Hands Across the Sea Kit

Lilly Thirza Edwards 1887, is another sweet sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

Lilly is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.

**Please note, Sampler Thread Kit does not include chart. Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen + 5 spools of Soie 1003  thread and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Corn Tassel - 18" x 17.5"
  
• 38 ct Fat Eighth - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 17.5"
• 53/63 ct Fat Eighth Sycamore Seed Pod - 18" x 29"

5 Spools of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 Includes:

• SMS 109  ~ Christmas red ~ dark

  SMS 142  ~ Yellow beige ~ light

  SMS 303 ~ Golden olive

  SMS 378  ~ Avocado green ~ very dark

  SMS 710 ~ Grey green ~ very dark

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"From family history records we know that Lilly was born to Henry, a railway guard, and his wife Eliza. On September 29, 1878 she was baptised in the town of Bromsgrove in the county of Worcestershire. By the 1881 census return the family can be found living at 21 New Market Terrace, London in the parish of St Pancras.

We know that Lilly stitched her sampler in the year 1887 when she was nearing her eighth birthday.

On June 3, 1905 Lilly married James Henry Thomas at St Paul’s Church in St Pancras. Lilly lived a long life, dying aged 80 on September 16, 1959. We hope that when the 1921 census is released in the forthcoming year that we may be able to add to Lilly’s story."

Emma Lavinia Crocker 1825 is another little gem sampler from Hands Across the Sea. This sampler is the Reproduction version of the samplers.  The sampler has been rated as suitable for confident beginners through to advanced needleworkers.

**Please note, Sampler Kit does not include chart. Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea.**

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice + 18 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice + 26 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

 Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half of Victoria Sponge Cake - 35" x 36"
  
• 30 ct Fat Half of Pecan Shortbread - 35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel -35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Russian Tea Cake- 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Kit Includes: 

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

“Emma recorded that she finished her sampler on July 16, 1825. The 16th was a Saturday, and this has given us reason to consider that the sampler was wrought under the guidance of her mother rather than a school or Sunday school teacher.

Emma’s sampler is an amazing achievement for a girl of barely 9 years of age."

Ann Matthews~ A Little Gem  is the 6th in a series of “Little Gems” from Hands Across the Sea Samplers.

**Please note, Sampler Kit does not include chart. Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea.**

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice + 19 skeins of Soie d'Alger thread and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Legacy Linen Corn Tassel - 17.5" x 18"
• 30 ct Fat Quarter - Legacy Linen Pecan Shortbread - 17" x 35"
  
• 30 ct Fat Quarter - Legacy Linen Mariner's Map - 18" x 35"
• 30 ct Fat Quarter - Legacy Linen Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 35"

19 Skeins of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Kit Includes:

• SDF 165 – Navy blue ~ very dark
• SDF 523 – Golden olive ~ light
• SDF 622 – Straw ~ light
• SDF 1753 – Straw ~ dark
• SDF 1836 – Hunter green ~ very dark
• 2 Skeins of SDF 2135 – Parrot green ~ very dark
• SDF 2625 – Burnt orange ~ dark
• SDF 2915 – Salmon ~ dark
• 2 Skeins of SDF 2923 – Christmas red
• SDF 3334 – Antique violet ~ light
• SDF 3343 – Beaver grey ~ light
• SDF 3715 – Khaki green ~ medium
• SDF 4112 – Desert sand ~ very light
• SDF 4132 – Coffee brown ~ ultra dark
• SDF 4545 – Brown ~ light
• SDF 5381 – Sky blue ~ very light
• SDF F09 – Hazelnut brown ~ light

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Ann is a beautiful little Welsh sampler worked with a palette of bright colours that pop out from the linen. The sampler is framed by a simple but very effective border using sumptuous red and duck egg blue silks, and she continues to use some very vibrant colour combinations.

Ann lived in Glamorgan, South Wales and was born in 1849 in Aberavon near Port Talbot, which is just a few miles from Margam Church which she depicts. She tells us that she was 10 years old when she stitched her sampler in 1859. The earliest reference to Ann is from the census taken in 1851, where she is living near Margam with her father David, her brothers Morgan and John, and her sister Margaret. Her father is a widower, and his parents are living with the family, presumably to help look after the children, of which Ann at 2 years old is the youngest. Her father’s occupation is a collier (miner), and the area she lives in is dominated by coal and copper mining. 

There is no record of Ann’s mother or when and how she died. The living conditions in the towns and villages were very hard, and diseases such as cholera and typhus were commonplace."

Multiply Kindness is an original design sampler from Hands Across the Sea.

The stitches used are cross stitch over two threads, satin stitches for the centre of some flower head (the satin stitches can be replaced with cross stitch) and some straight stitches for the flower stamens.

Choice of purchasing thread kit only, Printed Chart only or as full kit with linen. 

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice, Chart Booklet +  Soie d'Alger or Soie 1003 threads (+Free Shipping). 

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half - Victoria Sponge Cake -35" x 36" ~ Recommended for Soie d'Alger Threads only  
• 37 ct Fat Half Russian Tea Cake- 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for both Soie d'Alger and Soie 1003 threads
• 38 ct Fat Half - Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for both Soie d'Alger and Soie 1003 threads
• 45 ct Fat Half -Jersey Cream - 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for Soie 1003 Threads 

Thread Options:

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger - 37 ct version includes 25 skeins. Recommended linen for this thread is 38 ct or lower.

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger - 30 ct version includes 31 skeins. Recommended linen for this thread is 37 ct or lower.

SDF 122 ~ Turquoise ~ light
SDF 236 ~ Forest green ~ dark
SDF 631 ~ Pumpkin ~ pale
SDF 1315 ~ Grape ~ dark
SDF 1342 ~ Blueberry
SDF 1344 ~ Blue violet dark
SDF 1723 ~ Turquoise
SDF 1746 x 2 ~ Turquoise ~ very dark (3 skeins for 30 ct) 
SDF 1836 x 2 ~ Pistachio green ~ dark
SDF 2125 ~ Avocado green ~ light (2 skeins for 30 ct) 
SDF 2144 ~ Olive green (3 skeins for 30 ct) 
SDF 2532 ~ Straw ~ light
SDF 2643 ~ Apricot ~ medium
SDF 2924 x 2 ~ Christmas red (4 skeins for 30 ct) 
SDF 3024 ~ Cranberry ~ dark
SDF 3046 ~ Mauve ~ medium
SDF 3322 ~ Lavender ~ pale
SDF S3596 ~ Desert sand ~ light
SDF 4622 ~ Salmon
SDF 4623 ~ Rose ~ deep
SDF 4633 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
SDF 4634 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 includes 22 spools. Recommended linen for this thread is 37 ct or higher.

SMS 002 ~ Turquoise ~ light
SMS 038 ~ Apricot ~ medium
SMS 061 ~ Forest green ~ dark
SMS 067 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium
SMS 077 ~ Salmon
SMS 088 ~ Desert sand ~ light
SMS 124 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
SMS 133 ~ Grape ~ dark
SMS 148 ~ Straw ~ light
SMS 152 ~ Olive green
SMS 223 ~ Mauve ~ medium
SMS 307 ~ Rose ~ deep
SMS 362 ~ Blueberry
SMS 474 ~ Lavender ~ pale
SMS 478 ~ Pumpkin ~ pale
SMS 605 ~ Turquoise
SMS 619 ~ Cranberry ~ dark
SMS 647 ~ Avocado green ~ light
SMS 656 ~ Pistachio green ~ dark
SMS 681 ~ Christmas red
SMS 690 ~ Blue violet ~ dark
SMS 710 ~ Turquoise ~ very dark

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from the Designer

"Why an original design versus a reproduction sampler? Since I first started to collect antique samplers, I have obsessively searched for multiplication samplers, but I have never come across the one that made my heart sing and my fingers itch to stitch. Whilst I have a few in my collection, none of them called to me to stitch them.

It was a colourful multiplication table sampler that caught my eye back in the 1980s that led to me stitching my first sampler. Whilst in a dentist’s waiting room, I picked up a magazine and came across an article which featured an interview with Moria Blackburn. There were many photographs of Moria’s beautiful designs, but one particular sampler stood out – a large colourful multiplication table sampler. I immediately wanted to take up stitching and recreate the sampler for my son. My journey with cross stitch and samplers was about to begin.

Within days I visited a needlework store and, whilst I could not find the chart for the multiplication table sampler, I came away with a kit to stitch my first sampler. Several years later, I had stitched all the samplers that Moira had charted but not the multiplication table sampler. After exhausting Moria’s portfolio of work, I went in search of other designers and discovered the needlework community and blogs. It was then that the world of needlework with its beautiful linens and glorious silks flung open its doors and my deep love of samplers worked in centuries past bloomed. This in turn led me to collect samplers and to research their history. A few years later, Hands Across the Sea Samplers released its first reproduction sampler.

Shortly after HATS’ first release, I entered into correspondence with Moria and discovered that the multiplication table sampler featured in the magazine was not one of her own designs but another designer’s. The sampler had caught her eye too, and she had stitched it for her children!"

Eliz Fitch, 1787 is an pretty historical sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

Elizabeth executed her sampler predominantly with cross stitches laid over two threads of linen; only the verse has been worked in cross stitch over one thread of linen.

The project is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability. 

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit with linen.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen + 8 spools of Soie 1003  thread and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles + Free Shipping  (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Russian Tea Cake - 17.5" x 18"
• 45 ct Fat Eighth - Jersey Cream- 17.5" x 18"
  
• 53/63 ct  Fat Eighth Gothic Ivory - 18" x 29"
  

8 Spools of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 Includes:

• SMS 025  ~Blue green

• SMS 147  ~  Old gold

• SMS 199 ~ Olive green 

• SMS 252 ~ Dusty rose

• SMS 274 ~ Khaki green 

• SMS 621 ~ Grey green 

• SMS 634 ~ Hazelnut brown 

• SMS 743 ~ Beige brown

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"What a pretty sampler Elizabeth stitched when she was just ten years old. The young child finished her sampler on Wednesday, October 4, 1797 – some 226 years ago. It was such a long time ago.

At first glance, one might think that Elizabeth’s sampler was stitched in Norfolk due to the beautiful floral outer border and the lozenge-shaped inner border. Even the chosen verse was very popular on Norfolk samplers. Elizabeth’s sampler was actually stitched in the county of Essex, which is separated from Norfolk by the county of Suffolk. Elizabeth Fitch was born in 1787 at Helions Bumpstead in Essex. This small village is located near Haverhill, and it is where the Essex, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire borders meet. What we are seeing in her sampler are whispers of Norfolk and Suffolk samplers."

The Needlework of Dorcie Sampson is a lovely 3 sampler project from Hands Across the Sea. 

The sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.

The samplers are worked with cross stitch over two threads of linen and some Algerian eyelets. 

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, printed chart only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options: Includes linen of choice + 12 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half of Victoria Sponge Cake - 35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger kit Includes:

• The 1906 Sampler:                                             

• SDF 0544  ~ Yellow
  SDF 1433  ~ Steel grey
  SDF 2125  ~ Avocado green
  SDF 2136   ~ Hunter green  
  SDF 2143 ~ Moss green
  SDF 2914 ~ Raspberry
  SDF 2936  ~ Garnet
  SDF 3312  ~ Antique mauve

   
  The 1905 Sampler:
  
  

  SDF 1026 x 2  ~ Christmas Red                                              
  SDF 1716 x 2  ~ Navy Blue

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Dorcie Elizabeth Sampson was born in 1892 in Kintbury, Berkshire. She was the eldest of five children born to George John Sampson, a carpenter and joiner, and his wife Sarah, née Norris.

There were two fee-paying boarding schools in the village together with Anglican and Wesleyan Methodist Sunday schools. Dorcie recorded on her 1905 sampler that she attended St Mary’s School which was a daily school founded 1831.

A friend who is a needleworker was born in the village of Kintbury and lived there until she married in 1963. She wrote to me to tell me “… the name Sampson was quite common in the village, and I was (unsuccessfully) given piano lessons by a Mrs Sampson in the 50s; her family were farriers with a smithy in the nearby village of Elcot and another in the village of Hamstead Marshall. Her son Geoff was farrier for Royalty and had a Royal Warrant from the late Queen Mother, as he shod her racehorses.”

Dorcie married Albert Jubilee Beavis in 1916. In the 1911 census return, Albert can be found boarding with the Sampson family in Church Street, Kintbury. Albert’s occupation was recorded as a farrier and Dorcie’s as a draper’s assistant."

Mary Ann Ragg, 1826 is another delightful antique sampler from Hands Across the Sea.

Mary Ann stitched her sampler mainly with cross stitch over two threads of linen. The verse and dedication have been worked with cross stitch over one thread of linen. The sampler has been rated as suitable for all levels of ability.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, printed chart only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice, Printed Chart Booklet + 18 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice, Printed Chart Booklet + 28 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half of Victoria Sponge Cake - 35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger kit Includes:

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Mary Ann Ragg recorded that she was 12 years old in 1826 when she finished her sampler. However, this is not the only clue to her identity that she left behind. The pastoral scene, red building, mature cedar trees, birds, and cartouche are characteristic to samplers stitched in the city of Sheffield.

Several years ago, Hands Across the Sea Samplers reproduced another sampler that was stitched in Sheffield, Elizabeth Furniss. Whilst researching this sampler, we discovered five girls who stitched very similar samplers. They all lived within 1 square mile of each other; in the ensuing years we found several more.

Many of these girls were baptised in the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul. We believe that the girls shared the same needlework teacher, and all probably attended Darnall School (assuming that the teacher taught in the same school between 1816 and 1844)."

Ann Morley is another lovely sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

Eleanor's sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities. The stitches used are cross stitch over two threads.

**Please note, Sampler Thread Kit does not include chart. Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit.

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice + 18 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice + 19 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Eighth  - Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 17.5"
• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Corn Tassel - 18" x 17.5"
  
• 38 ct Fat Eighth - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 17.5"

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Includes:

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Ann worked her delightful sampler when she was just 8 years old. We suspect that Ann’s parents were not affluent, as her sampler was worked on a stiff, coarse linen. It is possible that Ann’s mother wove the linen using a handloom. Ann stitched her sampler with wool using a bright array of colours. She chose a distinctive palette which adds to the overall charm of her sampler."

Minnie Standlake, 1897 is little gem sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

Minnie's sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities. The stitches used are cross stitch over two threads.

**Please note, Sampler Thread Kit does not include chart.Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit.

Full Kit option:

Includes linen + 2 spools of Soie 1003  thread and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 38 ct Fat Eighth - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 17.5"
  
• 45 ct Fat Eighth - Foxtail Millet - 18" x 17.5"
  
• 53/63 ct Fat Eighth Sycamore Seed Pod - 18" x 29"

2 Spools of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 Includes:

• 107 Christmas red

• 703 Antique blue ~ dark

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Minnie’s sweet sampler certainly stood out for us as an example of a child’s needlework. Using only two colours, the twelve-year-old child recorded her alphabet in the upper and lower case, her numbers through 1 to 10, and a verse taken from Exodus 20:12.

 “Honour thy father and mother that thy days may belong upon the land and which the Lord thy God giveth thee”.

Ruth Bates 1823, is sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

This sampler is suitable for intermediate and advanced needleworkers but is not beyond a confident beginner. The stitches used are cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads and satin stitch.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, chart only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice, Chart + 26 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice, Chart + 34 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half of Pecan Shortbread -35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Kit Includes:

• SDF 1745 (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 2543
• SDF 2757
• SDF 2911
• SDF 3195
• SDF 3424 (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3446 (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3724 x 2 (3 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3725 (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3733
• SDF 3734 (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3745
• SDF 3823
• SDF 3835
• SDF 4245
• SDF 4246
• SDF 4523
• SDF 4524
• SDF 4534
• SDF 4624 (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 4625
• SDF 5025
• SDF F09
• SDF F11 x 2 (3 skeins for 30 ct version)

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"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."

Ann Castle is a lovely sampler from Hands Across the Sea. The design is suitable for intermediate and advanced needleworkers but is not beyond a determined beginner. 

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice + 26 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice + 36 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart, and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half of Pecan Shortbread - 35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Kit Includes: 

• SDF 1814 - Blue green ~ light 
  
• SDF 2242 x 2 - Yellow Beige ~ medium (3 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 2633 - Terracotta ~ light
• SDF 2644 x 2 - Salmon ~ very dark (4 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 2756 - Grey green ~ light
• SDF 3424 - Brown grey ~ medium (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3425 - Blue green ~ dark
• SDF 3426 - Blue green ~ very dark
• SDF 3714 x 2 - Green grey (4 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3716 - Green grey ~ dark (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3745 - Golden olive ~ dark
• SDF 3746 - Mocha brown ~ dark
• SDF 3814 - Old gold ~ medium (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 3834 - Beige grey ~ dark
• SDF 4245 - Old gold ~ very dark
• SDF 4525 x 2 - Hazelnut brown ~ dark (3 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 4541 - Mahogany ~ ultra very light
• SDF 5384 - Grey green ~ medium
• SDF F10 - Tan – ultra very light (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF F22 x 2 - Yellow Beige ~ light (3 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SMS 517 - Hazelnut -brown dark - Included in 37 ct version for verse

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

“A 19th century needlework Sampler by Ann Castle, dated 1811, 45cm x 32cm, (the owners grandparents believe the image of the house in the sampler is that of Holly Cottage, 18 High Street, Wargrave, Berkshire. Ann Castle lived in the cottage which formed part of the estate of the local manor house, the (owners) grandparents lived in the house as both were in service at the local manor house, one as a chauffeur and the other as a housemaid. They continued to live at Holly Cottage after their retirement and it is possible that the sampler was in Holly Cottage while they lived there and was subsequently gifted to them at some point. While the sampler shows three upstairs windows you can see from the photo with the sampler that the middle window was bricked up during the Georgian period to avoid the window tax”.

Jane Surtees, 1811 is a lovely sampler from Hands Across the Sea.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, Printed Chart Booklet or as full kit.

Full Kit Options:

Includes linen of choice, Printed Chart Booklet + 10 skeins of Soie d'Alger thread and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Quarter of Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 35"
• 37 ct Fat Quarter of Russian Tea Cake - 17.5" by 35"

10 skeins of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Kit Includes: 

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"In the family history records there are several possible Janes all from the great northern counties of England. The North of England or “Up North”, as anyone south of the Midlands calls it, has a distinct feel from “Down South”; it is an area that inspires. It has a stunning landscape filled with ancient castles, unspoilt beaches, rolling hills, attractive dales, rugged moorland, peatlands, tumbling upland rivers, and a cultural heritage all of its own. 

Jane was born when Great Britain was ruled by the Hanoverians. By 1811, George III had reigned for some 51 years. The verse Jane chose to painstakingly stitch on her sampler seems so apt for George’s life."

M E Metcalfe ~ A Little Gem  is the 7th in a series of “Little Gems” from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. This sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities and would make an ideal “starter” project for those wishing to explore samplers.

**Please note, Sampler Kit does not include chart. Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea.**

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice + 10 skeins of Soie d'Alger thread and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Legacy Linen Corn Tassel - 17.5" x 18"
• 30 ct Fat Eighth - Legacy Linen Mariner's Map - 18" x 17.5"
• 30 ct Fat Eighth - Legacy Linen Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 17.5"

10 Skeins of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Kit Includes:

• SDF 136 ~ Turquoise ~ very dark
• SDF 543 ~ Straw
• SDF 616 ~ Copper ~ medium
• SDF 1315 ~ Violet ~ dark
• SDF 2614 ~ Golden brown ~ medium
• SDF 2926 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
• SDF 2935 ~ Rose ~ very deep
• SDF 4645 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
• SDF 5024 ~ Blue green ~ dark
• SDF 5384 ~ Turquoise ~ light

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Where flowers bloom so does beauty”

 Is this sweetest of Little Gems a Mary or a Mabel? Unfortunately, we will never know as the young needleworker never recorded their full name. They may even be a Matthew or Martin!"

Eliz Fitch, 1787 is an pretty historical sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

Elizabeth executed her sampler predominantly with cross stitches laid over two threads of linen; only the verse has been worked in cross stitch over one thread of linen.

The project is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability. 

Choice of purchasing thread only, Printed Chart only or as full kit with linen.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice, Printed Chart Booklet + 8 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Quarter  - Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 35"
• 37 ct Fat Quarter - Russian Tea Cake - 17.5" x 18"

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Includes:

• SDF 2224 ~ Olive green 

• SDF 2542 ~  Old gold

• SDF 2756 ~ Grey green

• SDF 3024 ~ Dusty rose

• SDF 3434 ~ Beige brown  

• SDF 3734 ~ Khaki green  

• SDF 5024 ~Blue green

• SDF F09 ~ Hazelnut brown

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

Isabella Uffindell, 1829 is a beautiful sampler from Hands Across the Sea.

The sampler has been stitched using cross stitch over two threads with a small number of cross stitches over 1 thread (e.g. Isabella's name, age and the King's initials "GR". This sampler has been rated as suitable for an intermediate stitcher but is not beyond a determined beginner wishing to explore satin stitch.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, printed chart only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice + 37 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)  - Free Shipping included

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct 1 Yard - Mariner's Map - 36" x 71"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Russian Tea Cake - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 kit Includes:

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"When we reproduce samplers, we not only follow the path that the little girls’ needles and floss originally took but as we research the girls, we also follow a meandering thread back through time casting a light onto their lives.

Isabella and Ann are two very special samplers. They are special not only as they are very, very beautiful samplers but also because they were stitched by two sisters. Both the sisters were 10 years of age when they stitched their samplers, Isabella in 1829 and Ann 6 years later in 1835. As a collector sister samplers particularly fascinate me. I find it so remarkable that two samplers remain together through the centuries."

Elizabeth Atkinson, 1829 is another beautiful sampler from Hands Across the Sea. 

The sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities. The stitches used are cross stitch over one and two threads and Algerian eyelets.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice + 15 spools of Soie 1003 thread, Printed Chart and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller’s Teazel - 35" x 36"
• 45 ct Fat Quarter of Foxtail Millet - 18" x 35"
• 45 ct Fat Quarter of Wildbird Seed - 18" x 35" 
• 53/63 ct Fat Eighth of Sycamore Seed Pod - 18" x 29"

15 spools of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 100/3 Kit Includes: 

• SMS 022 x 1 Golden olive
• SMS 048 x 1 Golden olive ~ very dark
• SMS 093 x 1 Desert sand
• SMS 108 x 1 Fern green
• SMS 109 x 1 Garnet ~ medium
• SMS 211 x 1 Beige brown ~ ultra light
• SMS 223 x 1 Mauve ~ dark
• SMS 293 x 1 Orange spice ~ dark
• SMS 401 x 1 Brown grey ~ very light
• SMS 468 x 1 Grey green ~ medium
• SMS 486 x 1 Antique blue ~medium
• SMS 494 x 1 Salmon ~ medium
• SMS 681 x 1 Salmon ~ very dark ***will be substituted with 664
• SMS 705 x 1 Fern green ~ dark
• SMS 707 x 1 Green grey ~ dark

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

Mary G Ramage is another beautiful and colorful Scottish temperance sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

The project has been stitched using cross stitch over two threads with the exception of the verse which has been worked in cross stitched over one thread.

The project is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability. 

 Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, chart only or as full kit.

Full Kit Options:

Includes linen of choice + 10 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Eighth  - Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 17.5"
• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Corn Tassel - 18" x 17.5"
  
• 38 ct Fat Eighth - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 17.5"

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Includes:

• SDF 145 Emerald green ~ dark
• SDF 524 Golden olive
• SDF 1723 Turquoise ~ dark
• SDF 2125 Moss green ~ dark
• SDF 2546 Golden brown ~ light
• SDF 2915 Salmon ~ medium
• SDF 2921 Coral ~ dark
• SDF 2936 Garnet ~ very dark
• SDF 3744 Golden olive ~ dark
• SDF 5022 Blue green ~ medium

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"The original sampler was stitched in wool, and the background was entirely stitched in cross stitch. We have not filled in the background, instead we used a linen of a similar colour to the colour used by the child.

We believe that the sampler is Welsh, although we have nothing other than instinct to make this assumption. We are fairly certain that it was stitched by a child. The back of the sampler is a tangle of carried threads, ginormous knots and long loose ends!"

Amy Fisher 1893, is another sweet sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

Amy's sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.

**Please note, Sampler Thread Kit does not include chart.Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea

Kit Options:

Choice of purchasing thread only or as full kit.

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice + 15 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice + 18 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Quarter  - Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 35"
• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Corn Tassel - 18" x 17.5"
  
• 38 ct Fat Eighth - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 17.5"

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Includes:

• SDF 944  ~ Garnet (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 1736 ~ Antique blue ~ dark
• SDF 2224 ~ Olive green ~ medium
• SDF 2643~ Terracotta
• SDF 2757 ~ Grey green ~ medium (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 2758 ~ Blue green
• SDF 2913 ~ Terracotta ~ very light
• SDF 2926 ~ Shell pink ~ very dark
• SDF 3346 ~ Mocha brown ~ dark
• SDF 3724 ~ Pine green ~ medium
• SDF 4242  ~ Yellow beige ~ medium (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
• SDF 4246 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
• SDF 4511 ~ Tan ~ very light
• SDF 4645 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
• SDF 5382 ~ Grey green ~ light
  

   

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

""Amy’s sampler has been a joy to reproduce and stitch. The 12-year-old child certainly had a good eye for colour and design. The sampler is a riot of colours, yet harmonious. Amy’s stitching is exquisite, and she has taken great care in the execution of her work."

Mary Ann Diaper, 1826 is a sampler from Hands Across the Sea - at only at only eight years of age, finished her sampler in the year 1826. Mary Ann’s sampler has been rated as suitable for confident beginners through to advanced needleworkers.

**Please note, Sampler Kit does not include chart. Purchase is required separately on Hands Across the Sea.**

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice + 27 spools of Soie 1003 threads and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles (Gift with Purchase)

 Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel -35" x 36"
  
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"
• 45 ct Fat Half of Foxtail Millet - 35" x 36"
• 53/63 ct Fat Eight of Sycamore Seed Pod - 18" x 29"

27 spools of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 100/3 Kit Includes: 

• SMS 071 ~ Pewter ~ very light
• SMS 080 ~ Tan ~ultra very light
• SMS 131 ~ Mauve ~ light
• SMS 156  ~ Tan
• SMS 211 ~ Tawny ~ light
• SMS 224  ~ Autumn gold ~ light - ** SMS 147 may be substituted**
• SMS 252 ~ Dusty rose ~ ultra very dark
• SMS 264 ~ Dusty rose
• SMS 425  ~ Hazelnut brown ~ light
• SMS 427  ~ Antique blue ~ light
• SMS 455  ~ Golden olive ~ very dark
• SMS 492  ~ Hazelnut brown ~ dark
• SMS 562 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
• SMS 576  ~ Brown grey ~ dark
• SMS 580 ~ Drab brown ~ light
• SMS 499 ~ Garnet
• SMS 603 x 2 ~ Drab brown
• SMS 624  ~ Brown grey ~ very dark
• SMS 665 ~ Orange spice ~ light
• SMS 666 ~ Shell grey ~ dark
• SMS 681 ~ Christmas red
• SMS 684 ~ Christmas red ~ light
• SMS 686 ~ Red copper ~ dark
• SMS 712  ~ Grey green ~ light
• SMS Blanc ~ Winter white
• SMS Noir  ~ Black

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

“Mary Ann, at only eight years of age, finished her sampler in the year 1826. An amazing achievement for one so young!

The sampler has been mainly executed in cross stitch over two linen threads with a small amount of cross stitch over one linen thread for the verse and dedication. There is a small amount of satin stitch. Mary Ann’s sampler has been rated as suitable for confident beginners through to advanced needleworkers."

Emily Wildhack, 1874 is a beautiful historical sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

The project is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability. 

Choice of purchasing thread only, Printed Chart only or as full kit with linen.

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice + 13 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice + 15 skeins of Soie d'Alger thread, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Quarter  - Victoria Sponge Cake - 18" x 35"
• 37 ct Fat Quarter - Corn Tassel - 18" x 35"
• 37 ct Fat Quarter - Russian Tea Cake - 18" x35"
• 38 ct Fat Quarter - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 35"

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Includes:

• SDF 1735 ~ Antique Blue ~ medium
  
• SDF 2126 ~ Avocado green ~ medium
  
• SDF 2213 ~ Khaki green ~ medium
  
• SDF 2645 ~ Salmon ~ very dark   (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
  
• SDF 3735 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
  
• SDF 3345 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
  
• SDF 3423 ~ Fern green   (2 skeins for 30 ct version)
  
• SDF 3843 ~ Beaver grey ~ medium
  
• SDF 4242 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
  
• SDF 4622 ~ Salmon ~ medium
  
• SDF 4626 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
  
• SDF 5114 ~ Antique Violet ~ medium
  
• SDF F21 ~ Cream

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Emily’s needlework has been reproduced using the slightly mellowed colours found on the front of her sampler. The ten-year-old child used wool and 20ct Penelope canvas to create an elegant sampler that gracefully flows from row to row. Her sampler contains elements that are reminiscent of the artwork on Roman Catholic prayer cards. Emily recorded that she completed her pretty sampler on November 18, 1874 at the Convent of Mercy in Chelsea.

Emily Augustine Marie Wildhack was born on April 13, 1864 in Chelsea, London, to Robert Andrew Frederick Wildhack and Marie Josephine Arcolier. Robert, a courier, was born in Vienna and became a naturalised British subject; Marie was born in Belgium. They married on August 31, 1847 in London. Emily was named after a sister who died in 1860 before reaching her first birthday."

Charlotte Entwistle, 1860 is a delightful sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers and is the sister sampler of Margaret Entwistle. 

The design is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities. The stitches used are cross stitch over 2 threads of linen and can be stitched on Aida, Linaida, or linen.

Choice of purchasing thread only, Printed Chart only or as full kit with linen.

Full Kit options: Includes linen of choice, Printed Chart Booklet + 19 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Eighth  - Victoria Sponge Cake - 17.5" x 18"
• 30 ct Fat Eighth - Pecan Shortbread - 17.5" x 18"
• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Corn Tassel - 18" x 17.5"
• 38 ct Fat Eighth - Fuller's Teazel - 18" x 17.5"

 Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger Includes:

• SDF 616 ~ Copper ~ medium
  
• SDF 643 ~ Mahogany ~ very light
  
• SDF 1446 ~ Navy blue ~ medium
  
• SDF 1724 ~ Turquoise ~ very dark
  
• SDF 1814 ~ Grey green ~ light
  
• SDF 1835 ~ Jade green
  
• SDF 1843 ~ Fern green
  
• SDF 2125 ~ Avocado green ~ light
  
• SDF 2242 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
  
• SDF 2541 ~ Ecru
  
• SDF 2925 ~ Christmas red
  
• SDF 2942 ~ Shell pink ~ very ighlt
  
• SDF 3346 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
  
• SDF 3426 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
  
• SDF 3732 ~ Yellow green ~ light
  
• SDF 4623 ~ Raspberry ~ medium
  
• SDF 4633 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
  
• SDF 4636 ~ Mauve ~ dark
  

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Charlotte is one of a pair of sister samplers and was stitched in 1860. Her sister Margaret finished her sampler at the age of 10 years in 1854 at Hoghton School. Using the clues that the two sisters recorded in cross stitches, we were able to locate the girls in family history records.

Charlotte was baptised on July 2, 1848. Her parents were Thomas Entwistle, a farmer, and his wife Charlotte (née Whitehead). Charlotte was one of six children born between 1841 and 1848. Her mother certainly had her hands full!

When Thomas and Charlotte (senior) married on December 23, 1839 in St James, Thomas was an agricultural labourer. In the 1851 census return, Thomas farmed 36 acres at Top o’th Lane in Brindle, Lancashire."

Mary Hillier, 1867 is a gorgeous red sampler from Hands Across the Sea. 

The sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.

The stitches used are cross stitch over 2 threads of linen.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, printed chart only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

• 37 ct option for 1 strand: Includes linen of choice + 5 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 26 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)
• 30 ct option for 2 strands : Includes linen of choice + 13 skeins of Soie d'Alger threads, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 28 Needles (Gift with Purchase + Free Shipping)

Linen Choices:

• 30 ct Fat Half of Victoria Sponge Cake - 35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Russian Tea Cake  - 35" x 36"
• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger kit Includes:

• SDF 2922 x 5  (37 ct version)
• SDF 2922 x 13 (30 ct version)

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Mary was born on 3 September 1852 in Newton, Somerset, England. Her parents were Thomas Hillier, a labourer, and Elizabeth. On 18 August 1858 at 7 o’clock, Thomas, who was the foreman of a gang of workmen who were working on the Great Western Railway line between Bath and Twerton, met with an accident. As a train of empty carriages approached the workmen, in moving away from the line, Thomas slipped, and both of his feet went under the passing train and were “dreadfully crushed”. He was taken to hospital, and both his feet were amputated. A newspaper report noted that he was expected to recover. However, the accident proved to be fatal, and he died on 27 September. Within a year, Mary’s mother, died of pneumonia at the County Lunatic Asylum at Wells."

Amelia Bachelor 1863 is another delightful small sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. 

This sampler has been worked with cross stitch over 2 strands of linen. The project is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability. 

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, Printed Chart only or as full kit with linen.

Full Kit option:

Includes linen + 8 spools of Soie 1003  thread, Printed Chart Booklet and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles + Free Shipping  (Gift with Purchase)

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Russian Tea Cake - 18" 17.5"
• 37 ct Fat Eighth - Corn Tassel - 18" x 17.5"
• 45 ct Fat Eighth - Jersey Cream - 18" x 17.5"
• 45 ct Fat Eighth - Foxtail Millet - 18" x 17.5"
• 53/63 ct  Fat Eighth - Gothic Ivory - 18" x 29"

8 Spools of Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 Includes:

• SMS 022 ~ Golden olive ~ light
  
• SMS 079 ~ Avocado green ~ medium
  
• SMS 152 ~ Moss green
  
• SMS 335 ~ Terracotta ~ very dark
• SMS 338 ~ Shell grey ~ dark
  
• SMS 468 ~ Grey green ~ medium
  
• SMS 499 ~ Garnet
  
• SMS 628 ~ Black brown

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales. 

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Amelia has left us some clues in her sampler which she completed in 1863. She attended Berkswell School. The village of Berkswell is situated 7 miles West of Coventry City centre.

Amelia’s birth was registered in the first quarter of the year 1852. We cannot find her baptismal records, only the entry in the civil registration of births. Amelia appears in the 1861 census living at Cornets End Lane, Meriden, Berkswell. Her father, Thomas Batchelor, had died in 1860. Her mother, Ann (née Bond), is noted as a widow and the occupier of two acres of land. Amelia’s brother William, aged 11 years, was working as a ploughboy. Ann died in 1873.

Amelia stitched her sampler between 10 to 11 years of age, almost certainly under the guidance of her teacher at Berkswell School. Amelia probably had to leave school shortly after this to help contribute to the family income."

Mary Ann Ragg, 1826 is another delightful antique sampler from Hands Across the Sea.

Mary Ann stitched her sampler mainly with cross stitch over two threads of linen. The verse and dedication have been worked with cross stitch over one thread of linen. The sampler has been rated as suitable for all levels of ability.

Kit Options : 

Choice of purchasing thread only, printed chart only OR as full kit.

Full Kit options:

Includes linen of choice + 17 spools of Soie 1003 thread, + Printed chart booklet  and 2 Tapestry Size 10 Beading Needles (Gift with Purchase) - Free Shipping included

Linen Choices:

• 37 ct Fat Half of Corn Tassel - 35" x 36"
• 38 ct Fat Half of Fuller's Teazel - 35" x 36"
• 45 ct Fat Quarter of Foxtail Millet - 18" x 35"
• 53/63 ct Fat Eighth of Sycamore Seed Pod - 18" x 29"

Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 kit Includes:

***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.

About the Sampler from Nicola Parkman:

"Mary Ann Ragg recorded that she was 12 years old in 1826 when she finished her sampler. However, this is not the only clue to her identity that she left behind. The pastoral scene, red building, mature cedar trees, birds, and cartouche are characteristic to samplers stitched in the city of Sheffield.

Several years ago, Hands Across the Sea Samplers reproduced another sampler that was stitched in Sheffield, Elizabeth Furniss. Whilst researching this sampler, we discovered five girls who stitched very similar samplers. They all lived within 1 square mile of each other; in the ensuing years we found several more.

Many of these girls were baptised in the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul. We believe that the girls shared the same needlework teacher, and all probably attended Darnall School (assuming that the teacher taught in the same school between 1816 and 1844)."