We are pleased to present to you a charming Anglo-French red sampler stitched by Elizabeth Wood in Boulogne-sur-Mer and finished on “le 12 Novembre 1850”. On discovering this sampler we were totally charmed by her promise to “be always a good and obedient little girl”.
The sampler is offered to you in two different formats ~ an instant PDF download and as a printed booklet. Details of the printed booklet can be found HERE.
Boulogne is a city and a major fishing port on the north coast of France. It is possible that Elizabeth stitched her primer when her family were holidaying in Boulogne, although the month of November may indicate a lengthy stay rather than a summer sojourn.
Boulogne-sur-Mer housed a large British population of around 3,000 in the mid-1800s. Although there were migrant workers there, Boulogne’s British population was composed largely of genteel, middle-class residents, some of them in debt, many with servants.
We wonder if Elizabeth kept the promise she so diligently stitched.
Elizabeth worked her sampler with cross stitch over 2 strands of linen and has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability.
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 or the contact page on our website.
Thread Legend
Elizabeth’s delightful sampler has been reproduced using Soie 100.3 from Au Ver à Soie. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC. Estimated thread quantities for varying linen counts and the number of strands of thread used have been listed below.
Soie 100.3 1 strand 46ct ~ 523 x 1
Soie d’Alger 1 strand 46ct ~ 2645 x 1
Soie d’Alger 1 strand 40ct ~ 2645 x 2
DMC 1 strand 40ct ~ 347 x 1
Soie d’Alger 1 strand 36ct ~ 2645 x 2
DMC 2 strands 36ct ~ 347 x 2
Soie d’Alger 2 strands 28ct ~ 2645 x 3
DMC 2 strands 28ct ~ 347 x 2
Linen Sizes
The model was stitched using 56ct Zweigart-based linen that was overdyed to the shade Old Sheep by xJuDesigns. The original sampler was stitched on an uneven weave linen of approx. 30/28ct with cotton thread. We recommend that you use a thread, fabric, and count that you enjoy working with.
The design area is 144 stitches (w) x 133 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3" margin for finishing and framing.
28ct linen: Design: 10.29" x 9.50" Fabric: 16.29" x 15.50"
30ct linen: Design: 9.60" x 8.87" Fabric: 15.60" x 14.87"
32ct linen: Design: 9.00" x 8.31" Fabric: 15.00" x 14.31"
36ct linen: Design: 8.00" x 7.39" Fabric: 14.00" x 13.39"
40ct linen: Design: 7.20" x 6.65" Fabric: 13.20" x 12.65"
46ct linen: Design: 6.26" x 5.78" Fabric: 12.26" x 11.78"
56ct linen: Design: 5.14" x 4.75" Fabric: 11.14" x 10.75"
Stitch Guide
This whimsical sampler has been worked with cross stitch over 2 strands of linen and has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all levels of ability.
Cross stitch ~ is made up of two stitches worked over one or two threads. You should make all your stitches cross in the same direction for a neat and uniform finish.
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 the contact page on our website.
