When Elizabeth’s sampler first arrived, we were so excited by her gentle beauty. The sampler had probably been hung, for some time, in a position where dappled sunshine fell across the linen. Rather than detract, the faded elegance has added to her beauty. From the back of Elizabeth’s sampler, and three others from the same school that are in the collection of Hands Across the Sea Samplers, we know that these samplers originally burst with vibrant colours. We chose to replicate the time mellowed colours on the front, with occasional help from the back. The soft pinks, creams and olives of today are a delight for the eye.
Elizabeth made good use of her linen choosing many beautiful motifs to fill her sampler. There are three sections contained within a meandering vine which is heavily laden with a profusion of violas, star flowers and snowdrops. In the top section flanked by baskets and urns filled with a profusion of flowers and fruit is one of our favourite verses ~ “Next unto God Dear Parents I address …….”
This verse was very popular with school girls to stitch on their samplers. It first appeared in 1695 in an educational manual entitled “The Young Man’s Companion: Or, Arithmetick Made Easy” by William Mather. The book was an encyclopaedia of “practical lessons and useful information applicable to many professions and was intended for the use of both the schoolmaster and the self taught”.
Dividing the top and middle section is a beautiful floral border of violas, carnations, roses and star flowers. In the middle section there are various birds including a distinguished green parrot and what could be a chaffinch. They all face towards a particularly pretty central cartouche which surrounds Elizabeth’s name and age. The last two digits of the year have been removed. This may have been done by Elizabeth later in her life to conceal her true age. Samplers where the date has been deliberately removed are known as “Vanity Samplers”.
On the bottom section we find the highlight of Elizabeth’s sampler. A magnificent Temple of Fame nestled between two lofty fruiting trees. Two angels with trumpets signifying that they are the voice of God hover either side of the temple. Butterflies, moths, bugs, birds, crowns, stars, deer, dogs and lions fill this section.
Through our research we know of several “Temple of Fame” samplers that have strong similarities. The sampler stitched by Mary Ann Clark in 1829 is strikingly homogeneous. Elizabeth and Mary Ann both finished their samplers at eleven years of age. Mary Ann reversed the middle and bottom sections on her sampler. Whilst we will never know for certain it is possible that Mary Ann was baptised in 1818 in Wednesbury, Staffordshire and Elizabeth in Wednesfield, Staffordshire in 1817.
Thread Legend
The sampler has been reproduced with Au Ver à Soie d’Alger silks and the skein quantities calculated based on 1 strand on 36ct fabric. We have provided conversions for DMC based on 2 strands and Needlepoint Inc. based on 1 strand. The original sampler was stitched on linen closest in colour to DMC shade 422 and measuring approximately 16.25” x 20”.
Elizabeth executed her beautiful sampler in cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads, satin stitch and 4 elongated lazy daisy stitches. Whilst this is a large sampler with some 77,563 cross stitches, it is suitable for all levels of ability.
Soie d’Alger /
DMC / NPI
F10 x 2 / 739 x 2 / 992 x 2 - Tan ~ ultra very light
F11 x 1 / 712 x 1 / 877 x 1 - Cream
523 x 1 / 833 x 1 / 311 x 1 - Golden olive ~ light
525 x 3 / 831 x 3 / 315 x 3 - Golden olive ~ medium
526 x 2 / 829 x 2 / 316 x 2 - Golden olive ~ very dark
1021 x 1 / 963 x 1 / 631 x 1 - Dusty rose ~ ultra very light
1844 x 1 / 501 x 1 / 663 x 1 - Blue green ~ dark
2144 x 1 / 470 x 1 / 345 x 1 - Avocado green ~ light
2145 x 1 / 730 x 1 / 244 x 1 - Olive green ~ very dark
2212 x 1 / 734 x 1 / 842 x 1 - Olive green ~ light
2522 x 1 / 676 x 1 / 132 x 1 - Old gold ~ light
2542 x 1 / 3047 x 1 / 131 x 1 - Yellow beige ~ light
2932 x 2 / 223 x 2 / 633 x 2 - Shell pink ~ light
3014 x 1 / 3731 x 1 / 944 x 1 - Dusty rose ~ very dark
3025 x 1 / 3350 x 1 / 947 x 1 - Dusty rose ~ ultra dark
3812 x 1 / 422 x 1 / 901 x 1 - Hazel nut brown ~ light
3815 x 2 / 832 x 2 / 313 x 2 - Golden olive
3821 x 2 / 738 x 2 / 851 x 2 vTan ~ very light
3846 x 1 / 645 x 1 / 967 x 1 - Beaver grey ~ very dark
4214 x 1 / 300 x 1 / 767 x 1 - Mahogany ~ very dark
4245 x 3 / 420 x 3 / 902 x 3 - Hazel nut brown ~ dark
4531 x 1 / 822 x 1 / 981 x 1 - Beige grey ~ light
4524 x 2 / 3045 x 2 / 693 x 2 - Yellow beige ~ dark
5022 x 1 / 3813 x 1 / 512 x 1 - Blue green ~ light
LINEN SIZES
The design area is 433 stitches (w) x 449 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3” margin for finishing and framing.
28ct ~ Design: 30.93" x 32.07" Fabric: 36.93" x 38.07"
30ct ~ Design: 28.87" x 29.93" Fabric: 34.87" x 35.93"
32ct ~ Design: 27.06" x 28.06" Fabric: 33.06" x 34.06"
36ct ~ Design: 24.06" x 24.94" Fabric: 30.06" x 30.94"
40ct ~ Design: 21.65" x 22.45" Fabric: 27.65" x 28.45"
46ct ~ Design: 18.83" x 19.52" Fabric: 24.83" x 25.52"
Stitch Guide
Elizabeth executed her beautiful sampler in cross stitch over 1 and 2 threads, satin stitch and 4 elongated lazy daisy stitches. Whilst this is a large sampler with some 77,563 cross stitches, it is suitable for all levels of ability.
Cross Stitch ~ is the most popular stitch in counted needlework. When working Cross Stitch the top stitch should always lie in the same direction for a neat and uniform finish. Traditionally worked as a complete stitch before passing to the next, the stitch can also be worked in lines, for example, by bringing your needle up at bottom left and down at top right then moving to the next stitch and repeating throughout the line. At the end of the line reverse direction and cross each stitch made on the first journey.
Elizabeth Weston worked her cross stitches over one and two threads.
Satin Stitch ~ can be worked horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Straight stitches should be laid side by side so that no ground fabric shows through. The art of satin stitches lies in making the stitches lie evenly and close together. Always stitch in the same direction. Use one thread and make repeated passes to achieve the desired coverage. To ensure a smooth glossy surface work with short lengths of thread to reduce fraying. Discard thread that has been unpicked.
Lazy Daisy Stitch
This is single chain stitch which is secured by a tiny straight stitch.
• Bring the thread up at 1 and back down at 2. Do not pull the needle completely through the fabric.
• Bring the point of the needle up at 3.
• Loop the thread around the tip of the needle.
• Pull the needle up through the fabric to tighten the loop.
• Then secure the stitch by taking the needle back down at 4.
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/tools” section.
