This sampler is brought to you as part of a series of “Little Gems” that are available as a pdf download by Hands Across the Sea Samplers. The project has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability and can be stitched either on Aida, Linaida, or linen.

Marion’s charming sampler was finished on April 6, 1866 when she was twelve years old. The young girl’s sampler was worked with wool on a ground of approximately 24ct. Contained within a border of plump red strawberries is a delightful cottage flanked by two pine trees with a lawn of luscious green grass. You could imagine the heroine of a fairy tale stumbling across this cottage in a forest glade.

Marion diligently plied her needle filling her sampler with baskets of fruits, flowering shrubs, several trees, including a heavily laden apple tree, two crowns, and four hearts. Her accurate counting and wonderful colour choices made her sampler a joy to reproduce and stitch.

Marion left a clue to her identity “Thurston” in her sampler, which has enabled us to trace her. Marion Burns Horsburgh, who was named after her paternal great grandmother, was born on April 1, 1854 to William Horsburgh and his wife Margaret, née Ford. She was baptised on April 23, 1854 in Innerwick, East Lothian, Scotland.

We do not know if Marion’s life was happy or sad, but it was a long life; 86 was a very good age. Whilst working with her sampler, we have fondly referred to it as the “fairy-tale cottage”. We hope that, just like a princess in a fairy tale, all Marion’s dreams came true and that she found her prince and they lived happily ever after.

There are 4 versions of the pdf. You will be able to download any or all of the following pdf and graph versions:

Version 1 ~ A six-page colour chart.

Version 2 ~ A one-page colour chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).

Version 3 ~ A six-page black and white symbol chart.

Version 4 ~ A one-page black and white symbol chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).

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. Hands Across the Sea Samplers are on hand to help those stitching our charts.

If you need assistance or have any questions, we can be reached via email, address shown below, or the contact page on our website. Our website has stitching tutorials which can be found in the “Sewing Basket and Tools” section.

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 register as a user on our website as you will then be able to visit your account to download the .pdf directly to your PC.