Prints and Stuart Needlework - Close Companions - and Cathedral Close Accommodation

I always love exploring cathedral closes - they are a world to themselves. And one of the most beautiful is at Salisbury. If you are touring the UK, Salisbury is a must visit place. Not only for the spectacular cathedral with perhaps the most perfect spire, its fabulous town and shops, but also the museum and Mompesson House within the close. Mompesson is a National Trust Property and on a summer's day, there is no better cream tea in a more idyllic setting to enjoy than in the garden here. In the house there are also small examples of stumpwork which were possibly made for a casket. Here you can see a panel of Abraham with Ishmael and Hagar in the wilderness. Ishmael seems to have taken a tumble! Such Stuart scenes were often influenced by biblical prints with traceable sources.

However, this is the only panel I know of to date (perhaps you know of others?) which actually incorporates such a print. Here you can see Abraham is a collage figure that has been tinted and glued to the fabric ground.

And here you can see Hagar who has a stitched face and body, more in line with what is normally seen on a panel of this date.

And, for the full cathedral experience, you can enjoy B&B in Sarum College, right in the close, (imagine wakening up on a Sunday morning here....). The rooms are pleasant student rooms and work out at around £70 for a twin room per night. The college has around 40 rooms and also makes a splendid symposium or meeting venue - or possibly a stitching retreat? Click here for more details.

May My Obedience Claim Thy Love - 1784

Just 2 inches in diameter (5.5cm), this fabulous  George III whitework embroidered miniature of 1784 in its chased gold Regency frame has certainly claimed my love. For auction on 16 March at  Dreweatts Godalming Salerooms it is Lot 509 with an estimate of £300 - 500. I hope it finds a very loving home - and not just for the frame!

This very traditional French sampler of 1861 has an alphabet over an altar complete with monstrance. It has been signed Fait Par Pauline Carabas. It is 15.5" square and together with another 19th Century needlework sampler having a pair of birds and perhaps a hot air balloon, all within a floral border signed Elizabeth Harvey, is for auction at Mallams Ltd on 14 March - Lot number 153 with an estimate of £70-90

You may perhaps have admired samplers like this before - from germany or Switzerland, they are most beautifully stitched. Measuring 10" x 11" (25cm by 28cm) they are monogrammed and dated 1898, and have a tiny estimate of £50 - 70 for the pair when they come to auction on 12 March at Addisons Auctioneers in Durham. Lot number is 373.

There were so many tiny boarding and private girls schools from the late 17th century onwards - sometimes they might have no more than 2 or 3 paying pupils whose fees would ensure gentle ladies with scarce means and perhaps a little learning would not be thrown upon charity.  This sampler was worked by Mary Ann Patten aged 12 at A H Halls School in 1830. it is for auction on 5 March at Taylors Auctions.

Mallams have around 15 samplers in their upcoming auction, of which this charmer is just one - click here to see their catalogue for more information.

Busy Happy Days! The New Judith Hayle in the New Book and More

It has just been the busiest of days, preparing the last touches for the new Needleprint book - Volume 1 of the Micheál and Elizabeth Feller Collection. Today we put the chart for this wonderful sampler stitched by Dorothy Ward dated 28 Iuly 1697 onto the inside jacket of the book, which I know will please some sampler lovers who asked me to do this. Two of the bands amongst the plethora on this sampler come from Johannes Sibmacher's pattern book, maybe you can see the parrots and, below, the huntsman and hound in pursit of the stag, in the lower half of the picture.





And the other great bonus is that the newly come-to-light Judith Hayle sampler stitched by Martha Cussen in 1696 will be included in this volume also. You can see the auction image here, however new images have been specially commissioned for the book. It is all getting very exciting - but I must go to bed now and look forward to another happy, busy day tomorrow!

Oh Joy Oh Joy! Wonderful Finishes from Linda and Patti

I knew it was going to be a wonderful day when I saw some of your finishes arriving in my mail box. But this is incredible - a finished Marianne Wenn already. Linda must have flying fingers to have finished so quickly. Linda is a dear Friend of Ackworth School Samplers and she stitches the most beautiful items for everyone to enjoy. Although we are far flung, the friendships built at Ackworth School over two Christmas gatherings, remain firm. Linda will be taking a class with the Carolina Sampler Guild in a couple of months. In case you missed the Marianne Wenn Sampler from Norwich Museum, here is the link again. All proceeds go to sampler conservation at Norwich. Philippa Sims says she is so grateful for all the support you have shown for the museum by buying the sampler charts.

And Linda has completed this other mini sampler, again from Norwich. I think it works perfectly as a little braid bordered panel, don't you? If you missed the Jessy Lambert sampler, just click here for more details.

Another braided panel from Linda, and this time it was a free Needleprint download. This design always makes me smile. When he was getting on, my father's hearing failed. I usually talk in a soft voice and one day while we were pottering around an art gallery (my father was a keen amateur painter) he said something which really touched me, so I said to him, 'I love you, Dad'. 'What's that? What did you say? Didn't catch it. Speak up.' So, I took a deep breath and in the middle of this crowded gallery, came as close to shouting as I ever have, 'I love you Dad.' I think we both blushed! In case you missed this free download, just click here for the PDF.

Take a bow, Patti from Denver, you should be so proud. Patti has finished her Mary Wigham and it is a treasure indeed. The initials have been colour coded. Patti says, All the left side facing is my dad's family - the right my mom's. Along the bottom are my siblings and above them my kids and their fathers. The top has my initials with my current husband's and my REAL Grandfather on my dad's side and so on.. Patti printed a sheet out with all the descriptions and placed them in an envelope in the back of the frame along with the story of Mary. Patti is a member of the Sampler Guild of the Rockies and Mary Wigham is the group Stitchalong. Thank you very much for supporting the Ackworth School Sampler Collection, ladies. Do say Hello to Patti via her blog: http://rockymountainstitcher.blogspot.com/. Here is the link to the free Mary Wigham download, we simply request you make a donation to support the preservation of these historic pieces. Click here.