Available as a printed booklet and as a pdf download. Click HERE for the PDF download.
We are delighted to present to you a sampler that has been re-named “Pretty Pollie” by the team at Hands Across the Sea Samplers. The sampler is as joyous as the name of the child who so diligently stitched it.
Pollie Gay was born in 1883. She was one of eight children born to William Richard Gay and Kate (née Chamberlain). William was the headmaster of Hillside School, 20 Fore Street in Kingsbridge, Devon. The family resided at the school house together with an assistant schoolmaster, nurse, a servant and fee-paying male pupils who boarded.The school was established in 1875 and the syllabus included “mercantile courses of instruction, drawing in all branches, fishing, and swimming under personal supervision”. A newspaper report describes William as “the popular principal” of Hillside and acknowledges his kindness.
The choice of verse that Pollie included in her sampler may be an indication of the academic surroundings in which she was raised. The verse is by Alfred Tennyson and is taken from the poem “Lady Clara Vere de Vere”. The poem is about a lady in a family of aristocrats.
Pollie’s sampler was reproduced using a very pretty palette of fifteen colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie 100. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC
The sampler is suitable for stitching on Aida and linen. The design area is 200 stitches (w) x 253 stitches (h). Our calculations include a 3″ margin for finishing and framing. The recommended linen for Pollie’s sampler is a Zweigart-based linen that was overdyed to the shade Hogsbristle by Fox and Rabbit, or for a more aged look, use Dirty Teacup by Needle and Flax.
The sampler is stitched mainly with cross stitch over two threads of linen. There are a small number of satin stitches in the roof of the cottage which can be replaced with cross stitches. The verse and dedication are worked in backstitch/running stitch. Pollie’s sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.
With grateful thanks to Melissa Gay who lovingly stitched the model. 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.
