The 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.
Who was Mrs Campbell? Without a first name for Mrs Campbell, it has proved impossible to trace her. We believe that Mrs Campbell was most probably a needlework teacher and that her colourful sampler was used as a teaching tool.
The sampler is exquisite, the back is as neat as the front. The words Mrs Campbell stitched: “Keep your work clean and pay Attention to it” are certainly good advice!
Mrs Campbell tells us that she lived in Oban. Scotland is divided into two main regions, “Highland” and “Lowland”, with the border between the two areas called the “Highland Line”. The Highlands lie to the west and the Lowlands to the east of the line. All of Argyll, the county in which the Campbell clan have their seat of power, lies within the Highlands.
Oban is located in Argyll and is the unofficial capital of the West Highlands. Oban means “little bay” in the old Gaelic tongue. Nestled between the cliffs and shoreline of the dark blue waters of the Firth of Lorn, the town is fortunate to be protected from the worst Atlantic ravages by the island of Kerrera.
Mrs Campbell’s sampler is as beautiful and as colourful as the place in which she lived. The area has captivated artists, authors, composers, and poets for centuries. Mrs Campbell’s sampler has been a joy to reproduce and to stitch and we hope that you will be inspired to pick up your needle and stitch her sampler.
The sampler, just like Oban, is one of Scotland’s gems!
The stitches used are cross stitch over 2 threads of linen, with the dedication over 1 thread of linen, Algerian eyelet, and backstitch. The design is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.
** IMPORTANT ** ~ Please note that there is a chart correction for the first edition of the booklet. Please click on the tab labelled “Chart Correction” below the thumbnail photos.
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. 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 or the contact page on our website.
Thread Legend
This exquisite sampler has been reproduced using a palette of 27 colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie 100.3. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC below.
There is currently a global shortage of some shades of silk. We have liaised with Access Commodities, the US distributors for Au Ver à Soie, to identify which shades may be difficult to source. There are 2 shades of Soie 100.3 and 3 shades of Soie d'Alger where we have suggested alternative shades.
Soie 100.3 1 strand on 40ct to 56ct linen029 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ medium
037 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
080 x 1 ~ Off white
096 x 1 ~ White lavender
115 x 1 ~ Driftwood
148 x 1 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
149 x 1 ~ Old gold ~ medium
160 x 1 ~ Peach ~ very light
191 x 1 ~ Apple blossom
211 x 1 ~ Beige brown ~ ultra light
223 x 1 ~ Mauve ~ medium
** 222236 x 1 ~ Brown grey ~ dark
247 x 1 ~ Mustard ~ light
274 x 1 ~ Khaki green ~ dark
284 x 1 ~ Terracotta ~ light
344 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ light
376 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
494 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ medium
580 x 1 ~ Mustard
584 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
596 x 1 ~ Black avocado green
** 530616 x 1 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark
648 x 1 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
694 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ light
707 x 1 ~ Pine green ~ medium
712 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ very light
755 x 1 ~ Antique blue ~ dark
Soie d’Alger 1 strand on 36 to 46ct linen1741 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ very light
1746 x 1 ~ Antique blue ~ dark
1846 x 1 ~ Black avocado green
2216 x 1 ~ Brown grey ~ dark
2533 x 1 ~ Old gold ~ medium
2543 x 1 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
2633 x 1 ~ Terracotta ~ light
2757 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ medium
2942 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ light
3045 x 1 ~ Mauve ~ medium
3345 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
** 3346 or 34343414 x 1 ~ Driftwood
3432 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ light
3716 x 1 ~ Khaki green ~ dark
3724 x 1 ~ Pine green ~ medium
** 37233744 x 1 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark
3832 x 1 ~ Mustard ~ light
3834 x 1 ~ Mustard
4622 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ medium
4636 x 1 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
4641 x 1 ~ White lavender
4645 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
5111 x 1 ~ Apple blossom
5112 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
F6 x 1 ~ Off white
S2700 x 1 ~ Peach ~ very light
S3276 x 1 ~ Beige brown ~ ultra light
** F11 or 3431 Soie d’Alger 2 strands on 28ct linen1741 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ very light
1746 x 1 ~ Antique blue ~ dark
1846 x 2 ~ Black avocado green
2216 x 2 ~ Brown grey ~ dark
2533 x 1 ~ Old gold ~ medium
2543 x 1 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
2633 x 1 ~ Terracotta ~ light
2757 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ medium
2942 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ light
3045 x 2 ~ Mauve ~ medium
3345 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
** 3346 or 34343414 x 1 ~ Driftwood
3414 x 1 ~ Driftwood
3432 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ light
3716 x 1 ~ Khaki green ~ dark
3724 x 1 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3744 x 1 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark
3832 x 1 ~ Mustard ~ light
3834 x 1 ~ Mustard
4622 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ medium
4636 x 1 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
4641 x 1 ~ White lavender
4645 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
5111 x 1 ~ Apple blossom
5112 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
F6 x 1 ~ Off white
S2700 x 1 ~ Peach ~ very light
S3276 x 1 ~ Beige brown ~ ultra light
** F11 or 3431 DMC 1 strand on 40 to 46ct linen and 2 strands on 36ct linen05 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ light
07 x 1 ~ Driftwood
08 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
23 x 1 ~ Apple blossom
24 x 1 ~ White lavender
371 x 1 ~ Mustard
372 x 1 ~ Mustard ~ light
543 x 1 ~ Beige brown ~ ultra light
729 x 1 ~ Old gold ~ medium
746 x 1 ~ Off white
761 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ light
829 x 1 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark
902 x 1 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
926 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ medium
928 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ very light
930 x 1 ~ Antique blue ~ dark
934 x 1 ~ Black avocado green
948 x 1 ~ Peach ~ very light
3011 x 1 ~ Khaki green ~ dark
3046 x 1 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
3363 x 1 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3712 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ medium
3726 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
3727 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
3778 x 1 ~ Terracotta ~ light
3787 x 1 ~ Brown grey ~ dark
3803 x 1 ~ Mauve ~ medium
DMC 2 strands on 28ct linen05 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ light
07 x 1 ~ Driftwood
08 x 1 ~ Driftwood ~ dark
23 x 1 ~ Apple blossom
24 x 1 ~ White lavender
371 x 1 ~ Mustard
372 x 1 ~ Mustard ~ light
543 x 1 ~ Beige brown ~ ultra light
729 x 1 ~ Old gold ~ medium
746 x 1 ~ Off white
761 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ light
829 x 1 ~ Golden olive ~ very dark
902 x 1 ~ Garnet ~ very dark
926 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ medium
928 x 1 ~ Grey green ~ very light
930 x 1 ~ Antique blue ~ dark
934 x 2 ~ Black avocado green
948 x 1 ~ Peach ~ very light
3011 x 1 ~ Khaki green ~ dark
3046 x 1 ~ Yellow beige ~ medium
3363 x 1 ~ Pine green ~ medium
3712 x 1 ~ Salmon ~ medium
3726 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ dark
3727 x 1 ~ Antique mauve ~ light
3778 x 1 ~ Terracotta ~ light
3787 x 2 ~ Brown grey ~ dark
3803 x 1 ~ Mauve ~ medium
Stitch Guide
The stitches used are cross stitch over 2 threads of linen, with the dedication over 1 thread of linen, Algerian eyelet, and backstitch. The design is suitable for needleworkers of all abilities.
Cross stitch ~ This 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.
Backstitch ~ When working from your left to the right, bring your needle up at 1 and down at 2; then, moving to the right, bring your needle up at 3 and go back down at 4. Move to the right and bring your needle up at 5 and go back down at 6.
Algerian eyelets - When worked over four threads of linen, eight stitches are laid to create an eyelet.
Do not tug on the thread using your needle as your thread will soon break. Instead, apply pressure by pulling on the thread close to the stitch. Even tension should be applied, so each individual stitch sits well within the eyelet.
