Caiter's WIP: Sarah Harris Sampler - Updated 5/7/11

[Caiter]

I have finally got all of my supplies together to start in on my second project, a reproduction sampler. The original is by a young lady named Sarah Harris, who stitched hers back in the late 18th century! This image shows a finished reproduction, stitched by someone named Pat:



Originally I wanted to stitch on a scroll frame. I purchased one and basted my linen onto it, but I was really struggling with the tension, since this piece is quite wide. I ended up pulling out the basting and using a hoop. This is my progress so far:



Please note that the asymmetry is from the original! I am sure I will make (and have made) my own errors, but I am keeping Sarah's original quirks in my work as well. Sarah's alphabet is missing a few letters. I have only done the alphabet from the first page of the chart, but already the letter "J" is missing!

This has been a lot of fun so far. It will take ages to complete, but I think the variety in the colours and the various motifs will keep me from getting too frustrated!

[karen4bells]

I really like that design!! Very different and looks like it will be fun to stitch up! Great progress on it!!

[Caiter]

And here is a photo of the original sampler:

[karen4bells]

Very neat--how large will this be?

[Caiter]

Thanks! The finished size will be 11.6" x 27" and I am stitching on 32 count linen.

[Rose]

What an interesting piece!!!!!!!

[Squirrel]

That is really unusual and will be most interesting to do. How strange that different letters of the alphabet have been missed out. It will certainly keep you interested and busy stitching.

Sally

[rcperryls]

I once did a sampler that was from a young girl in the late 18th century. It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of different embroidery stitches too which is hard to find now. I have looked but seems like its mostly cross stitch and that can get tricky enough. Yours is coming along really nicely. I'm looking forward to seeing your progress.

Carole

[Lili]

gorgeous project! so wonderful start!

[Carole]

Unusual project. It looks like fun to stitch though and should be interesting all the way down. I'll enjoy watching it progres

[felicity53]

I'm wondering if the missed letter was a deliberate mistake? I've previously done an Amish sampler which had a missing letter but was apparently designed that way deliberately.

[Caiter]

Thanks, everyone, for the kind encouragement!

I'm wondering if the missed letter was a deliberate mistake? I've previously done an Amish sampler which had a missing letter but was apparently designed that way deliberately.

It might have been deliberate, you're right. I am not sure, though.

[gyork]

lovely project, good progress

[tiffstitch]

neat idea! You've made a good start!

[Mabel Figworthy]

What a wonderful project!

[Caiter]

A little update on this sampler:





The linen was difficult to start, but I think I have the hang of it now. I am looking forward to moving on to a colour other than brown!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Just noticed your remark about the J being missing, a lot of old samplers have that as J is a relatively recent "invention"; some also combine V and U as one letter (it's sometimes not easy to see which it is )

This is such a lovely piece! What threads are you using, and will you "sign" it in any way with your own name and the date?

[Caiter]

Just noticed your remark about the J being missing, a lot of old samplers have that as J is a relatively recent "invention"; some also combine V and U as one letter (it's sometimes not easy to see which it is )

This is probably the case here! Very interesting to see that kind of change over time.

This is such a lovely piece! What threads are you using, and will you "sign" it in any way with your own name and the date?

I purchased the DMC thread kit from Traditional Stitches and also used their suggested linen (Lakeside Linens Vintage Exemplar, I think). Since this is only my second ever project, I didn't think I was quite ready to make the investment silks require, but I will definitely move that way in the future!

I do plan on sneaking in my initals and the year! At the top left of the piece the chart has "Sarah Harris by" (which I am guessing was meant to be read "by Sarah Harris" in the original). I am going to sneak my initials in after "by" and put the date in somewhere else.

[Cecilia]

That's such a fascinating sampler. You're brave doing this as your 2nd project. Well done for giving it a go.

[Rose]

This is coming together quite nice!!!!!!