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Thursday 4 June 2009

Sarah Moon's Ackworth School Sampler


Someone asked this evening about when I bought Sarah Moon at auction. I fear many of you have heard this story before and to save you reading it again, I have Bringing Home the Moon as a pdf download here. I have brought it up to date to by including Bringing Home Hannah Westcombe which I had to do over a telephone while I was in Paris. There are now 5 new samplers at Ackworth School. But perhaps, just as important, we know the location of many more who are very happy with their own families. One I discovered by talking to a librarian, she was very kind and gave me more of her time than she could spare, so I sent her a copy of Quaker School Girl Samplers from Ackworth as a small present to thank her. The next day she emailed me to say her family had samplers just like those! Who knows what chance encounters and kindnesses may bring.... But here is Sarah Moon again for you and a small section of the reverse.

10 comments:

  1. Oh thanks for posting this! I read "Bringing Home The Moon" somewhere on the net a couple of years ago...I didn`t recognize your name at the time, but I fell in love with your story of buying Sarah and restoring her to her home. I think I emailed that story to all my stitching friends, and everyone loved it!

    I am anxious to read about Hannah as well. It`s wonderful that these samplers are being gathered up so they can be studied as a group.

    I emailed you a pic of where I am stitching...did you get it? I am never quite sure when I attach a pic on dial up if it gets there or not. Sometimes it just doesn`t show up...

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  2. The Sarah Moon sampler is beautiful. I am new to Ackworth samplers and don't know to much about them. Most I have learned is from guild friends that are more studied on them as a collection and body of work. I started the Mary Wigham sampler tonight and I am so excited to stitch it. It will be my first Ackworth piece besides a pin ball that was featured in Antique Needlework and Sampler magazine several years ago. I do not own the Ackworth sampler book yet but will have to add it soon to my library. Is there pictures or more information about the 5 samplers that have been returned to the school in that book? It is exciting to learn of your passion and start my own for the samplers. Thank you for the PDF on Sarah Moon. It is new to me, of coarse. I can't wait to share with my guild. I am the first 'active member' blogger of my guild group here in Iowa.

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  3. Hello MJ - your stitching picture is on the 3rd row 2nd from the right in the Where are you Stitching Mary Wigham Gallery. Click on the Dipper Ride picture you see on the right hand side of the blog in the Mary Wigham corner to see the gallery.

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  4. Oh Jacqueline, thanks so much!!!

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  5. It is absolutly beautiful! I fell in love with it!

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  6. This is one of my favourite Ackworth samplers - thanks for taking care of it for all of us!

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  7. I loved the story and seeing a real photo of Sarah Moon sampler was awsome - I wish I could get it's pattern, but unfortunately is sold out.

    The photo of the back of the sampler answered a question I always had, which was how samplers could have been stitched - how they looked really looked like. And I think that this picture elicits what you said about flaws and strained stitches telling a story - I think this picture also taught us a bit about Sarah Moon. Thank you, Jacqueline

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  8. Lovely story, I felt I was right there beside you in the auction house and the hotel lobby, my heart skipping a beat with the last bid. It's quite special to think you've been able to bring so many beautiful pieces back to Ackworth, and to share them with us. It's great to have Beatrix Potter's available via .pdf as well.

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  9. I love the story and I love this sampler. Jaqueline I´m interesting in stitching Sarah Moon´s sampler.Can you help me, please? Thank you very much

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