This delightful sampler is brought to you as an instant pdf download and 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 versions of the pdf and the graph:
Version 1 ~ A pdf with a sixteen-page colour chart.
Version 2 ~ A pdf with a one-page colour chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Version 3 ~ A pdf with a sixteen -page black and white symbol chart.
Version 4 ~ A pdf with a one-page black and white symbol chart (intended to be viewed/used on your tablet, phone, laptop, or computer).
Antique samplers combine our love of needlework and history. One of the first things we do when spotting a sampler is to check family history records. So many of these girls died young, often in childbirth, but there are a few who through clues left in their sampler tell a fascinating story and take you on a journey through time.
Mary Ann Ragg recorded that she was 12 years old in 1826 when she finished her sampler. However, this is not the only clue to her identity that she left behind. The pastoral scene, red building, mature cedar trees, birds, and cartouche are characteristic to samplers stitched in the city of Sheffield.
Several years ago, Hands Across the Sea Samplers reproduced another sampler that was stitched in Sheffield, Elizabeth Furniss. Whilst researching this sampler, we discovered five girls who stitched very similar samplers. They all lived within 1 square mile of each other; in the ensuing years we found several more.
Many of these girls were baptised in the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul. We believe that the girls shared the same needlework teacher, and all probably attended Darnall School (assuming that the teacher taught in the same school between 1816 and 1844).
We have found Mary Ann (W)Ragg being baptised on April 25, 1813 in the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul.
Prior to the early 1900s, it was fairly common for surnames to be recorded with a wide range of spellings. Individuals may have used different versions on a day-to-day basis. Even William Shakespeare spelt his surname in at least six different ways over his lifetime.
We believe that the Mary Ann Wragg we have found is the Mary Ann Ragg who stitched the sampler. We have found Mary Ann’s parents George and Anne in the census returns living at Paradise Square, which is within the immediate area that the girls who stitched the other known samplers lived in.
Both Elizabeth Furniss’ and Mary Ann’s fathers worked as cutters. Cutlery means “that which cuts” and can be anything from pocket knives to scissors, ice skates, and scythes. Most manufacturing was concentrated within a square mile of the city centre where the families lived.
The 1841 census records show that there was an extended Wragg family living in the same street. The males were either cutters or grinders.
We have found a Mary Ann Wragg marrying in 1840 but can find no further trace of her. We wonder what life held for Mary Ann. However, we do know that several generations who came after her cherished and cared for her needlework.
With our grateful thanks to Robert L. Harris Jr. who lovingly stitched the model of Mary Ann’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.
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Thread Legend
Mary Ann’s sampler has been stitched with a palette of seventeen colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie 100.3. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger 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 ~ Colour Description
048 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
072 ~ Blue green ~ medium
080 ~ Tan ~ ultra very light
107 ~ Christmas red
209 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
222 ~ Mauve ~ dark
242 ~ Brown ~ very light
274 ~ Olive green ~ very dark
303 ~ Golden olive
329 ~ Golden olive ~ light
344 ~ Salmon
376 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
378 ~ Avocado green ~ very dark
674 ~ Straw
684 ~ Burnt orange ~ red
688 ~ Turquoise ~ dark
773 ~ Pewter grey ~ very dark
1 strand of Soie d’Alger on 36, 40 and 46ct linen ~ Colour DescriptionF07 ~ Tan ~ ultra very light
134 ~ Turquoise ~ dark
543 ~ Straw
934 ~ Burnt orange ~ red
2146 ~ Olive green ~ very dark
2212 ~ Golden olive ~ light
2243 ~ Golden olive
2645 ~ Christmas red
2942 ~ 3046 ~ Mauve ~ dark
3446 ~ Pewter grey ~ very dark
3735 x 2 ~ Avocado green ~ very dark
4226 ~ Brown ~ very light
4246 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
4635 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
5025 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
5384 ~ Blue green ~ medium
2 strands of Soie d’Alger on 28ct linen ~ Colour DescriptionF07 x 2 ~ Tan ~ ultra very light
134 ~ Turquoise ~ dark
543 ~ Straw
934 ~ Burnt orange ~ red
2146 ~ Olive green ~ very dark
2212 ~ Golden olive ~ light
2243 x 2 ~ Golden olive
2645 x 3 ~ Christmas red
2942 ~ Salmon
3046 ~ Mauve ~ dark
3446 x 2 ~ Pewter grey ~ very dark
3735 x 5 ~ Avocado green ~ very dark
4226 ~ Brown ~ very light
4246 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
4635 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
5025 x 2 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
5384 ~ Blue green ~ medium
1 strand of DMC on 40ct linen ~ Colour Description315 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
321 ~ Christmas red
435 ~ Brown ~ very light
500 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
503 ~ Blue green ~ medium
606 ~ Burnt orange ~ red
730 ~ Olive green ~ very dark
739 ~ Tan ~ ultra very light
760 ~ Salmon
832 ~ olive
833 ~ Golden olive ~ light
869 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
936 x 2 ~ Avocado green ~ very dark
3685 ~ Mauve ~ dark
3799 ~ Pewter grey ~ very dark
3810 ~ Turquoise ~ dark
3821 ~ Straw
2 strands of DMC on 36ct linen ~ Colour Description315 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
321 x 2 ~ Christmas red
435 ~ Brown ~ very light
500 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
503 ~ Blue green ~ medium
606 ~ Burnt orange ~ red
730 ~ Olive green ~ very dark
739 ~ Tan ~ ultra very light
760 ~ Salmon
832 ~ Golden olive
833 ~ Golden olive ~ light
869 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
936 x 3 ~ Avocado green ~ very dark
3685 ~ Mauve ~ dark
3799 ~ Pewter grey ~ very dark
3810 ~ Turquoise ~ dark
3821 ~ Straw
2 strands of DMC on 28ct linen ~ Colour Description315 ~ Antique mauve ~ medium dark
321 x 2 ~ Christmas red
435 ~ Brown ~ very light
500 x 2 ~ Blue green ~ very dark
503 ~ Blue green ~ medium
606 ~ Burnt orange ~ red
730 ~ Olive green ~ very dark
739 x 2 ~ Tan ~ ultra very light
760 ~ Salmon
832 ~ Golden olive
833 ~ Golden olive ~ light
869 ~ Hazelnut brown ~ very dark
936 x 4 ~ Avocado green ~ very dark
3685 ~ Mauve ~ dark
3799 ~ Pewter grey ~ very dark
3810 ~ Turquoise ~ dark
3821 ~ Straw
Linen Sizes
The design area is 232 stitches (w) x 313 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3" margin for finishing and framing. The model was stitched on Weeks Dyeworks’ 46ct Zweigart-based linen in Cocoa. This colour is available in various counts. You should use a count of linen that you will enjoy working on.
28ct: Design: 16.57" x 22.36" Fabric: 22.57" x 28.36" 30ct: Design: 15.47" x 20.87" Fabric: 21.47" x 26.87"
32ct: Design: 14.50" x 19.56" Fabric: 20.50" x 25.56" 36ct: Design: 12.89" x 17.39" Fabric: 18.89" x 23.39"
40ct: Design: 11.60" x 15.65" Fabric: 17.60" x 21.65" 46ct: Design: 10.09" x 13.61" Fabric: 16.09" x 19.61"
56ct: Design: 8.29" x 11.18" Fabric: 14.29" x 17.18" 62/52ct: Design: 7.48" x 12.04" Fabric: 13.48" x 18.04"
Stitch Guide
Mary Ann stitched her sampler mainly with cross stitch over two threads of linen. The verse and dedication have been worked with cross stitch over one thread of linen. The sampler has been rated as suitable for all levels of ability.
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.
