Saturday Stitches

No Cross, No Crown (a Faithfully Reproduced Antique Sampler)

*NEW* No Cross, No Crown (A Faithfully Reproduced Antique Sampler)

When I found this old sampler on ebay several months ago, I knew that it would be the perfect sampler to chart and release in advance of Easter. With its large cross bearing the words “Jesus” and “Love”, and the inclusion of sideways motifs along the bottom. Done with over-one stitches are a rose, followed by the word “No”, a Cross, the word “No” again, and a Crown.

The phrase “No cross, no crown” has been widely used for centuries, mostly by those of Catholic or Quaker persuasion. I don’t know if he coined the phrase, but William Penn, while in a London prison in 1668, wrote a tract called No Cross, No Crown. He wrote, "No pain, no palm; no thorns, no throne; no gall, no glory; no cross, no crown."

Undated, I guess this sampler to be from the last quarter of the 19th century, or possibly as late as the turn of the century. It was stitched with wool threads on fabric that resembles fiddler’s cloth.

I did take liberties by stitching my reproduction on linen using cotton floss, and didn’t stitch it at the same scale. In all other ways it is a match to the original, the colors being very similar, and all stitches being charted accurately.

Stitch Count: 109 x 147
Model stitched on Picture This Plus 28ct. Legacy that took a light coffee bath prior to stitching.

Using flosses from The Gentle Art:
0320 Old Brick, 7019 Pomegranate, 7024 Tin Bucket, 7049 Lambswool, 7057 Roasted Marshmallow, 7078 Toffee, 7079 Heirloom Gold

And flosses from Weeks Dye Works:
1201 Putty, 1268 Molasses, 1330 Baked Apple, 2219 Whiskey, 2220 Curry

The lovely frame is an antique.

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 this week. If you prefer to bypass etsy and order directly through me, you can send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com

Head Colds and Missing Teeth

I poured myself a mug of coffee just now, and spent nearly a full minute trying to figure out how I had managed to only brew enough for one serving. I was certain that I had made the usual amount... Sighing, and resigning myself to brewing more later if I wanted it, I trudged over to my desk.

Where I found a full mug of coffee that I had poured a few minutes earlier.

Good grief. Grey hairs and forgetfulness at 37 years of age... what's next?

In other news, we once again have head colds, no thanks to the Kindergartener and his lovely classmates mingling their germs in a perpetual cycle. At least this feeling-poorly makes me experience less guilt about spending a rainy morning (in between chores) parked right here:

The walking germ-center lost another tooth last night, while eating his supper. He was so excited I thought he was going to bounce right into the atmosphere. Honestly, I remember losing teeth as being a bit on the traumatic side. Not this kid. He is thrilled to have a giant hole in his smile.

Whatever.

Seven Glimpses

Waiting for fabric, needing to be stitched, framed, or finished.

My workbasket is full.

Two antique reproductions, and five born of my imagination.

Seven new designs being prepared for you for the first half of 2012.

Just when I think I may run out of ideas, a perfect storm arrives and I have enough to last another year.

Please don't get tired of stitching my dears, because I doubt I will ever get tired of designing.