“make much of precious time”

Jane Surtees 1811 is available as a printed booklet and as a instant pdf download. For the download please click HERE.

Jane tells us that she marked her sampler in 1811. So much has changed in the world in the ensuing years, particularly for women in the Western world!

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.

Unfortunately, we are unable to say with certainty which of the Janes stitched this delightful sampler. 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.

This verse appears on several documented samplers and can be found in “A guide to the English tongue” by Thomas Dyche, an English schoolmaster and lexicographer.

Jane’s charming sampler has been reproduced with a palette of 9 colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie d’Alger. We have provided conversions for Soie 100.3 and DMC. Jane stitched her sampler mainly with cross stitch over 2 strands of linen, cross stitch over 1 strand of linen and satin stitch. The model was stitched on Lakeside Linen in Light Examplar. The project has been rated as suitable for confident beginners through to advanced needleworkers.

Our grateful thanks to Angela Bulbeck who lovingly stitched the model for Jane’s sampler. 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.