10.07.2010

Ann How 1794

She hangs low on my wall,
right at eye level when I'm sitting in my favorite settee.
The settee in which I can be found sketching, stitching & creating in the quietness of the early morning hours.
I admire the work of Ann How's hands and use her for inspiration...

Ann How 1794 sampler is stitched on a finely woven tammy cloth (a rough-textured woollen cloth used for straining sauces, soups, etc). The piece is worked in cross, eyelet and petit point stitches.
A sweet flock of sheep fill one corner
&
two facing stags are the main focal point
of the sampler.

The frame is old and chippy, with a top coat of brownish black paint with hints of creamy ivory and red peeking through
here
&
there.
A wonderful patina,
just the kind I like...


A palish powder blue alphabet is stitched using the eyelet stitch...
A stitch that has always fascinated me,
although
a stitch in which I have yet try.
My eye is always drawn to these rows of letters ...so delicate.

A brick cottage fills the other bottom corner.
My idea of a dream home...
a cozy little retreat, nestled in the singing woods, where one's days are filled with stitching
from
sun up
to
sun down!

Flowers, plants, and fishes, beasts, birds, flies and bees,
hills, dales, plains, pastures, skies, seas, rivers, trees,
There's nothing near at hand or farthest sought
but with the needle my be shaped and wrought.
- John Taylor, 1634


With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

5 comments:

Margaret said...

Wow! Did you purchase the antique sampler from Scarlet Letter? I was just admiring the reproduction of Ann there. Now you make me want to stitch it even more!

Chris said...

Ann is lovely.

barbara r-g said...

i also love having my old samplers close by. it amazes me how young they were and that we still have them. yours is beautiful. you should try the stitch it is beautiful and of course my favorite the queenstitch. thanks for sharing this work of art.

Catherine said...

What a stunning piece - I love the sheep!!

Diana said...

Thanks for showing this sampler on your blog! I just love it! I can see why it gives you inspiration while you're working. It always amazes me to see what a young girl was able to stitch back then and the verse they put on a sampler!