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Thought I'd better start a new thread, since I'm trying to keep track of my stitching in a more organised way this year. My hope is that I will stitch -- and finish -- more pieces. Time will tell.

So meaning to start in the correct spirit, here is the finished Hare in the Rosehips. I used blending filament for the large snowflake, and beads for the berries. Also Perle 12 for some of the frosted branches. (I also left a whole row of stitching from the bottom of the original design, but that's another matter.) And the hare has a golden eye. It needs ironing and finishing, but at least it's stitched!

Oh what a perfectly beautiful hare he is him and I love the muted tones of the fabric too. Beautiful stitching Serinde. Well done.

Serinde wrote: Sat Jan 04, 2020 3:22 pm (I also left a whole row of stitching from the bottom of the original design, but that's another matter.)

On purpose and for aesthetic reasons of course?

Congrats on the first finish of the year, he looks very a regal hare!

Definitely a beautiful start and finish for what will surly be a very good year!

Carole

Fabulous to see this finished and it is absolutely stunning. So much detail and I love those delicate snow flakes.

He’s magnificent!!

I can only echo what everyone has said!!
Wonderful finish for the New Year!!

Here is an update on Sublime Stitches (Elizabeth Almond -- Blackwork Journey). This is about, oh, half done... I'm currently working across on pp 7, 8 & 9, and it includes variegated threads, beads, pulled work not to mention regulation blackwork and cross stitch, so it's a real sampler workout.

I love this!!!! That is something I would love to try. Where did you find the pattern? I have several Blackwork patterns but this is a sampler as samplers used to be. You are doing an absolutely beautiful job of stitching!

Carole

Sublime is about right - what a feat of stitching variety!

WOW and WOW again that is awesome Serinde and all so different. You are totally amazing that is for sure.

I have slightly miscounted somewhere... but the great thing about a sampler is that I can make up the lost space! And who is going to notice, anyway?

rcperryls wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:49 pm Where did you find the pattern? I have several Blackwork patterns but this is a sampler as samplers used to be. Carole

Here. And you have a choice of even weave or aida. Oh, and it's free... Plus Elizabeth Almond always gives tons more information along with the pattern, so it's really a little book by the time you have every part. But consider yourself warned: there are other lovely freebies, as well as other designs which are really lovely.

Now that's a Proper Sampler!!

I have seen this and was So Tempted! Maybe, just maybe I'll have a go one day when the dust settles!!

Wonderful...just Wonderful!!

This is really a model good old sampler.
Speaking about samplers, I have a question: if they were supposed to preserve technique, examples of stitches, patterns, then why not all countries had samplers in their history of embroidery? Ukrainians are world-wide known for their stitching, yet so far I have not heard about Ukrainian samplers, despite a great diaspora living across all the ponds. Then there must have been more to the sampler than just being a collection of stitches, right?

One type of sampler seems to have started out as a reminder to the stitcher of stitches she might want to use later - so if you came across a stitch you liked you copied it onto your sampler (they were often rolls made up of more and more bits of fabric sewn on as the previous one filled up) and when you needed to stitch something you'd go through your sampler to choose something or refresh your memory about how to do it. They were also used to record patterns or motifs for later use.

Another type is the "teaching" sampler, generally rectangular with alphabets, sometimes pictorial elements, sometimes cross ttch only but loads with other stitches as well - they were used to teach little girls their stitches, and also served as a way of demonstrating how good you were at stitching. At an exhibition I once saw two done by a pair of sisters in the 18th century, worked on 60ct linen - impressive, and they were very neat too!

I don't know why Ukraine has no tradition of them - it can't be that none survive, surely. Perhaps all Ukrainians are just born perfect stitchers with perfect stitch memories so they don't need them !

PS in Dutch samplers are known as "merklappen" - "marking cloths" because they contained the alphabets for marking bedlinen etc with.

Mabel, thank you for your kind response.

Serinde wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 8:09 am I have slightly miscounted somewhere... but the great thing about a sampler is that I can make up the lost space! And who is going to notice, anyway?

rcperryls wrote: Mon Jan 27, 2020 4:49 pm Where did you find the pattern? I have several Blackwork patterns but this is a sampler as samplers used to be. Carole

Here. And you have a choice of even weave or aida. Oh, and it's free... Plus Elizabeth Almond always gives tons more information along with the pattern, so it's really a little book by the time you have every part. But consider yourself warned: there are other lovely freebies, as well as other designs which are really lovely.

Thank you for reminding me of her and her website. I have one of her free samplers with lots of parts also. All Blackwork. I think I will have to do this. Like I said. Definitely love it (understatement). I looked back on this thread, but maybe I should look at last year's to see what fabric you are using. I would do a 28 count evenweave I'm sure.

Carole

I suspect I'm using 25ct lugana -- probably because I had a lot of it once upon a time. But if you find out, let me know!

It’s fabulous! I really Love It!

So superbly worked,