Friday I'm in love… with cross-stitch
29 May
Aren’t samplers brilliant? That’s so a sentence I never thought I would type. I’ve only ever made one sampler in my life – and I think it was of a ginger cat when I was about five.
But recently I’ve been thinking that I would like to relearn to sew (if you saw this morning’s previous post you’ll know why I need to relearn!) and it was partly inspired by buying this ‘bless’ sampler from a Edinburgh charity shop.
And since I bought it I’ve suddenly become aware of how many very cool modern samplers there are out there (mine says ’43 on the bottom which we think might the year it was made? Not sure if that makes it older or younger than RayB’s great, great, great cousin’s ABC sampler)…
1. Mini Samplers by Lupin
These are so sweet – my favourite is I love tea though I’m bit of a book nerd too!
2. Funky Samplers by Miso Funky
These make me laugh so much (along with her Weak Tea one)… I love the contrast of the genteel cross-stitch and the cussing!
3. Cross-Stitch Anchor Necklace from Hannah Zakari
4. Lightning and Rain Cloud Badges from MaMagasi
5. Lemonade magnet from Defiant Damsel
I love this little lemonade guy – though I have to say I would worry if my lemonade was this colour!
6. Minipop Sampler by rubykhan
This is so amazing… and really does put to shame my complete lack of sewing skills.
They are all so sweet! I love the Home Sweet F*****g Home one! haha. The cloud badges are so cute too. A few weeks ago I found a cross-stitching set that my mum bought me when I was about nine! It’s quite complicated but I have taught myself to cross-stitch from it. And it’s helpful as it gives you a plan.
I photographed the beginning of it last month: http://prettypollysprettythings.blogspot.com/2009/04/pretty-things.html
But I have done a lot more now!
I’m sure you could buy a set to help you learn?
xx
Good idea Polly! Have to go to a haberdashery soon so might invest in one of those. Can’t wait to see more of yours – love the photocopy of the hands too – very sweet!
I inherited a sampler from my Granny (it isn’t a family heirloom, just something she bought once because it was nice). It was made in 1797, by “Jane Reynolds in her seventh year”. It has a motto “Frugality and industry are the hands of fortune” and then the alphabet and some flowers. I recently moved into my own flat, and it was one of the first things I unpacked and put out.
Ok Betty you win – yours is way older than mine
Love the motto too – very timely right now too!
Samplers are cool! There’s no shame at all! I made a wonky sampler when I was at school – I’m only 29, but I’d be amazed if schoolkids are still doing that now… I also made a jewellery roll and an ever-lasting advent calendar, both similarly wonky. Unfortunately my mum had a fit of clearing out when I went to uni and all of these have gone to the big tapestry in the sky. Oh for Betty’s amazing-sounding sampler…
Am considering the Banksy cross stitch kits now…
Wonky is such a good word… will be using that one to describe my crafting! And oh no to your mum chucking them all out – parents should be made to sign some of pact that they keep our crap until such time as we want it or it becomes worth something on ebay!
Love the not-so-traditional home sweet home one, too funny!
Hey, thanks for featuring my work
Check out the Glasgow Craft Mafia websiite – if you’re ever in town, we have regular workshops and tutorials that you can come along and we’ll show you or help you relearn how to sew or cross stitch!
Hey Claire, was reading in The List about the Glasgow Craft Mafia… will definitely come through and check it out soon – probably when I’m done with all the new bathroom shenanigans!