Hands Across the Sea - Mary G Ramage

A printed booklet by Hands Across the Sea Samplers

Mary G Ramage is a beautiful and very colourful sampler from the Scottish Borders. Mary was 12 years old when she stitched this sampler in 1891, mainly using cross stitch over 2 threads on approximately 24ct Penelope canvas. She has also included in her sampler a beautiful alphabet stitched using Algerian eyelets over 4 threads, carrying on the tradition of using repeated eyelet stitches to form the letters in an alphabet.

Mary originally stitched her sampler using wool threads which have faded overtime, and some colours on the front of the sampler have changed and become muted and dull. The colour palette was therefore taken from the reverse of the sampler, as these were still so vibrant and fresh. Should Mary happen to gaze down on us while we are stitching, these are the colours she would recognise, and the finished sampler is how Mary intended it to be seen and a true reflection of her own choice of colours and how she used them together.

The verse leads us to think that this may be a Temperance sampler and is taken from Proverbs 20:1 “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging and whoever is deceived by it is not wise.” Maybe she stitched this sampler at Sunday School

Mary Georgina Ramage was born at Wester Woodheads in the Scottish Border parish of Westruther, Berwickshire, on 13th April 1878 at 11 am! This precise information is recorded on her registration of birth, which also tells us that her parents were Thomas Ramage and Eliza, née Stoddart, who were married on 18th March 1868 in Edinburgh.

Mary very tragically died on 12th June 1895 at 7.45 pm. She was only 17 years of age and had been suffering from Bright’s Disease of the kidneys for 6 months. Her father is noted as being present at the death, and I am sure her family would all have been gathered at the home. Her death notice appeared in the Southern Reporter newspaper on 20th June 1895.

Thread Legend

Mary’s sampler has been stitched with a palette of 10 colours from Au Ver à Soie’s range of Soie 100.3. We have provided conversions for Soie d’Alger and DMC. Only 1 spool or skein of thread is required whether you are stitching on 14ct Aida/28ct linen or 56ct linen.

Soie 100.3 

073 Blue green ~ medium

106 Coral ~ dark

226 Golden brown ~ light

271 Emerald green ~ dark

303 Golden olive

494 Salmon ~ medium

524 Garnet ~ very dark

605 Turquoise ~ dark

616 Golden olive ~ dark

647 Moss green ~ dark

Soie d’Alger

145 Emerald green ~ dark

524 Golden olive

1723 Turquoise ~ dark

2125 Moss green ~ dark

2546 Golden brown ~ light

2915 Salmon ~ medium

2921 Coral ~ dark

2936 Garnet ~ very dark

3744 Golden olive ~ dark

5022 Blue green ~ medium

DMC 

349 Coral ~ dark

503 Blue green ~ medium

580 Moss green ~ dark

829 Golden olive ~ dark

832 Golden olive

902 Garnet ~ very dark

977 Golden brown ~ light

3818 Emerald green ~ dark

3712 Salmon ~ medium

3810 Turquoise ~ dark

Linen Sizes

The design area is 191 stitches (w) x 200 stitches (h). Our calculations have included a 3″ margin for finishing and framing. The model was stitched using 56ct Zweigart-based linen that was overdyed to the shade “Marbled Pointer” by xJuDesigns. We recommend that you use a count and fabric that you enjoy working with.

14ct Aida / 28ct linen: Design: 13.64″ x 14.29″ Fabric: 19.64″ x 20.29″

30ct linen: Design: 12.73″ x 13.33″ Fabric: 18.73″ x 19.33″

16ct Aida / 32ct linen: Design: 11.94″ x 12.50″ Fabric: 17.94″ x 18.50″

18ct /36ct linen: Design: 10.61″ x 11.11″ Fabric: 16.61″ x 17.11″

20ct Aida / 40ct linen: Design: 9.55″ x 10.00″ Fabric: 15.55″ x 16.00″

46ct linen: Design: 8.30″ x 8.70″ Fabric: 14.30″ x 14.70″

56ct linen: Design: 6.82″ x 7.14″ Fabric: 12.82″ x 13.14″

62/52ct linen: Design: 6.16″ x 7.69″ Fabric: 12.16″ x 13.69″