Ellen Barber 1895 “Home Sweet Home” ~ PDF download

£15.00

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Ellen’s sampler is offered to you in two different formats ~ as a printed booklet and as an instant PDF download. Details of the PDF download can be found HERE.

I have been looking for a “Home Sweet Home” sampler to stitch since the beginning of my needlework journey with samplers. Whilst I like the “motto” needleworks so popular with the Victorians, I wanted a traditional schoolgirl sampler to hang in my home. I was so excited when Ellen Barber became available to purchase.

Ellen stitched her sweet sampler with cotton thread on approx. 28ct linen. Her sampler has been reproduced using a palette of eleven colours from Au Ver à Soie. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC. Only one spool or skein of each colour is required whether stitching on 28ct or 56ct linen. The sampler is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities and can be stitched on Aida, Linaida, or linen. The only stitch used is cross stitch over 2 threads of linen.

Ellen was baptised on April 19, 1885 at Burgh Castle, Norfolk. Her parents were James, a seaman, and his wife Clare. Ellen recorded on her sampler that she finished her sampler in the January of 1895 in Belton.

Ellen married Alfred George Edwards, an engine cleaner, on December 19, 1902 at the age of 18. In the 1911 census return Alfred was working as a railway goods porter. Ellen and Alfred had had 4 children with three boys living (a fifth son was born after the census). The family had relocated to Yorkshire and were living at 72 Mount Street, Henley Grove, Rotherham. They remained in Rotherham, where Alfred and Ellen both died in 1958. Ellen was 72 years of age.

We very much hope that the home Ellen made for herself and her family was indeed “Home Sweet Home”.

Thread Legend

Ellen’s sampler has been reproduced using a palette of eleven colours from Au Ver à Soie. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC. Only one spool or skein of each colour is required whether stitching on 28ct or 56ct linen.

 

Soie  100.3

039 ~ Apricot ~ medium

073 ~ Blue green ~ medium

226 ~ Tangerine ~ light

344 ~ Shell pink ~ very light

557 ~ Antique violet ~ medium

601 ~ Wedgwood ~ very dark

604 ~ Wedgwood ~ light

616 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark

647 ~ Avocado green ~ light

689 ~ Rose ~ deep

702 ~ Mahogany ~ medium

 

Soie d’Alger

526 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark

913 ~ Apricot ~ medium

1444 ~ Wedgwood ~ light

1446 ~ Wedgwood ~ very dark

2125 ~ Avocado green ~ light

2546 ~ Tangerine ~ light

2942 ~ Shell pink ~ very light

2946 ~ Rose ~ deep

4545 ~ Mahogany ~ medium

5022 ~ Blue green ~ medium

5113 ~ Antique violet ~ medium

 

DMC

224 ~ Shell pink ~ very light

301 ~ Mahogany ~ medium

309 ~ Rose ~ deep

470 ~ Avocado green ~ light

503 ~ Blue green ~ medium

518 ~ Wedgwood ~ light

742 ~ Tangerine ~ light

829 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark

3041 ~ Antique violet ~ medium

3340 ~ Apricot ~ medium

3842 ~ Wedgwood ~ very dark

Linen Sizes

Ellen stitched her sweet sampler with cotton thread on approx. 28ct linen.

The design area is 103 stitches (w) x 119 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3″ margin for finishing and framing. The model was stitched on Zweigart-based linen overdyed to a shade of Marbled Pointer by xJuDesigns.

The sampler can be stitched on Aida, Linaida, or linen, you should stitch Ellen on your preferred colour and count of linen.

 

14ct Aida / 28ct linen: Design: 7.36″ x 8.50″ Fabric: 13.36″ x 14.50″

16ct Aida / 32ct linen: Design: 6.44″ x 10.35″ Fabric: 12.44″ x 16.35″

18ct Aida / 36ct linen: Design: 5.72″ x 6.61″ Fabric: 11.72″ x 12.61″

20ct Aida / 40ct linen: Design: 5.15″ x 5.95″ Fabric: 11.15″ x 11.95″

46ct linen: Design: 4.48″ x 5.17″ Fabric: 10.48″ x 11.17″

56ct linen: Design: 3.68″ x 4.25″ Fabric: 9.68″ x 10.25″

Stitch Guide

Ellen’s sampler is worked with cross stitch over two threads of linen and are suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.

Cross stitch ~ is made up of two stitches worked over two threads. You should make all your stitches cross in the same direction for a neat and uniform finish.