This delightful sampler is brought to you as the fourth in a series of “Little Gems” that are available in this time of global crisis as a .pdf download by Hands Across the Sea Samplers.

Mary Eliza McMillan has been in Nicola’s private collection for some time and has been whispering in her ear to be reproduced. Now, as we hunker down in isolation and time has lost any meaning, it seemed the right moment to do so.

Rather than a carefully planned symmetrical sampler, Mary’s needlework is very much a one-off example of a young child’s nonsensical art. Very similar to the scraps of crinkled, paint-smudged paper that can be found in countless homes today proudly displayed on fridge doors.

We suspect that Mary was a very young child, possibly between the age of seven and ten. She loved bright colours, birds and dogs. Children do not strive for realistic depiction in their drawings, they tend to scatter objects in awkward places. They might draw a house on the left corner of the page and then, as Mary did, a water jug next to the house hanging in mid-air. What is most important to remember is that children’s art has its own logic.

There is often a variety of wisdom and information to be found on samplers. Some samplers convey a message, others knowledge. Samplers illuminate the lives of their makers when they document moral issues, family histories, personal experiences, and national events.

Following in the footsteps of those young girls (and boys) from centuries past, Nicola added an extra 12 rows to the reproduction, so that she could record a moment in time in her needlework. Therefore, there are two different versions of Mary Eliza McMillan, the true reproduction and Nicola’s adaptation.

The four graphs included in the download are:

Graph 1 ~ With an added dedication as per the model, a six-page colour symbol graph.

Graph 2 ~ With an added dedication as per the model, a six-page black and white symbol graph.

Graph 3 ~ The reproduction, a six-page colour symbol graph.

Graph 4 ~ The reproduction, a six-page black and white symbol graph.

The sampler is stitched entirely in cross stitch over two and can be stitched on linen or Aida. Mary is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities and would make an ideal “starter” project for those wishing to explore samplers.

At the very core of Hands Across the Sea Samplers there is a team of needleworkers who are passionate about antique samplers and being able to share those samplers with you.

Guest checkout ~ Upon completion of purchase you will instantly receive an email confirming your order and giving you a link to download the .pdf. It is important that you ensure the correct email address is given. If the email is not received into your in-box please check your spam folder. You may find it easier to registered as a user on our website as you will then be able to visit your account to download the .pdf directly to your PC.