Jane’s sampler is brought to you as a printed booklet and as an instant pdf download. Details of the instant pdf download can be found HERE.
The sampler is contained within a carefully planned and elaborate border that is heavily laden with leaves, flowers both in full bloom and in bud. The border needs careful counting, and we would recommend that you stitch out the single vine that undulates around the border first before adding the leaves, flowers and buds.
The text is stitched in cross stitch over two threads and is taken from a hymn by Issac Watts who was an English Christian minister, hymn writer, theologian, and logician. He was a prolific and popular hymn writer and is credited with some 750 hymns. He is recognized as the “Godfather of English Hymnody.” Verses from his hymns were very popular with young needleworkers and their school teachers and appear in many samplers.
Besides a multitude of vases and urns of flowers there are two magnificent pink roses that flank the Tree of Knowledge and Adam and Eve. The English are famous for their roses and they are deeply implanted in the English heart. Roses bring a sweetness of fragance and beauty of coloring, the rose is the queen of an English garden blooming from early summer until the Christmas bells ring out.
The sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities. The stitches used are cross stitch over two threads of linen with the verse and part of the date being worked in cross stitch over one thread of linen.
Jane’s sampler has been lovingly stitched by Melissa Coyle. At the very core of Hands Across the Sea Samplers there is a team of needleworkers who are passionate about antique samplers.
This beautiful sampler has a special place in my private collection of antique samplers, and it is with great pleasure that I share her with you. ~ Nicola.
Thread Legend
Jane’s vibrant sampler has been reproduced with a palette of 20 Au Ver à Soie silks from their Soie d’Alger range. We have provided conversions for Soie 100.3 and DMC. Estimated thread quantities for varying linen counts and the number of strands of thread used have been listed below.
1 strand of Soie 100.3 on 46ct linen Crème ~ Cream
025 ~ Blue green
031 ~ Old gold ~ medium
073 ~ Blue green ~ light
148 ~ Straw ~ light
335 ~ Garnet ~ dark
344 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
499 ~ Garnet
523 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
562 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
565 ~ Green grey ~ medium
584 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
652 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
654 ~ Fern green ~ dark
696 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
702 ~ Brown ~ medium
703 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
707 ~ Pine green ~ medium
741 ~ Salmon
756 x 2 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
1 strand of Soie d’Alger on 46ct F02 ~ Cream
116 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
1725 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
1845 ~ Fern green ~ dark
2543 ~ Straw ~ light
2912 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
2914 ~ Salmon
2916 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
2925 ~ Garnet
2926 ~ Garnet ~ dark
3416 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
3435 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
3723 ~ Green grey ~ medium
3724 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3726 x 2 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
3831 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
4122 ~ Brown ~ medium
4242 ~ Old gold ~ medium
5022 ~ Blue green ~ light
5023 ~ Blue green
1 strand of Soie d’Alger on 40ct F02 ~ Cream
116 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
1725 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
1845 ~ Fern green ~ dark
2543 ~ Straw ~ light
2912 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
2914 ~ Salmon
2916 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
2925 x 2 ~ Garnet
2926 ~ Garnet ~ dark
3416 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
3435 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
3723 ~ Green grey ~ medium
3724 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3726 x 2 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
3831 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
4122 ~ Brown ~ medium
4242 ~ Old gold ~ medium
5022 ~ Blue green ~ light
5023 ~ Blue green
1 strand of Soie d’Alger on 36ct F02 ~ Cream
116 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
1725 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
1845 x 2 ~ Fern green ~ dark
2543 ~ Straw ~ light
2912 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
2914 ~ Salmon
2916 x 2 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
2925 x 2 ~ Garnet
2926 ~ Garnet ~ dark
3416 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
3435 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
3723 ~ Green grey ~ medium
3724 x 2 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3726 x 3 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
3831 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
4122 ~ Brown ~ medium
4242 ~ Old gold ~ medium
5022 ~ Blue green ~ light
5023 ~ Blue green
2 strands of Soie d’Alger on 28ct F02 ~ Cream
116 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
1725 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
1845 x 2 ~ Fern green ~ dark
2543 ~ Straw ~ light
2912 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
2914 ~ Salmon
2916 x 2 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
2925 x 3~ Garnet
2926 ~ Garnet ~ dark
3416 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
3435 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
3723 ~ Green grey ~ medium
3724 x 3 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3726 x 4 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
3831 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
4122 ~ Brown ~ medium
4242 ~ Old gold ~ medium
5022 ~ Blue green ~ light
5023 ~ Blue green
1 strand of DMC on 40ct linen433 ~ Brown ~ medium
435 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
502 ~ Blue green 520 ~ Fern green ~ dark
613 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
712 ~ Cream
729 ~ Old gold ~ medium
760 ~ Salmon
814 ~ Garnet ~ dark
816 ~ Garnet
820 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
844 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
935 x 2 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
3052 ~ Green grey ~ medium
3363 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3765 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
3779 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
3813 ~ Blue green ~ light
3822 ~ Straw ~ light
3831 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
2 strands of DMC on 28 & 36ct linen433 ~ Brown ~ medium
435 ~ Beige brown ~ very dark
502 ~ Blue green 5
520 x 2 ~ Fern green ~ dark
613 ~ Drab brown ~ very light
712 ~ Cream
729 ~ Old gold ~ medium
760 ~ Salmon
814 ~ Garnet ~ dark
816 x 2 ~ Garnet
820 ~ Royal blue ~ very dark
844 ~ Beaver grey ~ ultra dark
935 x 3 ~ Avocado green ~ dark
3052 ~ Green grey ~ medium
3363 x 2 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3765 ~ Peacock blue ~ very dark
3779 x 2 ~ Terracotta ~ ultra very light
3813 ~ Blue green ~ light
3822 ~ Straw ~ light
3831 x 2 ~ Raspberry ~ dark
Linen Sizes
Jane’s sampler has been reproduced on Weeks Dyeworks (Zweigart-based) 46ct linen in Parchment.
The design area is 299 stitches (w) x 280 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3" margin for finishing and framing.
28ct: Design: 21.36" x 20.00" Fabric: 27.36" x 26.00"
32ct: Design: 18.69" x 17.50" Fabric: 24.69" x 23.50"
36ct: Design: 16.61" x 15.56" Fabric: 22.61" x 21.56"
40ct: Design: 14.95" x 14.00" Fabric: 20.95" x 20.00"
46ct: Design: 13.00" x 12.17" Fabric: 19.00" x 18.17"
56ct: Design: 10.68" x 10.00" Fabric: 16.68" x 16.00"
Stitch Guide
The sampler has been rated as suitable for needleworkers of all abilities. The stitches used are cross stitch over two threads of linen with the verse and part of the date being worked in cross stitch over one thread of linen.
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.
