Each year Hands Across the Sea Samplers publishes a sampler which we consider to be not only beautiful but outstandingly so and worthy to be crowned our Queen of the May.
We are pleased to offer to you a stunning Norfolk sampler, Sarah Reymes 1770 our Queen of the May for the year 2022.
Available as a printed booklet and as pdf download. Click HERE for the PDF booklet.
S Reymes 1770 is a “bobby dazzler” of a sampler. A glorious floral border surrounds decorative rows of vines laden with flowers, a band of Irish stitch (also known as Florentine and flame stitch), rows of alphabets worked both in cross stitch and eyelet stitch. The verse is worked with red silk and a small black dog sits incongruously atop a flower head. The sampler is reminiscent of the samplers stitched by Abigail Dingle in 1762 and Jane Brunton in 1763. We suspect that the three samplers were worked under the same needlework teacher in Norwich.
On the reverse of Sarah’s sampler it is recorded that this was “Mrs Lungley’s work”. From family history records we know that Sarah was 11 years old when she finished her sampler. She was born on Tuesday, July 17 in the year 1759 in Norwich in the county of Norfolk. She was named after a sister who was born and died in 1755. Sarah’s baptism on August 6 was recorded in the non-conformist records for the Old Meeting in Norwich.
Sarah’s parents were John Reymes and his wife Alice, née Collett. John’s family can be traced back to the early 1400s in Norfolk. We know that John was an eminent merchant and manufacturer. The Reymes family lived in St George Colegate, one of the mediaeval parishes of the city of Norwich.
Sarah married Samuel Lungley on Monday, September 5 in the year 1785. Samuel was from Long Melford in the county of Suffolk. Sarah and Samuel’s marriage was conducted by licence and both John and Alice were present. A report of the marriage appeared in the Norfolk Chronicle on Saturday, September 10. Samuel was a farmer, and we suspect a wealthy one.
Sarah died at the age of 33 on November 7, 1792, which is such a young age. We wonder if she died in childbirth. It must have been very sad for her husband and both her parents who outlived her.
Sarah’s sampler is predominantly worked with cross stitch laid over two threads of linen. The verse is worked in cross stitch over one thread of linen. Sarah also used Algerian eyelets over two and four threads, and Irish stitch. The sampler is suitable for confident beginners through to advanced needleworkers.
Sarah’s sampler has been lovingly stitched by Lisa Brown. 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.
Thread Legend
Sarah’s sampler has been reproduced using a palette of twenty colours carefully matched to the colours found on the reverse of the sampler. The model was stitched using Soie 100.3 from Au Ver à Soie. We have included below conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC. Unless specified below only one spool or skein will be required.
1 strand of Soie 100.3 on 46 to 56ct linen 002 ~ Grey green ~ light
022 ~ Golden olive
025 ~ Blue green ~ dark
029 ~ Grey green ~ medium
072 ~ Turquoise ~ light
108 ~ Fern green
126 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
142 ~ Old gold ~ very light
148 ~ Straw ~ light straw
154 ~ Tan ~ light
160 ~ Desert sand ~ light
307 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
344 ~ Salmon
523 ~ Salmon ~ very dark
542 ~ Brown ~ very light
588 ~ Cocoa ~ light
631 ~ Christmas red ~ dark
674 ~ Straw ~ dark
756 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
Noir ~ Black
1 strand of Soie d’Alger on 36 to 46ct linen122 ~ Grey green ~ light
524 ~ Golden olive
1722 ~ Turquoise ~ light
1842 ~ Fern green
1845 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
2533 ~ Straw ~ dark
2542 ~ Old gold ~ very light
2543 ~ Straw ~ light straw
2913 ~ Salmon
2916 ~ Salmon ~ very dark
2935 ~ Christmas red ~ dark
3822 ~ Tan ~ light
3826 ~ Brown ~ very light
4623 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
4644 ~ Cocoa ~ light
4646 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
5024 ~ Blue green ~ dark
5384 ~ Grey green ~ medium
Noir ~ Black
S2700 ~ Desert sand ~ light
2 strands of Soie d’Alger on 28ct linen122 ~ Grey green ~ light
524 ~ Golden olive
1722 ~ Turquoise ~ light
1842 x 2 ~ Fern green
1845 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
2533 x 2 ~ Straw ~ dark
2542 ~ Old gold ~ very light
2543 ~ Straw ~ light straw
2913 ~ Salmon
2916 ~ Salmon ~ very dark
2935 x 2 ~ Christmas red ~ dark
3822 ~ Tan ~ light
3826 ~ Brown ~ very light
4623 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
4644 ~ Cocoa ~ light
4646 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
5024 x 3~ Blue green ~ dark
5384 x 2 ~ Grey green ~ medium
Noir ~ Black
S2700 ~ Desert sand ~ light
1 strand of DMC on 40 to 46ct linen310 ~ Black
315 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
347 ~ Salmon ~ very dark
435 ~ Brown ~ very light
437 ~ Tan ~ light
498 ~ Christmas red ~ dark
500 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
501 ~ Blue green ~ dark
522 ~ Fern green
598 ~ Turquoise ~ light
677 ~ Old gold ~ very light
760 ~ Salmon
832 ~ Golden olive
926 ~ Grey green ~ medium
927 ~ Grey green ~ light
950 ~ Desert sand ~ light
3820 ~ Straw ~ dark
3822 ~ Straw ~ light straw
3831 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
3861 ~ Cocoa ~ light
2 strands of DMC on 36ct linen310 ~ Black
315 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
347 ~ Salmon ~ very dark
435 ~ Brown ~ very light
437 ~ Tan ~ light
498 x 2 ~ Christmas red ~ dark
500 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
501 x 2 ~ Blue green ~ dark
522 ~ Fern green
598 ~ Turquoise ~ light
677 ~ Old gold ~ very light
760 ~ Salmon
832 ~ Golden olive
926 ~ Grey green ~ medium
927 ~ Grey green ~ light
950 ~ Desert sand ~ light
3820 ~ Straw ~ dark
3822 ~ Straw ~ light straw
3831 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
3861 ~ Cocoa ~ light
2 strands of DMC on 28ct linen310 ~ Black
315 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
347 ~ Salmon ~ very dark
435 ~ Brown ~ very light
437 ~ Tan ~ light
498 x 2 ~ Christmas red ~ dark
500 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
501 x 2 ~ Blue green ~ dark
522 x 2 ~ Fern green
598 ~ Turquoise ~ light
677 ~ Old gold ~ very light
760 ~ Salmon
832 ~ Golden olive
926 ~ Grey green ~ medium
927 ~ Grey green ~ light
950 ~ Desert sand ~ light
3820 ~ Straw ~ dark
3822 ~ Straw ~ light straw
3831 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
3861 ~ Cocoa ~ light
Linen Sizes
The design area is 233 stitches (w) x 317 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3" margin for finishing and framing. The model was stitched using Foxtail Millett by Legacy Linen which is available in 45ct. The comparable colours in Legacy’s Linen’s range are Victoria Sponge Cake in 30ct, Corn Tassel in 37ct and Sycamore Seedpod in 53/63ct.
28ct linen: Design: 16.64" x 22.64" Fabric: 22.64" x 28.64"
30ct linen: Design: 15.53" x 21.13" Fabric: 21.53" x 27.13"
32ct linen: Design: 14.56" x 19.81" Fabric: 20.56" x 25.81"
36ct linen: Design: 12.94" x 17.61" Fabric: 18.94" x 23.61"
40ct linen: Design: 11.65" x 15.85" Fabric: 17.65" x 21.85"
46ct linen: Design: 10.13" x 13.78" Fabric: 16.13" x 19.78"
56ct linen: Design: 8.32" x 11.32" Fabric: 14.32" x 17.32"
62/52ct linen: Design: 7.52" x 12.19" Fabric: 13.52" x 18.19"
Stitch Guide
Sarah’s sampler is predominantly worked with cross stitch laid over two threads of linen. The verse is worked in cross stitch over one thread of linen. Sarah also used Algerian eyelets over two and four threads, and Irish stitch. The sampler is suitable for confident beginners through to advanced needleworkers.
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.
You have to be careful not to pull the thread through the intersection of the woven linen threads. The warp and weft fibres are not “interlocked” at intersections; they simply pass over and under one another. As a result, when stitching over one thread, some stitches can slip and disappear. Lay your stitches away from the direction you are working. This prevents the thread from slipping through the intersections.
Algerian eyelet ~ When worked over both two and four threads of linen, 8 stitches are laid to create an eyelet. Do not tug on the thread using your needle as your thread will soon break. Instead, apply pressure by pulling on the thread close to the stitch. Even tension should be applied, so each individual stitch sits well within the eyelet.
Irish stitch ~ also known as Bargello, flame, and Florentine stitch, consists of a zigzag pattern of staggered vertical stitches. Mary worked this stitch over four threads which are staggered every two threads. Once the first row of stitches has been laid the following rows will follow the basic pattern. Always work into the previous row not away from it.
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.
