What an honour it is for Hands Across the Sea Samplers to reproduce this beautiful red sampler. The sampler has touched us so deeply. It speaks volumes about the special love shared between sisters.
Hannah and Ellen’s sweet sampler is brought to you as an instant pdf download and as a printed booklet. Details of the printed booklet can be found HERE.
There are 4 versions of the pdf. You will be able to download any or all of the following pdf and graph versions:
Version 1 ~ A nine-page colour chart.
Version 2 ~ A one-page colour chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Version 3 ~ A nine-page black and white symbol chart.
Version 4~ A one-page black and white chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
The two sisters were born at Wincobank in the parish of Ecclesfield, Sheffield, to James, a farm labourer, and his wife Mary. Hannah was christened on February 24, 1824 and Ellen on November 20, 1827 at the Zion Independent Church in Attercliffe, Yorkshire, England.
Ellen tells us that “Hannah Wilkinson worked this first, second and part of the third Alphabet in the 11th year of her age and died May 12, 1835 aged 11 years and four months.” We believe that Ellen picked up her sister’s needle at the letter “N”.
The first verse that Ellen chose for the sampler was often used as an epitaph on the headstones of children.
The lovely bud, so young, so fair
Called off by earthly doom,
Just came to show how sweet a flower
In paradise could bloom
The second verse is taken from a children’s hymn book.
See the kind shepherd Jesus stands
With all engaging charms
Hark how he calls the tender lambs
And folds them in his arms
Both verses are poignant and make us think that Hannah was deeply loved and missed by her family. Hannah was buried on May 16, 1835 in Ecclesfield. Most probably in the graveyard at the Zion Church. Ellen finished her sister’s sampler on May 21, 1841, when she was 13 years of age. The sampler is very precious as it is all that remains to mark both lives.
The stitches used are cross stitch over one and two threads of linen. The sampler has been rated as suitable for all levels of ability.
Our grateful thanks go to Bhooma Aravamudan for exquisitely stitching the model of Hannah and Ellen’s sampler. 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.
