Saturday Stitches

Lasting as Eternity (an Antique Sampler Adaptation)

Saturday Stitches

Lasting as Eternity : The Dog Sampler : Thirsty Hart : Rachael Holmes

I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm : Great Grandma Dagmar's Birth Sampler

*NEW* Lasting As Eternity (An Antique Sampler Adaptation)

When I spotted this old sampler at a local antique show, I was intrigued by its unfinished state. The sweet little house and phrase were enough to convince me to purchase it, even though it is rather plain. I’ve had it hanging on my wall for a few years now, wondering what on earth I would ever do with it. Finally I realized that I was intended to finish it!

Undated, unsigned, stained, faded, worn, and who knows what happened to the original stitcher that caused her to abandon it before finishing… did the school year end? Did her family run out of money to pay for her education? Did she fall ill? We will never know, but I hope that my additions would meet her approval.

I guess the antique sampler to be from the middle or later half of the 19th century, but don’t have much solid expertise to base that hunch on. I tried to stay true to that time with the motifs and border that I added The quote reads:

Tis religion that can give
Sweetest pleasure while we live
Tis religion must supply
Solid comfort when we die
After death its joy will be Lasting as eternity.

Stitch Count: 226 x 198
Model stitched on Picture This Plus 36ct. Mello using one thread over two strands of linen.

Using flosses from The Gentle Art: 0460 Grecian Gold, 7040 Lexington Green, 7049 Lambswool, 7055 Uniform Blue, 7061 Caramel Corn, 7079 Heirloom Gold, 7082 Piney Woods, 7097 Pecan Pie

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

This.

Before this can happen, the laying of threads through the welcoming pores of linen,

the creating of textile art that soothes the fingers and occupies the mind, this thing that I do day in and day out...

Before the frames can be filled and walls covered in thread,

before the last masterpiece begins to fade and the next can be birthed..

This. This is what takes place.

On the floor, spread out in every direction, bathed in natural light for best color comparison, on hands and knees, charts, linen, threads, pencil, eye and brain all come together to make sure each future handwork is as balanced as can be.

And I love each and every second of it.

I do have one project that I would like to pass along to someone else. If you are interested in trying your hand at model stitching, please send me an email.  **I have found a model stitcher! Thank you for all of your interest. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in future projects though. I like having a list of contacts to go over when the need arises.**

Aquisitions

Wanna see what I got my paws on at Portland's big Spring antique show?

Two sweetly-primitive antique samplers...

Little trio-of-baskets pinkeep and Victorian sewing box shaped like a sofa(!)...

Treasure trove of old, old frames to add to my stash...

Partially obscured items will most likely end up in your hands, in pattern form, at some point in the future. Can you wait?