Thursday, November 29, 2012

Obsession with Christmas Samplers

My OCD is in full throttle mode.  I have become obsessed with Christmas Samplers.  After making my decision to add a Christmas sampler to the holiday decorating festivities at Thistle Manor, I never realized there are so many wonderful Christmas sampler designs on the market.  Typical me, why limit myself to choosing just one with the wonderful selection available.  Let's start with the Scarlet Letter:

Mary Ann Hutton  Mary Ann Hutton

Emma Miles   Emma Miles with her lovely holly band.



Melinda from Merry Wind Farm will be stitching an out of print chart by the Scarlet Letter called Christmas Samplers. 

Isabella Fox  Isabella Fox 1827.  I discovered Isabella while reading Attic Needlework's newsletter.  The reds and greens in this sampler just scream Christmas, the Tree of Life reminds me of a feather tree, and Adam and Eve are just a bonus of extra goodness.

Christmas at Hollyberry Farm by Stacy Nash.  While I was obsessing about the samplers, Stacy Nash revealed this over the top sampler on her blog.  I love everything about this sampler:  the border, the snow birds on the roof, a CAT, the girl wearing her new red Christmas dress.  Isn't the way Stacy framed this sampler unique?

Merry Christmas by Blackbird Designs.  To feed my OCD, I stopped at my LNS and picked up this design.  It is very simple and small.  Famous last Betty words:  this should not take long.  The Blackbird girls stitched their Merry Christmas in overdyed fibers.  I will be stitching with NPI silks.


Now. . . that I have fed my OCD Christmas sampler obsession, I need more help from my blogging-stitching friends.  I have decided to stitch Hannah Breed as part of Nicola's Red Letter Year with the Scarlet Letter.  I will be using Au Ver A Soie embroidery floss but am totally undecided about the linen.  Help, please, I need linen suggestions both color and thread count. 

Hannag Breed  Hannah Breed (Red Letter Year Selection)


8 comments:

  1. Love all of these! I fell head over heels for that new one by Stacy Nash!

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  2. All gorgeous samplers!!!!!! I especially love the Stacy Nash one and Isabella :-).

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  3. Great selection of samplers - thanks for putting this together. I just finished the BBD one and it didn't take too long. I'm taking it to the framer this weekend. I love that Stacy Nash one... maybe for next year. Have fun with your Christmas sampler - it is lovely!

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  4. A great selection of Christmas samplers. I really need that Stacy Nash one -- I'm so in love with it.

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  5. I need to get the Stacy Nash Christmas sampler ASAP. I think your post is going to lead to others becoming obsessed with Christmas Samplers.

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  6. I am drooling over them all. There is something so charming about Stacy Nash sampler. I must get them one too.

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  7. Hello Betty: what a fantastic blog of Christmas samplers. I particularly love the Stacy Nash one and have been in touch with her and one chart is now winging it's way to England! Thank you so much - it is great how our blogging creates new ideas for our sewing fingers! Have a great weekend.

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  8. I love ALL of the samplers! I need to do a Christmas sampler this year and have to think of what it is, so I'm glad you've put this list together! I am jonesing to stitch the Joyeux Noel sampler from the BBD book. I definitely need to get that Stacy Nash design, too. As for linen for Hannah Breed, I figured when I stitch it, I will just go with a tannish color. That is really helpful, huh? LOL

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