*NEW* Ann M. Franks (an Antique Sampler Reproduction)

I found this 189 year old sampler at a local antique show and immediately fell in love. Ann M. Franks started or finished her work in 1825, comprised of two impossible-to-resist wreaths of flowers enclosing a quote, which, despite missing stitches, I am rather confident reads,

“With all thy soul
Love God above,
And as thyself
Thy neighbor love.”

I don’t consider this a truly faithful reproduction, because the original was stitched on uneven weave linen, giving it that nicely out of round, taller-than-wide appearance. But the availability of similar linen is extremely low, so I chose to stitch the model on even weave. The colors too, were a big challenge to match, so the overall effect of the reproduction, although lovely, is different enough from the original to warrant a changed subtitle from what I would usually use. “An Antique Sampler Reproduction” rather than “A Faithfully Reproduced Antique Sampler”. Regardless, she is lovely, and well worth the time and crossed-eyes it took to get her charted and framed.

Without the helping hands of my model stitcher Candace Shalongo, this sampler would most likely still be waiting her turn in a digital folder, since my stitching hours are all taken up with my original designs. She gladly took the project on, and finished quickly and skillfully. A heartfelt Thank You from me to you!

Stitch Count: 232 x 181
Model stitched on Silkweaver 32ct. Midas Touch
With one thread over two.

Using flosses from The Gentle Art: 0112 Grasshopper, 0511 Country Redwood, 7025 Shaker White, 7040 Lexington Green, 7044 Dungarees, 7045 Mountain Mist, 7049 Lambswool, 7057 Roasted Marshmallow, 7080 Endive, 7082 Piney Woods

And flosses from Weeks’ Dye Works: 1118 Goldenrod, 1268 Molasses, 1274 Terrapin, 2219 Whiskey

Frame by Valley House Primitives.

This design is now available in my etsy shop, and will be going out to my distributors and the shops on my automatic shipments list soon. If you prefer to bypass etsy and order directly through me, you can send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com