Elizabeth Stephenson, 1854 is a gorgeous sampler and the Queen of the May for 2025 from Hands Across the Sea.
The sampler is executed with cross stitches laid over two threads of linen. There are a small number of cross stitches that Elizabeth “squeezed in”, and these are laid 2 threads wide and one thread wide. The sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability.
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 Corn Tassel - 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for both Soie d'Alger and Soie 1003 threads
- 37 ct Fat Half Russian Tea Cake - 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for both Soie d'Alger and Soie 1003 threads
- 45 ct Fat Half -Foxtail Millet - 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for Soie 1003 Threads
- 48 ct Fat Half - Bride Cake - 35" x 36" ~ Recommended for Soie 1003 Threads
- 53/63 ct Fat Eighth - Sycamore Seed Pod - 18" x 29" ~ Recommended for Soie 1003 Threads
Thread Options:
Au Ver a Soie®, Soie d'Alger - 37 ct version includes 24 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 30 ct or lower.
Au Ver a Soie®, Soie 1003 includes 23 spools. Recommended linen for this thread is 37 ct or higher.
***Please note, this item is excluded from any discounts or sales.
About the Sampler from the Designer
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Elizabeth finished her stunning sampler on Wednesday, February 1, in the year 1854. The sampler would have been worked as part of her education. It would have taken many hours to complete and is an amazing achievement. A bobby dazzler of a sampler! Elizabeth created a cohesive, engaging, and visually balanced sampler. The sampler draws the viewer’s eye.
Regrettably, Elizabeth did not record her age or a location on her sampler; without this information we could not identify our Elizabeth as there were numerous girls of that name born in the 1840s. We do know that Elizabeth was born in the very early years of the Victorian era. This was a time of strict social structure, traditional gender roles, and rigid expectations, particularly for women and young girls. A Victorian girl’s life was largely shaped by her family’s social class, but across all classes, she was expected to be modest, obedient, and well-mannered. Her upbringing revolved around domestic skills, education, and preparation for marriage and motherhood.
While wealthy girls were groomed for lives of refinement and marriage, working-class girls often faced hard labour and limited opportunities. Regardless of status, most Victorian girls grew up in a world that emphasised obedience, modesty, and domestic skills over personal ambition or independence. Though their experiences varied, they all lived under the rigid expectations of a society that saw their primary role as future wives and mothers."
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