silks  I had in that color range....

as you can see below... I am back to 'thinking'... it is all about dye lots.....

do I want Loara Standish sort of blues - which means I'll have to live with the light blue or do I use the two blues on top - same number, different dyelot....

Top to bottom  : L.blue & D. blue -  new dye lot

Middle row : initial colors that I had kitted up long time ago

Bottom left : med. color used in alternating with l.blue

End of Day 2 - not much accomplished... still wondering why I started this !... 

AND it is all Nicola's fault anyway ;)

The Huntsman is Finished!!!!!

The Huntsman is finished!!! This has been one of the most enjoyable projects I have ever done.  The instructions are so nice and easy to follow and the silk which is soie d'alger is both beautiful and a pure joy to stitch with :). I used 36 count linen from The Scarlett Letter.  The entire picture is over one using the tent stitch!  I have Hannah Carter with silk waiting for me but I am on a list for the Millimeum Frame and I have nothing large enough to start this on so I need to either wait for the frame to arrive or get 40 count linen to work over one!! Decisions decisions........

Band 4 done

Okay, so it doesn't look much different than it did four days ago.  But now it's DONE.

I tend to pull my working threads tightly, so I thought I might show a small trick I've worked out for doing very narrow satin fills, two threads high, that helps keep them even:
     I "park" a spare needle across the threads to be covered before I start, and then work the satin stitches OVER the needle.  (There are two separate stitches in each opening rather than working with a doubled thread.)
     This lets me snug each thread gently up next to its neighbor for nice, even coverage.  And I can tug firmly on the working thread because the spare needle is reserving some breathing room in the row of stitches.  Once the spare needle is pulled out, there's a tidy little row of satin left in the space.

Rachel Jarratt, Band 4, done.

Kate

Hi Everyone!
Just wanted to let you know that I finally broke down today and STARTED yet another project... and it is all Nicola's fault !  she posted the next giveaway and I can absolutely envision using it!  I've been home because I was feeling a bit under the weather  these past few days and was spending most of the day doing not much at all ... just sitting around and reading things on the internet etc....and then I read Wednesday's SL blog postings and Nicola's next giveaway.... well, that did it... I went upstairs, got the kit, took out the frame, made a decision on which linen to use, serged it and got started ... put the first stitches in around 8pm - had dinner, looked at the color again - made a change of silks and have already finished the first band of Elizabeth Harbone.  I've been resisting this since January because of all the other projects in progress...Dorcas Haynes is one of the UFOs and life being a bit unsettled lately.... well, all the reasons in the world did not seem to matter this evening!....I'll figure out how to post pictures shortly....   so, now I am officially blogging about something for the first time!  Nicola started it ;)

JCS Sampler of 1707

After being held 'hostage' in customs for over eight weeks, I finally received my lovely kit for this sampler.  It's nice to have a start!

And all was for an Appil.....

....greetings all sampler lovers!


Here is my nearly outlined sampler.... I cannot wait to get stitching with the fill in colors!!!!





I sure am enjoying seeing all the beautiful samplers come to life.... It's all so inspirational!!!

Blessings......

Faye
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Elizabeth Sheffield Has Come Out of Hiding

I want to go back and stitch on my Elizabeth Sheffield sampler so here is a photo of Elizabeth on my Ultimate Tabletop Stand by Wooden Treasures. Elizabeth has been neglected for awhile so I am going to try and make some good progress on her.  Cindy L. showed her beautiful progress and inspired me to want to get mine finished too.  I am working on my Manifesto too but it is time to add more stitches to poor Elizabeth as I really love this sampler so much and want her to hang up in my home.  It has been this sampler that helped me to master stitching over one on 40 ct. fabric too.

Sarah Siddall - Scarlet Letter

When I picked this sampler up from the framer there was a **stain** on the linen.  I was very upset.

and the framer insisted that she did not do it.  Well with a little hard work and advise from 

The Attic, I removed the stain.  Oh, the challenges being a needle artist!   I love this sampler..

Donna TN

****Reply to questions:

1.  Not a kit.  I used suggested AVAS silks.  Linen is 36ct Buttercream.  It is a gorgeous buttery color.

2.  To remove the stain.  I put a cotton pad on the back and mixed a tear drop or less of dish soap in warm water.  Then I used a cotton swab with a little bit of the soap/water solution.  Just a little bit and blotted with another cotton pad.  It did the trick.

3.  Yes, I would have noticed a stain when I bought it to the framer.  I am meticulous about my needlework.   I always wash my hands before I stitch and always keep all food and drinks away.

Almost there!

well Elisabeth Raysor is taking me a little bit longer than I thought...but I am enjoying every stitch!

we are into Spring weather here and gardens and weddings  : 0

right now I am stitching her signature...she chose to stitch hers with alternating colors which I haven't seen before.  In between stitching E. Raysor, I am sewing bridesmaid's dresses  : )

here is where we are today:

I am so close now to a finish, can't wait!  I think a cherry wood frame would look great with this sampler.

I hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day!

happy stitching,
Theresa

Elizabeth Sheffield

Hello,


       So close to a finish! I just have one more over 1 flower, some leaves and a few inches of border to complete. I have so enjoyed working on Elizabeth and like a good book hate to see it come to an end.

But then again there is the joy of starting a new project. I will try and finish Ann Greanawalt that I worked along side Elizabeth next.

Happy stitching,

Cindy

Matilda and I are still here :)

Hello Everyone! It has been quite awhile since my last post and I thought I should update you on my progress with Matilda. She is such a fun sampler to stitch and I am still enjoying spending time with her. However my time with her has been limited because I injured my right shoulder and upper arm a few weeks ago and suddenly all of my daily tasks came to a sudden and complete halt. I am right handed and yes even my stitching had to wait until the pain subsided. So Matilda stayed in my stitching tray, but she still made me smile because she was there, I could still pick her up and run my fingers over her stitches and the needle was threaded all ready to start as soon as I possibly could. I still was able to see all of your beautiful samplers come to life, however, and admire all of your beautiful finishes. Every one of you are doing beautiful work and these samplers are an accomplishment to be proud of. Thank-you for bringing me joy, even when I couldn't pick up a needle myself.

I am feeling better now and can pretty much do what I need to do, especially stitch.  When I first saw this sampler I loved the band that was above the Tree of Life because it was not straight, but slanted. I loved the birds peeking out from the tree and I loved the apples. I am almost finished with the last section of the middle row and then I only have the bottom of the sampler to finish. 

Maybe because it is Spring and the birds I feed are singing outside in my yard everyday, but this little guy just makes me smile. He is standing in the apple tree but without a perch. Matilda stitched him that way and for now I will leave him that way too. However, every time I start to stitch I have a small amount of guilt and I can just here him say " I had to stand like this in the original sampler for over a hundred years....can't you give me a break this time around and give my poor feet a place to rest?" LOL!

Anyway, here is Matilda as of today. I have really become attached to her....in fact after SDW arrived I was going to work on both of them at the same time. I usually am a "one sampler at a time" person, but I absolutely love these SL charts.....but in the end I couldn't put Matilda aside (once I was able to pick up a needle again that is....grins) so it is Matilda and I together until the finish. After all, it is so much fun to look forward to something and what can be more fun then looking forward to stitching another SL sampler or two, or three, or four....winks.

I hope all of you are having a good day, filled with the people you love and the things that bring you joy. And even if you cannot stitch on your sampler today, how wonderful that it can still bring you joy just by being there, waiting until you can pick up a needle again. Isn't it wonderful that we all share this simple pleasure of stitching? Nicola, I know you here this at least once every day....but this was such a wonderful idea....thank-you for bringing us together to bring joy to each other simply by stitching!

Happy Stitching Every One!

~Jenny~

Lady & the (still unfinished) castle

Hello everyone,

I'm still working on the castle:

My thanks to Fiona who pointed out in a comment to my last post that what I thought was a blue hill is actually water.

(Not the best photo. I'm still taking pictures by holding up the piece in front of my laptop.)

A couple of people have asked if I've named the lady. I don't tend to do that, but the name that came immediately to mind is Miranda ("O brave new world, that has such people in't" -- this is my first attempt at blogging and my first group stitching project (other than one visit to Sampler Gathering in Plymouth and a set of workshops at Colonial Williamsburg held in the late 1990's in conjunction with a 17th century British embroidery exhibition; maybe some of you attended too?)). Thanks again to Nicola and Jo for bringing us together.