Lydia Emaline Shultz Tudor

Pineberry Lane

Lydia Broome Sampler

Lydia apologizes for the delay in her debut, her seamstress had a big work project with a bigger deadline.  

The Primitive Hare

Valentine Freebie

Since Great Grandfather "Valentine" Shultz is such an integral part of Lydia's story, The Primitive Hare freebie Valentine will be Lydia's first companion.  The linen is 30 ct over dyed from The Primitive Hare, the fiber is Lancaster Red from Weeks and the backing fabric is flannel from the LQS.  Work on Valentine has already begun (not enough stitched to show photo), the Lancaster Red is an awesome color--the perfect red for Valentine or Merry Christmas.  

Fabric Auditions

It has been a quiet and peaceful day at Thistle Manor.  Taking advantage of the peace and quiet, I decided to start the fabric auditions for Hannah Breed.  There were four linens which made the initial selection.

• R & R Reproductions 32 ct Sheep's Straw
• R & R Reproductions 35 ct 18 Century Brown
• Weeks Dye Works 35 ct Straw
• Weeks Dye Works 35 ct Havana

The Weeks Dye Works 35 ct Havana was eliminated because some of the fibers got lost on the fabric and the R & R Reproductions 32 ct Sheep's Straw was eliminated because of the thread count.  I was having a difficult time choosing between the R & R Reproduction 36 ct 18 Century Brown and the Weeks 35 ct Straw.  I phoned my partner in crime/enabler/consultant/friend, Carmen for guidance.  Carmen made a great suggestion:

Place one half of the fibers on one of the fabrics/linen and the other half of the fibers on the second fabric/linen and see which fabric/linen works best.  Choose the fabric/linen which makes the colors "pop." 

This was great advice.  Doing this, gives instant results and makes the decision much easier.  So. . . which linen made the final cut?  The R & R Reproduction 35 ct 18 Century Brown.  Yes, when I placed the fibers on the linen, I could instantly see the colors pop and the bling.  I had to order a couple of the fibers and as soon as they arrive, stitching will begin on Hannah.

After all these years, Hannah Breed is going to become a reality! 

Hannah and the Runner Ups

The past couple of days, I have been "studying" Hannah Breed.  While "studying" Hannah, here is what I have learned:

• Hannah worked this sampler when she was nine years old
• The stitches used on the sampler are Cross, Eyelet, Satin, Long-Arm Cross, Herringbone, Rococo, Lazy Daisy, Straight and Florentine.
• The reproduction sampler was worked on 25 count, natural, unbleached evenweave linen and is approximately 10" x 22"

WOW!  Hannah was 9 years old!  (Gulp) I'm feeling intimated Hannah.

Nine different stitches and you were 9 years old.  Okay, Hannah, now I am feeling really intimated.

Time to locate my girl big britches.

First, runner up:  1800 Gift Pincushion.  Cross and satin stitches.

Second runner up:  M. Quertier

A lovely quaker sampler

There is a tie for Third Runner Up between Jane Atkinson and

Elizabeth Short

and last but still in the running is Tudor Pincushion.  Stitched on 30 ct linen in tent stitch over one thread.



Diligence, The Scarlet Letter

Diligence

Wisconsin

Home of The Scarlet Letter

(Photo Country Home magazine August 1989)

Diligence

(Photo Country Living magazine August 1993)

(Photo Colonial Homes magazine June/July 1999)

Premier Issue of Fine Lines Magazine Summer 1996

(featuring The Scarlet Letter)



Since joining Nicola in celebration of her red letter year with the The Scarlet Letter, I have been digging deep into my stash.  Hannah Breed is the sampler I have chosen to stitch.  While I was searching for Hannah,  I discovered my file on The Scarlet Letter.  Step 1:  I am a Scarlet Letter addict groupie. 

Through the years, several magazines have written stories featuring The Scarlet Letter.  Yes, I savor each  article and photo and hope Marsha has shared a design or two. 

Nicola has generated a new excitement with sampler enthusiast.  Other stitchers like myself are digging into their stash, starting to stitch new samplers and resurrecting other samplers.  Following the progress, encouraging and cheering, sharing finishes, and seeing framed pieces will be a good motivator. 

Now. . . I need to order some silk fibers and decide on linen for Hannah.

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

   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 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. 

  Hannah Breed (Red Letter Year Selection)

Phebe, Sally and Hannah

In April 1994, Country Home released a new magazine called Folk Crafts.  Being a sucker for magazines, I immediately purchased the magazine.  The premier issue was filled with wonderful goodness:  Bandboxes by Berta Montgomery, hand painted game boards by Mary Thompson, miniature quilts by Tina Gravatti and samplers by Marsha Van Valin aka The Scarlet Letter.  I couldn't drive home fast enough to start devouring that magazine.  Of course, Stitched in Time, the story of Marsha and The Scarlet Letter was my favorite article.  And . . . since the magazine was called Folk Crafts, each person featured in the magazine included directions for completing a project.  Marsha (The Scarlet Letter) included the chart for stitching the Phebe Smith Sampler. 

This is a photo of The Phebe Smith sampler from the magazine.  The sampler on the left is the reproduction and the sampler on the right is the original. 

This is my Scarlet Letter Phebe Smith sampler.  I think this was the first Scarlet Letter I stitched.  (Phebe is hanging in Sister C's room, behind the angels and angel tree.)

Included in the Folk Crafts magazine article was this beautiful photograph of more of The Scarlet Letter samplers.  The small sampler on the stand is Sally Morse and Hannah Breed is the larger sampler hanging on the wall.  I could not resist.

Here is my Sally Morse sampler.  Normally, Sally sits on top the dresser in Sister C's room.

And yes, I have joined Nicola in celebrating her Scarlet Letter year and it is time for me to get started on Hannah Breed and add her to the fold.  (Wish me luck on the queen stitches).

A very special thank you to my blogging-stitching  friends for helping me with my Christmas sampler dilemma.  WOW!  There are some amazing Christmas samplers.  Stacy Nash must have also heard my plea.  Have you seen her latest sampler design--Christmas at Hollyberry Farm?  

Where are the Christmas samplers?

There are so many wonderful things I love about Christmas.  One of my newest Christmas loves is seeing other bloggers decorate their homes, cook and bake their favorite family dishes,  view all the stitched ornaments and  learn about others family traditions.  As I have been reading blogs and decorating my own home, I made a discovery!  I have no Christmas samplers!  I couldn't believe it.  I have Adam and Eve samplers, fall samplers, spring samplers, Scarlet Letter samplers and the list goes on, but nada, not one Christmas sampler. 

Now, don't go thinking I am going to have one stitched for Christmas 2012, maybe 2013.  Where to begin? Blackbird Designs has some great ones:  Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Tis the Season and Christmas Garden. 

Paulette (Plum Street Samplers) will be releasing a sampler "A Yuletide Welcome to Thee."  Many wonderful elements to this sampler--a big house with peacocks and flower pots.  What's not to love?

In reading the latest Attic Needlework Newsletter, the December sampler of the month is Isabella Fox 1827 from Gigi R's private collection.  The sampler has lots of red  in the border and the tree of life looks like a decorated feather tree.  And, if all this goodness is not enough throw in Adam and Eve. 

Can you help a girl out?  I am looking for ideas and open to suggestions.  Thistle Manor needs a Christmas sampler.